LOS ANGELES -- The injury-ridden Los Angeles Lakers already have spent so much time playing without Kobe Bryant, losing him again for an extended period wont take them in uncharted territory. Xavier Henry, the fourth player to start at point guard this season for coach Mike DAntoni, scored 21 points and the Lakers began another long stretch without their 15-time All-Star by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-91 Friday night. Bryant is expected to miss at least six weeks because of a fracture in his left knee, which occurred Tuesday night at Memphis when he fell to the court late in the third quarter of the Lakers 96-92 win. The NBAs fourth all-time leading scorer finished that game, hitting a clutch 3-pointer to help seal the win. But an MRI on Thursday revealed the injury. Bryant missed the first 19 games of the season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, an injury that occurred on April 12 -- with two games left before the playoffs. "It just prepared us," Henry said. "I mean, we started without him, and right now unfortunately were without him again. But we know we can play. We know we can win games, and we have the confidence that we have other people that can do the job." The Lakers returned from a 2-2 road trip and ended a three-game home losing streak. Pau Gasol, the only player to start all 26 games for the Lakers, had 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Reserve Nick Young scored 25 points, including a 4-point play that gave the Lakers a lead after Corey Brewer fouled him behind the arc with 2:37 left in the third quarter. "We played to our strengths," Henry said. "I mean, me and Nick can attack them in different ways. Jodie Meeks can shoot it, and weve got a guy like Pau whos a really good playmaker." Bryant, who last month signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension at age 35, made his return Dec. 8 and played just six games -- all in 10 days. The 18-year veteran averaged over 32 minutes in the last three while shifting to point guard because of injuries to Steve Nash, Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar. The 39-year-old Nash, a two-time MVP who hasnt played since Nov. 10 because of back and hamstring issues, has played as many games as Bryant -- and will remain sidelined at least four more weeks with nerve root irritation in his back. Blake missed his fifth game because of a torn ligament in his right elbow, and Farmar sat out his eighth due to a torn left hamstring. DAntoni used his 11th starting lineup, and Henry shot 8 for 19 and had four assists in 42 minutes. As a team, the Lakers had 27 assists despite the absence of a bona fide point guard. "They understand the moment and they understand that this is their opportunity," DAntoni said. Kevin Love scored 20 of his 25 points in the first half and grabbed 13 rebounds for Minnesota, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. The Lakers broke open a tight game with 3-pointers by Gasol and Young to help extend their lead to 100-91 with 2 minutes remaining. They outscored Minnesota 9-0 over the final 3:18. Nikola Pekovic had 22 points and 13 boards, but Brewer finished with just five points after missing all eight field goal attempts. Point guard Ricky Rubio missed the morning shootaround because he wasnt feeling well. He played 30 minutes, finishing with six points, seven assists and six rebounds. Love powered the Timberwolves to a 53-51 halftime lead, fueling an 18-3 run with seven points in a 1:50 span to help turn an 11-point deficit into a 51-47 lead in the final minute of the second quarter. "No energy. We have to be better than that," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said. "They outworked us all night long. It was a poor game on our part. " NOTES: Henry was the 12th overall pick in the 2012 draft, by Memphis. His older brother C.J. was the 17th overall pick in the 2005 baseball draft, by the Yankees. ... This is the first time since moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles that the Lakers have failed to go more than a game over .500 through their first 26 games in back-to-back seasons. ... Love has fouled out only once in 313 NBA games. It was against the Lakers on Jan. 30, 2009 -- as a reserve -- in a 132-119 loss at Minnesota. China Jerseys NFL Cheap . LOUIS - Two-thirds of the St. Wholesale MLB Jerseys . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. http://www.wholesalejerseysnflchinaauthentic.com/ .com) - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right elbow last week, the teams official site reported Wednesday. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Paul, MN (SportsNetwork. Cheap China Jerseys .J. -- Fabian Johnson scored his first international goal and Clint Dempsey doubled the lead after a defensive lapse as the United States beat Turkey 2-1 Sunday in the second of three World Cup warm-up matches for the Americans before they head to Brazil.WINNIPEG - Kyle Anderson turned in his second consecutive quality start for the Winnipeg Goldeyes, but Marquis Fleming was just a little bit better for the Lincoln Saltdogs. The Goldeyes (10-7) lost 4-1 to the Saltdogs (8-9) Sunday afternoon before 5,834 sizzling fans at Shaw Park. The loss drops Winnipegs record to 3-4 during this past weeks seven-game homestand. Combined with last nights loss, the Goldeyes have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. Lincoln staked a two-run lead in the top of the fourth inning without getting a hit. Brian Joynt walked to lead off the inning and Ian Gac was hit by a pitch. Kevin Howard reached first on a fielders choice, which moved Joynt to third and caused Gac to be out at second. Joynt then scored on an error when Howard stole second, which led to him scoring on a ground out. An inning later, the Goldeyes broke the shutout. Ryan Pineda singled to lead things off, then went to second on a single by Tyler Kuhn and scored on a Jake Blackwood single. That, however, would be the only run the GGoldeyes could score against Fleming.dddddddddddd "Flemings a good pitcher," Forney said. "We saw him in Lincoln and he was just as good down there. You have to make him pitch to the top in the zone and if youre swinging at stuff down in the zone, you have zero chance of hitting that kind of stuff." Joynt hit a two-run home run off Goldeyes reliever Kyle Bellamy in the top of the eighth to put Lincoln up 4-1. Anderson was the hard-luck loser after giving up just two runs – one of which was earned – in 6 2/3 innings of work. "Other than the top of the fourth, he was phenomenal today," Forney said of his starting pitcher. Fleming tossed seven innings for the win, while Marshall Schuler pitched the ninth inning for his fourth save of the season. Pineda had a two-hit to lead the Goldeyes, who only managed five hits in the contest. Winnipeg will now head to Sioux Falls for four games against the Canaries, starting Monday night at 7 p.m. Matt Jackson (2-1, 3.50) will take the ball for Winnipeg. ' ' '