LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The Los Angeles Lakers  dominated the New York Knicks for three quarters of Tuesday’s  game before squandering much of their lead and holding on for a 100-90 victory.

Kobe Bryant scored 34 points as last season’s NBA champions  cruised to a fourth successive win despite a poor fourth  quarter.

“Depending on the matchup, we have to go our advantages,  and we have so many it’s hard to focus on one or two,” Pau  Gasol, who grabbed 16 rebounds, told reporters.

“Our second unit has to do a better job of playing together  and helping us any way they can.”
The Knicks trailed by 25 points with 9:19 remaining but  quickly cut the deficit with an 11-0 run against the Los  Angeles bench players.

Nate Robinson and Wilson Chandler both had 15 points for  the Knicks (3-11), who shot just 39 percent and were  out-rebounded 60-36.

All of the Lakers starting five scored in double figures,  including 17 apiece for Andrew Bynum and Ron Artest, but the  team received little support from the bench.

The lone weak spot for Los Angeles during its 11-3 start to  the season, their bench players have made a habit of losing  leads, particularly at the end of games.

“It’s kind of embarrassing to lose a big lead and then have  guys like Kobe and Gasol come back in and have to finish  games,” said Lakers reserve guard Shannon Brown.
“It’s a problem, but not a problem we can’t fix.”