Blazers beat 76ers to win 13th straight

Brandon Roy scored 22 points and the Portland Trail Blazers rallied to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 97-72 on Sunday for their league-leading 13th straight win.

It is the second-longest winning streak in Blazers history. Portland won 16 straight in the 1990-91 season.

Trailing 63-59 in the third quarter, the Blazers (18-12) went on a 21-0 run over 8:21.

Travis Outlaw sealed the game with an acrobatic dunk, bringing his arm around 180 degrees over a defender and stuffing the ball to make it 82-66. He finished with 12 points, as did James Jones. Steve Blake had 11 points for the Blazers.

Andre Iguodala had 24 points for the 76ers, and Andre Miller added 17 points and 11 assists. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak.

The youngest team in the NBA, Portland started its run with a Dec. 3 victory at Memphis after going 5-12 to start the season. Ten of the team's 13 victories have come at the Rose Garden, where the Blazers are 15-3.

Gordan Giricek, who was traded to the 76ers on Saturday by the Utah Jazz for Kyle Korver, was with the team but didn't play. Giricek had fallen out of favor with Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. He averaged 4.3 points in 22 games for Utah this season and has a career average of 9.8 points in six seasons.

The Blazers led by as many as five points in the first half until Louis Williams' 3-pointer for Philadelphia tied it at 25. The 76ers could not pull ahead and Portland re-took the lead with Channing Frye's layup and Sergio Rodriguez's 3-pointer.

Philadelphia was undeterred, going on a 14-2 run — capped by Iguodala's dunk — to lead 45-36 at the half.

Miller, who went 0-for-6 from the floor in the first quarter, had 11 points in the second for the 76ers.

Philadelphia pushed its lead to as many as 11 in the third quarter, but the Blazers chipped away, closing to within 61-59 on Blake's 3-pointer.

After Williams made a layup for the 76ers, Jones made three straight free throws for Portland to narrow it to 63-62 at the end of the third quarter — the first points of the 20-0 run.

Outlaw opened the fourth with a 20-foot jumper to put Portland back in front. Roy's left-handed dunk gave the Blazers a 74-63 lead.

Roy, last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, has scored 20-plus points in 10 of the Blazers' games during the streak, and has been honored as the NBA's player of the week twice during the span.

The current streak surpasses the 12-game winning streak the team had in 2001-02. Current 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks was head coach for Portland at the time.

Notes:@ The Blazers honored team founder Harry Glickman during the game as part of a season-long celebration of the team's history. Glickman, who retired in 1994, said he was encouraged by the way the young Blazers were bringing back fans that had fallen away during the so-called "Jail Blazers" era. "I think they're pointed in the right direction," Glickman said. "They've done a good job in turning it around." ... Rodney Carney made his fourth straight start for the 76ers.

Pistons sweep Pacers for eighth straight win

The Detroit Pistons, inspired by guards Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups, claimed a 98-92 road win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, their eighth straight victory.

The triumph capped a sweep of a home-and home series between the teams, the Pistons winning 114-101 in Detroit on Friday. The Pacers have lost three straight games.

Hamilton scored 24 points, Billups added 17 and Rasheed Wallace contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Pistons.

"This was really a tough game tonight," Hamilton told reporters. "They came out tough and we didn't play quite like we did yesterday and it was a really tough game all around.

"I think both teams came out and played very physical and that's ok by us. We might as well, since the refs were going to let us play."

Jermaine O'Neal led Indiana with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Mike Dunleavy scored 18 points.

"They are a tough team to beat," said Indiana coach Jim O'Brien. "We put ourselves in position to win the game and came up short. I thought it was a very, very solid performance."

Reserve Jason Maxiell scored 12 points for Detroit and Danny Granger added 15 for the Pacers.

*The Boston Celtics improved their NBA-best record to 25-3 with a 104-98 road win over the Utah Jazz. Boston is 3-0 on a four-game Western swing that ends against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Paul Pierce scored 24 points, all in the second half including a tie-breaking lay-up with 28 seconds remaining, Ray Allen had 23 points and Kevin Garnett 15.

*The Dallas Mavericks jumped to a 12-0 lead before ending the visiting Atlanta Hawks' five-game winning streak with a 97-84 victory. Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points, Josh Howard and Devin Harris each had 19 and Erick Dampier added 12 (6-for-6 shooting) and 10 rebounds.

It was Atlanta's longest winning run in eight years and the Hawks were looking for their first six-game streak since 1998-99, the last time they made the playoffs.

*David West scored 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Chris Paul had 20 points, nine assists and seven steals to lead the New Orleans Hornets to an 86-76 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the Hornets' fifth straight victory. LeBron James scored 21 points for the Cavs. New Orleans is 20-10, the franchise's best record ever through 30 games.

(Writing by Mike Shalin; Editing by Ed Osmond)

Nuggets beat Warriors 124-120

Allen Iverson scored 39 points, including a late jumper to break a tie, and Carmelo Anthony added 30 to help the Denver Nuggets outrun the Golden State Warriors in a 124-120 victory on Friday night.

The game was the fast-paced, offensive showcase that should be expected when two of the NBA's top three scoring teams face off.

Stephen Jackson scored 32 points and Baron Davis added 29 for the Warriors, but they couldn't quite match the performance from Denver's dynamic duo and lost for the second time in six games.

With both teams preferring an up-tempo style that features quick shots and plenty of fast breaks, Denver hit the 100-point mark on Linas Kleiza's 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining in the third quarter.

The Warriors nearly hit the century mark before the fourth quarter as well, settling for 97 after Jackson hit a 3-pointer that beat the third-quarter buzzer. Davis' 3-pointer on the opening possession of the fourth cut Denver's lead to 102-100.

The Warriors, who trailed by 11 points early, tied it at 104 on Kelenna Azubuike's putback less than 3 minutes into the fourth quarter. Iverson got to the line on three straight trips after that, making five free throws to make it 109-104.

With the lead up to six and less than 3 minutes to go, Davis got Golden State right back in it. He fed Andris Biedrins for a layup, blocked Anthony's shot to set up a fast-break basket by Monta Ellis and then scored inside to tie it at 118.

Iverson then hit a pull-up jumper to put Denver back in front for good at 120-118 with 1:12 remaining. Anthony Parker stole a pass from Davis at the other end, leading to a pair of free throws by Anthony that made it a four-point game with 53 seconds remaining.

Davis hit a tough shot at the other end and then Golden State forced Anthony into a miss as the shot clock expired, giving the Warriors one last chance with 21 seconds remaining. But Jackson missed a 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining and Marcus Camby hit two free throws to make it a four-point game.

Pierce powers NBA-best Celtics past Seattle

Paul Pierce scored 37 points and Kevin Garnett added 23 to lead the Boston Celtics to a 104-96 National Basketball Association triumph Thursday over the Seattle Supersonics.

The victory boosted Boston's NBA-best record to 24-3 and after just under one-third of their 82-game league schedule, the Celtics are on pace to challenge the NBA one-season record of 72-10 set by Chicago.

With the triumph, the Celtics matched their total number of victories from last season.

Garnett also grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked two shots but it was Pierce's season-high point total after starting 2-of-11 from the floor that gave the Celtics their third triumph in a row.

Pierce had three 3-point shots and 13 points in the third quarter but Boston still clung to only a 70-67 edge before reserve Eddie House scored seven points in a 21-10 Boston run that sealed the triumph.

Boston's Ray Allen returned to Seattle for the first time since a trade to the Celtics last season. A sellout crowd gave Allen a standing ovation but the All-Star guard went 4-of-13 from the field and scored only 10 points.

Rookie Kevin Durant led Seattle with 25 points. The Sonics fell to 8-21 with only Northwest division foe Minnesota at 4-23 below them in the entire league.

Jazz beat Mavs on Boozer's strong finish

Carlos Boozer scored 21 points, including six of Utah's last seven, and the Jazz held off the Dallas Mavericks 99-90 on Wednesday night.

Although he was hampered by foul trouble, Boozer finished strong for the Jazz, who had been struggling in the closing moments of games in the past few weeks.

Boozer shot 8-of-13 and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Jazz to their third win in the last 12 games. Andrei Kirilenko and Deron Williams had 17 points apiece as the Jazz improved to 10-2 at home.

The Jazz led by 10 points in the fourth quarter before Devean George made back-to-back 3-pointers. The Jazz, bolstered by steals by Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer, then held the Mavericks scoreless for almost 4 minutes.

Dallas stayed close with 3-pointers until Boozer made a mid-range jumper and a dunk that put Utah ahead 97-89 with 1:28 to play.

Dirk Nowitzki had 20 points for Dallas but made just 3-of-10 from 3-point range as the Mavericks abandoned any attempt at an inside game in the fourth quarter. Devin Harris and Josh Howard each had 17 points for the Mavericks, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Utah led 16-0 and the Mavericks didn't score until Brandon Bass' jumper 5:12 into the game. But Dallas whittled away at the lead and actually passed the Jazz just before the end of the first half. Kirilenko's dunk before the buzzer regained the lead for the Jazz, 47-46.

Dallas and Utah seemed to be headed in opposite directions since their last meeting on Dec. 8, when Howard and Williams reached career highs in points. Williams had 41, but Howard scored 47 points and led Dallas to a 125-117 victory. The Mavs were winning and the Jazz were since mired in their worst streak of the season.

But this game was much more physical and the Jazz had 12 steals and forced 18 turnovers. Though the Jazz are a higher-scoring team this year at nearly 105 points a game, they win when they play inspired defense. The Jazz improved to 10-0 when holding their opponents under 95 points.

Utah led 16-0 and the Mavericks didn't score until 5:12 had elapsed in the game and Brandon Bass hit a 14-foot jumper. But Dallas whittled away at the lead and actually passed the Jazz just before the end of the first half. Kirilenko's dunk before the halftime buzzer regained the lead for the Jazz, 47-46.

Williams had 12 assists and his adept passes on the pick-and-roll in key moments helped erase Utah's recent faltering finishes. The Jazz outscored the Mavericks in the paint, 44-28.

George and Jerry Stackhouse combined for 24 points but fellow reserve Jason Terry missed all 10 of his field goal attempts and the Mavs managed just 43 percent shooting.

Notes:@ Before this game, the Jazz endured the longest stretch between home contests (11 days). ... Utah guard Gordan Giricek was not in the arena and has not been with the team since he was sent home during an on-court argument with coach Jerry Sloan in their game at Charlotte on Dec. 19. ... Mehmet Okur returned to action after missing seven games with a strained left shoulder. ... Brewer dislocated a finger on his left hand with 3:52 left in the third quarter and went to the locker room for treatment but returned and played in the final period. ... This was the only road contest in an eight-game stretch for Dallas.

(This version CORRECTS Jazz 99, Mavericks 90. SUBS 4th graf to correct to Ronnie.)

Blazers beat Sonics to win 11th straight

After the Portland Trail Blazers won their 11th straight game, normally stoic owner Paul Allen looked directly at a camera and jubilantly held up one finger on each hand to signify the streak.

That's what winning is doing for the surprising Blazers.

"We're going out there with all the confidence in the world, and a sense of urgency at the same time," forward Martell Webster said. "It's resulting in wins."

The latest win came Tuesday night when Brandon Roy and Jarrett Jack each scored 17 points and Portland beat the Seattle SuperSonics 89-79.

The Blazers own the longest current winning streak in the NBA, and it's their best run since they won 12 in a row during the 2001-02 season.

Joel Przybilla had a season-high 16 rebounds to go with six points, and Portland improved to 13-3 at the Rose Garden this season.

The Blazers all acknowledged this game was big. Not only was the streak on the line, but it was a nationally televised game on a holiday that has traditionally showcased stars such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

"I remember as a kid watching Michael Jordan play on Christmas," Przybilla said. "This is really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I don't know that I'll ever get that chance again in my career."

Portland has played 13 times on Christmas, with a 12-game winning streak.

After shaking off some nerves in the first half, Portland pulled away in the third quarter with a 16-2 run capped by Roy's 3-pointer that put the Blazers ahead 66-50. Jack's falling-down 3 from the corner made it 89-75 and sealed it with 2:11 left.

Portland won despite shooting a season-low 38.7 percent (36-of-93) from the floor.

Seattle's Kevin Durant, averaging nearly 20 points per game to lead the league's rookies, had 23 points. Wally Szczerbiak added 19 points, and Nick Collison had 14 rebounds and nine points.

"It really doesn't seem like Christmas. I'm used to sitting in the house and watching Kobe play," Durant said. "It's an honor playing on a great day like this, but it would have been better if we had gotten the win."

When the NBA schedule came out, this game was expected to feature the top two draft picks: center Greg Oden, who went No. 1 to the Blazers, and Durant, who went second to the Sonics. But Oden had microfracture surgery on his right knee and was lost for the season before it started.

Portland's winning streak brought renewed interest in the game. Oden watched from the bench wearing a festive red sport coat.

One Blazers fan in the sellout crowd waved a sign reading "11 is Heaven." It is the first time a team has had a 50-loss season, then an 11-game winning streak the following season. Portland went 32-50 last season.

Portland, the youngest team in the NBA, started its streak with a win Dec. 3 at Memphis after going 5-12 to start the season. Eight of the 11 wins have come at home.

"Everybody has just jelled. Everybody is talking on defense, communicating. No one is complaining," forward Channing Frye said. "This is a really unique team to be on."

The Blazers were coming off a 99-96 victory at home over Denver on Friday. The Sonics hosted Toronto that night and also won, 123-115.

The Sonics and Blazers have met five times on Christmas, with Portland undefeated in the series.

The Blazers went up 46-41 as the clock wound down in the first half, but Durant hit a 3-pointer to narrow it to 46-44 at the break. Szczerbiak helped keep it close with 15 first-half points, including 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

As for the streak, the Blazers are brimming with confidence.

"We're not looking at it like, let's not lose," Roy said. "We can win these games."

Notes:@ Rookie Taurean Green returned to the Blazers after being recalled from the Idaho Stampede of the NBA's Development League, where he played in four games. ... Seattle center Robert Swift remained sidelined with a bruised right knee. ... A pair of Seattle fans hoisted a sign reading "Save the Sonics," a reference to owner Clay Bennett's intention to move the franchise from Seattle to Oklahoma City. ... The Blazers' longest winning streak is 16 straight, during the 1990-91 season.

Chicago Bulls sack coach Skiles

The Chicago Bulls, struggling near the bottom of the NBA's Eastern Conference after losing three of their last four games, fired coach Scott Skiles on Monday.

"This was a difficult decision to make but one that was necessary at this time. Scott helped us in many ways during his time with the Bulls -- most importantly, he helped this franchise get back to respectability," Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson said in a statement posted on the team's Web site.

The Bulls were considered among the teams likely to contend for the Eastern Conference championship this season but got off to a miserable start and struggled to a 9-16 record -- third-worst in the conference and putting them last in the Central Division.

The latest loss came at home on Saturday, a crushing 116-98 defeat by the Houston Rockets, as boos rained down from the United Center crowd, many of whom left early.

"That's one of those things that goes along with this league," Bulls' center Ben Wallace told ESPN.com of Skiles's dismissal. "Change is not always bad. If everybody wants to be here we have to step it up and go out there and play basketball."

Skiles, who compiled a 165-172 record in his five seasons at the helm of the Bulls, had fashioned the team into a sharp-shooting squad. The Bulls developed a reputation for defensive toughness and made the playoffs three years in a row but that edge seemed to be missing this year.

"I am appreciative of his hard work and the imprint that he left on our team," Paxson said of Skiles, adding that no decision had been made on a successor.

After two first-round playoff exits, the Bulls ousted the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the first round last season before losing to the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls had revived under Paxson and Skiles after several embarrassing losing seasons that followed six NBA championships during the 1990s, the last in 1998.

Ranked by experts as among the best in league history, the championship teams were led by guard Michael Jordan and coached by Phil Jackson, who now leads the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan is with the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, listed as the managing member of basketball operations.

In eight-plus seasons as a head coach in the NBA, the often fiery Skiles has a career coaching record of 281-251 (.528).

(Reporting by Andrew Stern. Editing by Peter Bohan and Clare Lovell)

Bryant sets new mark as Lakers hold off Knicks

Kobe Bryant scored 39 to become the youngest NBA player to reach 20,000 career points when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 95-90 on Sunday.

Bryant reached the milestone on a three-pointer with 11:08 left in the third quarter and finished the game with 20,019 career points.

He did it at 29 years, 122 days, surpassing NBA greats Wilt Chamberlain (29 years, 134 days) and Michael Jordan (29 years, 326 days).

"It is special to do it here," Bryant told reporters after connecting on 14 of 28 field goal attempts, including five of 12 three-pointers. He also had 11 rebounds and eight assists.

"The culture of basketball here, it is the Mecca, it is special to play in Madison Square Garden," Bryant added. "This is my favorite place to play."

He reached 20,000 points in 811 games to become the 31st NBA player to reach the mark. Chamberlain needed only 499 games.

The Lakers led 58-37 on Bryant's record-setting basket and eventually went ahead 65-41 on another Bryant three-pointer.

The Knicks roared back, cutting the deficit to a single point at 91-90 on David Lee's two free throws with 1:55 to play.

But the next five points, and the game, belonged to the Lakers as Bryant hit another three-pointer with 57 seconds to go. Jordan Farmar closed out the scoring with a slam dunk with a second to go.

Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 31 points, including 11 consecutive for New York in the fourth quarter.

* The Boston Celtics avenged an earlier loss to the Orlando Magic with a 103-91 home victory. Four Celtics had 20 or more points. Paul Pierce scored 24, Rajon Rondo 23, Ray Allen 22 and Kevin Garnett 21 to go with 12 rebounds. Dwight Howard paced Orlando with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

* Richard Hamilton's 17 points topped five Detroit players in double figures when the Pistons cruised to a 94-82 win over the Houston Rockets, who lost starters Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming to injuries. McGrady aggravated his sore left knee and Yao left with a gash above his left eye.

* Stephen Jackson had 29 points and Baron Davis 27 when the hot-shooting Golden State Warriors rolled to a 105-96 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James scored 25 and Zydrunas Ilgauskas 20 for the Cavaliers, who trailed by 28 in the third quarter.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina, editing by Martin Petty)

Kidd's 94th triple-double lifts Nets

Richard Jefferson scored 31 points, Jason Kidd collected his 94th career triple-double and the New Jersey Nets beat the Golden State Warriors 100-95 on Saturday night.

Vince Carter finished with 23 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 24.6 seconds left, for the Nets, who led by 14 in the first half and needed some clutch plays from their Big Three to get the win.

New Jersey was trailing 95-94 when Carter made a 3 from the left corner with 2 seconds remaining on the shot clock to put the Nets in front again.

Kidd, who finished with 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, made two free throws with 22.1 seconds left to seal the victory.

Josh Boone also had 19 points and 13 rebounds for New Jersey, which scored the final eight points of the game.

Stephen Jackson had 21 points for Golden State (15-12). Monta Ellis added 19 and Andris Biedrins had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The win was the Nets' 10th straight over the Warriors at home.

The Nets led by as many as 14 in the first half but the Warriors cut the lead to 52-45 at the break.

Ellis scored the first four points after halftime but the Nets responded with five straight in a span of 14 seconds, with Jefferson scoring on a drive and Kidd nailing a long 3-pointer to push the lead back up to 57-49.

Biedrins' rebound basket gave Golden State a 95-92 lead with 3:12 left but that was the last points for the Warriors.

Jefferson converted a layup and the two teams exchanged turnovers before Carter's shot.

Al Harrington was whistled for an offensive foul on Golden State's next possession and Kidd made two free throws.

Notes:@ Kidd's 11 rebounds gives him 6,538 career boards, just 21 shy of surpassing Magic Johnson for fourth place career among NBA guards in rebounds. "I'm just getting better with age," Kidd joked about his rebounding prowess. ... The Warriors will enter the Christmas break at least two games over .500 for the first time since the 1993-94 season, when they were 18-14 at the holiday break en route to a 50-32 record.

Durant lead Sonics past Toronto 123-115

Kevin Durant did it all Friday night, hitting deep 3-pointers, slamming a poster-worthy baseline dunk over a 7-footer and throwing a no-look pass on the fastbreak.

Yep, the Seattle rookie had fun against Toronto.

Durant scored 27 points, Wally Szczerbiak added 23 off the bench, and the SuperSonics held off Toronto's late rally for a 123-115 victory.

The Sonics rebounded from a lackluster, uninspired effort two nights earlier against New Orleans, thanks largely to Durant.

Durant scored 14 in the third quarter alone, keeping Seattle close long enough for his teammates to make a spirited run to pass and pull away from Toronto over the final 16 minutes.

Szczerbiak made four 3-pointers and Chris Wilcox was 7-for-7 from the field and finished with 16 points for the Sonics.

Chris Bosh scored 16 of his 26 in the first half, but made just 4 of 13 shots in the second half. The Raptors dropped their second straight game on a seven-game Western Conference swing.

Seattle took its biggest lead at 116-98 on Durant's fourth 3-pointer with 4:09 left. Toronto made a furious rally, outscoring Seattle 13-0 over the next 2 1/2 minutes, behind a trio of 3-pointer and two baskets by Jose Calderon.

Szczerbiak's jumper with 1:25 left stemmed the surge, but Calderon scored again. Calderon finally missed, but a Seattle turnover gave Toronto the ball with 36 seconds left, down 118-113.

Carlos Delfino hit a wide open 3 with 21 seconds left, but officials correctly ruled his left foot was on the sideline when he caught the ball.

After Damien Wilkins made one of two free throws, Bosh dropped an inbound pass that Wilkins grabbed. He hit both free throws this time to seal the victory.

LeBron outduels Kobe as Cavs beat Lakers

LeBron James scored 33 points and shut out Kobe Bryant when the two superstars guarded each other in the final 2:23, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 94-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

James, the NBA's leading scorer, added 10 rebounds and five assists. But it was his pressure on Bryant in the final minutes that helped the Cavs bounce back from a dismal defensive effort in a loss at New York on Wednesday night.

Bryant finished with 21 points, but missed two shots with James chasing him and the Lakers went 0-for-8 from the floor in the final 4 minutes.

Daniel Gibson added 15 points, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas 12 for the Cavs, who held the Lakers to 12 points in the fourth quarter and won for just the third time in 12 games.

Lamar Odom added 19 points for the Lakers. Andrew Bynum had 17 points, but missed two free throws with 11.9 seconds left that would have tied it at 92.

However, on the second miss, Bryant got away from James and grabbed a rebound in traffic before calling timeout with 10.3 seconds left. Bryant winked into a TV camera nearby, knowing he had at least temporarily bailed out his team.

But after taking the inbounds pass, Bryant missed a long 3-pointer with 5 seconds left and Lakers guard Derek Fisher was called for a loose-ball foul despite grabbing a rebound over Gibson.

Gibson made both free throws with 3.3 seconds left to seal it for the Cavs, who were coming off an inexcusable road loss to the dysfunctional Knicks. New York did whatever it wanted on offense in a 108-90 win over Cleveland. Afterward, Cavs coach Mike Brown said he was embarrassed and lamented his club's lack of effort protecting the basket.

Before facing Bryant and Co., Cleveland's coached wrote "Defend To Win!!!" on an dry-erase board in the Cavs' locker room.

The message seemed to get through as the Cavaliers finally showed the type of defensive intensity that led them to their first Eastern Conference title last season.

Cleveland trailed 78-73 entering the fourth, but with James on the bench and Lakers coach Phil Jackson resting Bryant and three other starters, the Cavs opened the final period with a 13-4 run, fueled by Devin Brown's six points to take an 86-82 lead with 7:34 remaining.

Lakers forward Luke Walton put in his own miss with 4:00 left to put Los Angeles ahead 90-88, but James came back with a jumper to tie it.

And moments later, he switched on Bryant, his teammate last summer on the U.S. national team. The two went at it practice nearly every day, matchups the Lakers' star said he wished the public could have seen.

"We were out there working as hard as anybody in the world," James said. "It showed how easy it was for us in games. We worked hard for three or four hours every day at practice trying to get us better."

The two bonded and James gained a greater respect for Bryant's game.

"Kobe Bryant is definitely the most explosive player we have in this league," James said. "There's no one like him."

James might be close.

He had 19 points in the first half to 13 for Bryant, who has been more of a playmaker this season for the Lakers.

Odom led Los Angeles with 14 points as the Lakers took a 53-51 halftime lead.

Amid the embarrassment at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, James and Brown bumped shoulders on the floor as time was called in the fourth quarter. A video clip of the moment was shown repeatedly on ESPN, and because both Brown and James were upset at the time, it led to speculation there may have been a problem between the two.

"It was one guy looking one way and he was looking the other," Brown said. "I was kind of shocked when somebody told me (it was an issue). If LeBron has a message for me, he'll come tell me and if I have a message for him I'll go to him. There's nothing to it. I think we have a great relationship."

James, too, dismissed the incident.

"No issue," he said.

Notes:@ Jackson (934) remains one victory behind Dick Motta (935) for eighth on the career list. Red Auerbach is seventh with 938. ... The Kobe vs. LeBron matchup brought out 10 Browns players, including stars Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards, who both had courtside seats. ... In Wednesday's loss at New York, James had 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and six steals, becoming the first player to hit those totals in a regulation game since Mitch Richmond in 1997.

Paul, Hornets zip past Sonics 107-93

No one could stop Chris Paul from dribbling around and through the Seattle defense. Much to the benefit of New Orleans' Morris Peterson. Paul, the Hornets' dynamic point guard, scored 21 points and had 15 assists, and Peterson matched a career-high with seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points to help New Orleans beat the SuperSonics 107-93 on Wednesday night.

Paul was a migraine all night for whoever had the misfortune of trying to slow him down. Paul consistently beat Seattle guards Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour off the dribble, getting into the lane and creating opportunities all over the floor for his teammates. Three times it led to a lob dunk for Tyson Chandler. Sometimes it was a short jumper for David West. Often, the collapsing defense left Peterson open on the perimeter.

There was some brief concern in the final minute as Paul slipped on a wet spot and his left knee buckled. He walked off the court with a slight limp, but the injury didn't appear serious.

Peterson hit a trio of 3-pointers in the first 5 minutes of the third quarter and scored 11 points during the stretch. Seattle didn't cut into the Hornets' 19-point halftime lead until late in the fourth quarter.

Peterson made 7 of 10 3s, one off the franchise record of eight held by David Wesley.

West finished with 17 points 11 rebounds and Chandler had 16 points and 17 rebounds.

Rookie Kevin Durant led Seattle with 18 points, but it was an uninspired performance by the Sonics, who staged a second-half rally to nearly beat the Hornets in New Orleans on Dec. 9.

The Hornets had Seattle trailing from the start. Peterson's first 3-pointer gave New Orleans an early 15-8 lead and Seattle could never get closer than four points early in the second quarter.

Two long scoring droughts certainly didn't help Seattle. The Sonics went 5 1/2 minutes without scoring in the first quarter, then had a stretch of nearly four minutes in the second quarter without points.

The Hornets led only 32-26 when Jeff Green tipped in Mickael Gelabale's miss with 5:47 left in the second quarter, but New Orleans outscored 13-0 over the next 3:58 to take a 19-point lead. The lead reached 20 at the very end of the first half when Peterson hit his third 3-pointer of the half to give the Hornets a 52-32 lead. Watson added a free-throw in the final second, but Seattle still had a season-low halftime total.

During the Sonics' scoreless stretches, the Hornets outscored Seattle a combined 20-0. Ridnour, Nick Collison and Wally Szczerbiak all added 13 points for Seattle.

Notes:@ Seattle G Delonte West missed his eighth game with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. West has started doing light running on the treadmill, but still doesn't have an estimated time on his return. ... Hornets' F Peja Stojakovic missed his third straight with a groin injury. ... Members of the No. 7 Washington State basketball team were in attendance on Wednesday. The Cougars play their yearly game in Seattle on Thursday night against The Citadel.

Lakers enjoy balanced victory over Bulls

The Los Angeles Lakers put on a strong team performance to register a 103-91 road win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, the visitors getting double-digit tallies from six players.

With Kobe Bryant struggling through a 7-for-19 shooting night while playing with a troublesome groin, Sasha Vujacic came off the bench to score 19 points and lead a balanced attack.

"People call us a one-man (Bryant) team and we don't care as long as we're winning ballgames," Lakers forward Luke Walton told reporters.

"If we start losing, then we'll get mad and we'll get up in arms about it."

Bryant finished with 18 points, Lamar Odom had 17 points and 16 rebounds and Andrew Bynum also had a double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four blocks.

"As eye-popping as Kobe's numbers are, the reason they have the record they do (15-9) is because all the other guys are playing wel," Bulls coach Scott Skiles said.

Luol Deng had 26 points and seven rebounds and Kirk Hinrich 17 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Bulls, who were talking to the Lakers about acquiring Bryant before the start of the season.

"Tonight we survived a rather poor shooting game," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coached the Bulls to six NBA titles with Michael Jordan leading the way.

"We did it by making defensive stops and getting turnovers in the process."

Skiles added: "We gave up 45 points off turnovers and second-chance points. At some point if the game goes in that direction, with 48 minutes and all the possessions, it is going to catch up with you.

"We made it close, we made enough plays to do that, during the two-minute span we had a couple turnovers and they had a couple of offensive rebounds and that was it."

*John Salmons scored a career-high 31 points and set up team mate Francisco Garcia's late go-ahead three-pointer as the Sacramento Kings scored a 106-101 road victory over the New Jersey Nets.

Brad Miller added 23 points and 10 rebounds and Ron Artest 20 points for the Kings, who captured only their second road win of the season (the first last Friday in Philadelphia).

Richard Jefferson scored 36 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Nets, who have lost six of their last seven games and dropped eight of their last 10 at home. Rookie Sean Williams tied a 26-year-old team record with eight blocked shots.

(Writing by Mike Shalin; Editing by John O'Brien)

Roy leads Blazers to 8th straight win

Brandon Roy had 24 points and eight assists to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to their eighth straight victory, 88-76 over the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night.

David West had 21 points and Tyson Chandler had 16 points and 19 rebounds for the Hornets, who lost for the fourth straight time at the Rose Garden.

Martell Webster had 13 points and Steve Blake had 10 for the Blazers, who started off slow, shooting just 34 percent in the first half. Portland (13-12) last won eight straight during the 2002-03 season.

Roy was chosen as the Western Conference player of the week Monday for the second straight time. He shot 10-of-17 and made key baskets as Portland pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Chris Paul had 11 points and eight rebounds for New Orleans. Rasual Butler had 10. New Orleans was coming off a big win over Phoenix on Saturday, in which Paul had his 12th double-double of the season, but he made just 5 of 15 shots against the Blazers.

Portland's win guaranteed its first winning month in 18 months. The Blazers, who were outrebounded 47-36, didn't really take control until New Orleans went scoreless for more than six minutes in the final quarter.

Both teams were missing starters they had hoped to have back. Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge has battled plantar fasciitis. Peja Stojakovic sat out with a strained left groin for the second game after reinjuring it.

The score was tied 11 times in a back and forth first half, but New Orleans led 39-37 at halftime.

Roy, averaging 24 points during Portland's streak, put the Blazers up 71-66 with a 3 that beat the shot clock early in the fourth.

Channing Frye's tip-in made it 73-66 and gave Portland its biggest lead of the game at that point. Jarrett Jack made a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 10 with 4:28 to go.

Chandler's offensive rebound and monster dunk cut the lead to 78-71, but Roy countered with a driving basket for the Blazers.

Morris Peterson picked up a technical foul for taunting Joel Przybilla, got another one arguing the call and was ejected.

Notes:@ Hornets coach Byron Scott said Melvin Ely will not need surgery on his left eye socket, fractured when he took an elbow from Kenyon Martin last week in Denver. Ely won't return until mid-January, however. ... Blazers coach Nate McMillan he wants Aldridge to practice before his return, which is likely to be Wednesday against Toronto. ... Roy became the first Blazers player to win back-to-back player of the week awards since Clyde Drexler in 1987-88.

Kobe scores 32 as Lakers rout Clippers

Kobe Bryant scored 32 points and Sasha Vujacic scored all of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 113-92 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night.

Andrew Bynum, ejected from last Thursday's win over San Antonio after a couple of run-ins with Spurs center Fabricio Oberto, channeled his aggression in a constructive manner with 14 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots in his anticipated matchup against Chris Kaman.

Luke Walton scored a season-high 15 points for the Lakers, shooting 6-for-6 from the field. Lamar Odom had 12 points and seven rebounds.

Kaman recorded his ninth straight double-double and 19th overall this season for the Clippers, getting 18 points and 16 rebounds. Corey Maggette added 27 points, including a desperation buzzer-beater from behind the midcourt line that capped his 21-point third quarter and sliced the Lakers' lead to 82-76.

Already missing Elton Brand (Achilles' tendon surgery) and Shaun Livingston (knee surgery) since the start of training camp, the Clippers were even more short-handed than usual as small forward Tim Thomas sat out his first game of the season with a sprained right ankle. Point guard Sam Cassell missed his 10th straight game because of a strained left calf.

Maggette, coming off consecutive 23-point efforts on the road against Charlotte and Memphis, had only one field goal in the first half — a 10-footer with 2:09 left in the second quarter. But that was long forgotten when he flung the ball at the basket with one hand over Trevor Ariza from 48 feet away and it banked in.

The Lakers shrugged off Maggette's miracle shot and opened the final quarter with a 22-6 burst that gave them a 104-82 lead with 4:56 remaining. Vujacic, who played 7 1/2 minutes through the first three quarters, helped fuel the decisive run with 11 points — including a pair of 3s.

Bryant, who scored 50 points against the Clippers in their final meeting last season, paced the Lakers to a 57-44 halftime lead with 18. He sank three free throws with one second remaining in the half after he was fouled behind the 3-point line by rookie Al Thornton.

Bynum established his low-post presence right from the start as the Lakers jumped out to an 18-point lead late in the first quarter with a 21-3 run, which included Bryant's first 11 points — and an airball at the other end by the Clippers' Maggette from behind the 3-point line.

Kaman missed seven of his first eight shots, one of which Bynum blocked before converting his defensive stop into a short hook shot at the other end. The Lakers' vastly improving 7-foot center added an alley-oop dunk off a feed from Derek Fisher 38 seconds later, then duplicated the play off a rainbow pass from Jordan Farmar for a 75-58 lead with 5:24 left in the third quarter.

Notes:@ Bryant is 78 points away from becoming the 31st player in NBA history with 20,000 in the regular season. ... The Lakers hold a 24-9 advantage over their Staples Center co-tenants since the building opened in 1999. The teams split each of the previous three season series 2-2. ... Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, who underwent surgery to treat retinopathy in his left eye, returned to the bench after missing two games. He has to wear sunglasses for the time being to combat the bright lights in the arena. ... Neither L.A. team has had a double-digit assist game from any of their players this season. The Clippers' drought is 50 games, dating back to Feb. 24, 2007, when Livingston had 14 assists against Golden State in a 103-90 win at Los Angeles. ... F Kwame Brown, sidelined by a sprained ankle and sprained knee, still hasn't been able to practice with the Lakers and will not accompany them on their three-game trip to Chicago, Cleveland and New York. ... When Ronny Turiaf came off the Lakers bench for the first time with less than 2 1/2 minutes left, it put three Gonzaga alumni on the floor at the same time — including Dan Dickau and Richie Frahm of the Clippers.

Paul outplays Nash as Hornets edge Suns

Chris Paul had 21 points and 10 assists, outplaying the point guard he admires most in Steve Nash and lifting the New Orleans Hornets to a 101-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.

Accurate perimeter shooting was the difference for the Hornets, who made 12 3-pointers. Paul made three, the last of which put New Orleans ahead for good midway through the fourth quarter after the Suns had erased a 16-point deficit to briefly take a lead of their own.

Morris Peterson also scored 21 for New Orleans, connecting on 4 of 6 3-point attempts. Rasual Butler also hit four 3s for all of his 12 points.

David West and Tyson Chandler gave the Hornets needed balance inside. West had 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Chandler finished with 14 points and 18 rebounds.

Guarded tightly by an energetic Paul most of the night, Nash was effective but well short of his best, finishing with 12 points and seven assists. He also turned the ball over twice.

Leandro Barbosa scored 19 points for Phoenix, which has lost three of its last four games. Grant Hill and Raja Bell each scored 17, while Amare Stoudamire had 16 points.

Shawn Marion scored 11 for the Suns, but missed badly on a runner in the lane that could have won the game in the final seconds. Instead, the airball fell to the Hornets, who got the ball quickly to Paul as the Hornets' point-guard was fouled with 0.2 seconds to go.

Paul exchanged a high-five with Hornets coach Byron Scott, then made two free throws for the final margin.

After Paul's driving layup gave New Orleans a 99-92 lead with 3:20 to go, Phoenix nearly clawed back for the win, holding the Hornets scoreless until the final second.

New Orleans, however, managed to run the shot clock down on each possession as it protected its lead and played solid defense, forcing the Suns to go scoreless on several possessions.

Stoudamire's free throws with 35.6 seconds to go cut the score to 99-98, the Hornets ran the shot clock down again and went inside to West, who missed with about 14 seconds to go. Phoenix was unable to take advantage, coming up short on what would have been an impressive comeback.

Phoenix was down 13 points at halftime but began to climb back right away in the third quarter. Nash and Marion made back-to-back 3s, then Hill's driving layup gave the Suns an 8-0 run in the first 1:10 of the second half, cutting New Orleans' lead to 59-54.

The Hornets recovered briefly with a 9-2 run highlighted by Butler's 3-pointer and a pair of alley-oop baskets by Chandler, both set up by Paul.

But the Suns kept chipping away. Nash fueled a 7-0 run in which he hit a runner in the lane and a technical free throw. Barbosa added a pair of 3s late in the third period, the second tying the score at 80.

Bell made a short jumper early in the fourth quarter to give the Suns their first lead since the first quarter at 82-80, but New Orleans did not fold as Hilton Armstrong, who finished with a season-high 11 points, scored on a strong move inside and was fouled.

The Suns took their last lead, 88-87, on Bell's jumper behind a screen at the top of the key.

Even with outside shooter extraordinaire Peja Stojakovic sidelined by a pulled left groin, the Hornets banked on their ability to hit from the perimeter early. New Orleans hit seven of its first 10 3-pointers.

Peterson's third 3-pointer late in the second quarter gave him 16 points for the first half and put New Orleans ahead 54-42.

Even Paul's bailout 3 at the shot clock buzzer two possessions later went down, giving the Hornets eight made 3s for the first half, after which New Orleans led 59-46.

Notes:@ The Hornets have won only two of their last 13 games against Phoenix. ... New Orleans reserve Melvin Ely, whose left eye socket was fracture by an elbow from Kenyon Martin on Wednesday, missed his second straight game. Scott said he could be out as long as a month. ... Attendance was 13,705, about 4,000 short of a sellout. ... The Hornets are 6-5 at home this season.

Davis, Warriors come back to beat Lakers

Though Kobe Bryant might be the NBA's best player, nobody does showtime like Baron Davis. And the Lakers superstar had a front-row seat while Davis stole a win for his Warriors.

Davis put his usual game-breaking flair on the decisive 3-pointer with 16.8 seconds to play, and Golden State roared from behind in the final minutes to snap a nine-game losing streak to Los Angeles with a 108-106 victory Friday night.

Davis had eight of his 22 points and a remarkable assist in the final 3:19 for the Warriors, who fed off of a playoff-worthy sellout crowd of more than 20,000 fans in yellow T-shirts to beat Los Angeles for just the second time in 16 meetings.

Bryant scored 21 points for the Lakers before injuring his quadriceps or groin with about 2 1/2 minutes to play, forcing him to sit out the two possessions in which the Warriors rallied.

"We kept our composure. We kept fighting in that huddle," Davis said while scrolling through congratulatory e-mails at his locker. "We stuck together when things weren't going great. That's huge for us."

Davis loves to put on a show against his hometown team, but foul trouble and the Lakers' size advantages prevented him from doing it until the last minute. He picked up his fifth foul with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, sitting out nearly 9 minutes before returning to spark Golden State's 13th victory in 17 games.

"That's when he plays big," said Stephen Jackson, who had 20 points and eight rebounds. "That's when he steps up and puts the team on his back. He's done it many times."

Few were more impressive than this lift — even with Bryant only watching.

Los Angeles had an eight-point lead with 3 1/2 minutes to play when the Warriors went through a 4:45 stretch with just one field goal. But Davis led Golden State back with two free throws, a 3-pointer and an assist on Jackson's tying layup with 1:54 left before Bryant was hurt. Bryant said he hurt his quadriceps, while the Lakers said it was his groin.

"It felt like a little tweak, and I tried to shake it off and stretch it out," said Bryant, the NBA's second-leading scorer. "As soon as I took off running, it felt like I was shot in the leg."

Derek Fisher hit one free throw for the Lakers after Bryant checked out, but Andris Biedrins tipped in Monta Ellis' missed jumper to put Golden State ahead 105-104 with 1:03 left. After Lamar Odom missed a flailing jumper, Davis hopped behind the line, launched a perfect 3-pointer with 16.8 seconds left and blew kisses to the crazed crowd.

Davis never thought about passing.

"I was going to shoot it. I had the hot hand," he said.

Bryant returned, but missed a 3-pointer before Odom scored the Lakers' final basket. Odom drew a foul and rebounded his own missed free throw, but Ellis stole it with 4 seconds left to end the Lakers' comeback hopes.

"If they can make their 3's, they can be exciting and inspirational," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

Bryant insisted he'll be ready to play Sunday against the Clippers, and he scoffed at the notion Golden State had finally turned this matchup into a rivalry.

"This is nothing. This is like slap-boxing," Bryant said. "For a real rivalry, you have to match up in the playoffs. The regular season is nothing."

Andrew Bynum scored 17 points and matched his career high with 16 rebounds for the Lakers, whose four-game winning streak was snapped by their first loss in five trips to Oakland. Odom had 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Fisher added 16 points for the Lakers, who haven't won five straight since last March.

Al Harrington scored 22 points for the Warriors, and Ellis added 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists after missing the previous game with a strained left thigh.

Bynum, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds in the Lakers' 10-point win over Golden State last Sunday, was nearly as dominant early on in Oakland. He outplayed Biedrins in the first half again as the Lakers took an early 13-point lead. Davis hit three 3-pointers in less than 3 minutes spanning halftime to tie it, but then picked up his fifth personal foul.

Notes:@ Phil Jackson and Don Nelson became the latest reluctant NBA coaches to wear microphones on the sideline for the television broadcast. While Jackson had done it before, Nelson didn't relish his first time under the mike. "It's going to be hard to be yourself, for sure," Nelson said before the game. "You end up being an artificial person ... (but) my superiors demanded that I do it, so we'll do the best we can. Since four-letter words are about all I know, it's really cutting into my vocabulary." ... The Warriors claimed the Oracle Arena crowd of 20,705 was the largest ever to watch a basketball game in California, surpassing a Warriors playoff crowd last spring. ... Davis, Jackson and Harrington all picked up technical fouls.

Atlanta's Horford gets one match ban

Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford has been given a one-match suspension after striking a player on the head, the NBA said on Thursday.

Horford struck Toronto's T.J Ford during the fourth quarter of the 100-88 loss to the Raptors on Tuesday. Ford fell to the floor before being carried off on a stretcher and spending the night in hospital.

Horford will miss Friday's game against the Detroit Pistons.

(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; Editing by Sonia Oxley)

Outlaw leads Blazers over Warriors

Travis Outlaw had 22 points and eight rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Golden State Warriors 105-95 Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory.

Outlaw's dunk with 3:20 left gave the Blazers a 100-89 lead, and James Jones followed up with a 3-pointer to put it away.

The Blazers, who built a 14-point lead early but briefly lost their advantage in the third quarter, had not won five straight since a run last December.

Brandon Roy had 21 points and seven assists, while Joel Przybilla had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Portland. Jones added 21 points.

Golden State, coming off a victory at home over San Antonio on Tuesday night, won 12 of its previous 15 games. Baron Davis led the Warriors with 23 points and 11 assists.

The Blazers were without LaMarcus Aldridge, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, for the second straight game. Aldridge is day-to-day with plantar fasciitis, a painful foot condition.

Additionally, the Blazers lost forward Martell Webster during the game because of the flu.

Starting guard Monta Ellis did not play for Golden State because of a strained left thigh.

Both teams were playing the second of back-to-back games. The Warriors beat the Spurs 96-84 at home on Tuesday night, while the Blazers won 97-89 at Utah.

Tied at 22 after the first quarter, the Blazers went on a 20-6 run capped by Jones' 3-pointer and a pair of free throws, to go up 42-28.

Golden State came back to close within 51-46 on Austin Croshere's 3-pointer, and trailed by 54-49 at the half.

The Warriors continued their comeback after the break and narrowed it to 61-60 on Stephen Jackson's steal and dunk. Davis gave Golden State the lead with a 16-foot jumper.

The Blazers regrouped and pulled ahead with a 12-2 run, going up 79-69 after Jones' jumper.

Notes:@ The Portland Trail Blazers and the Rose Garden are looking for a corporate partner to buy naming rights for the arena. It is the first time a corporate-naming partnership has been offered at the Rose Garden since it opened in 1995. The team and arena are both affiliates of Vulcan, Inc., which is owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. ... Stephen Jackson, having an off night from the floor, fouled out with 3:49 left. ... It was Przybilla's second double-double of the season, and his seventh game with at least 10 rebounds. Przybilla is seeing more playing time in Aldridge's absence.

Blazers edge Jazz for rare road victory

Martell Webster scored 25 points and the Portland Trail Blazers won on the road for just the second time this season, beating the Utah Jazz 97-89 on Tuesday night.

Portland played without leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge, who did not travel with the team because of a foot injury, but Webster came up with his season scoring high and Jarrett Jack added 16 points as the Blazers won their fourth straight.

Brandon Roy also scored 16 for Portland, which is on its longest winning streak since winning five straight last December.

Carlos Boozer led Utah with 29 points and 13 rebounds and Paul Millsap scored 14 points for the Jazz, who have lost four straight.

Deron Williams was the only other Utah player to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points and nine assists.

Utah's offense didn't struggle nearly as much as the defense, which allowed eight 3-pointers. Webster was 5-for-8 from beyond the arc and Steve Blake hit two 3-pointers for the Blazers, who shot 59 percent in the first half.

The Blazers shot well enough to overcome getting outrebounded 50-37 and turning the ball over 20 times. Portland's shooting cooled off in the second half, but was still good enough to hold off Utah's rally in the fourth quarter.

Millsap beat the buzzer with a fadeaway jumper that got Utah within 78-66 at the end of the third. The Jazz scored the final six points of the quarter, then opened the fourth with a 9-2 run.

Jason Hart started it by beating the shot clock with a 3-pointer, then Millsap spun free for a layup that cut the lead to 78-71 with 9:54.

Gordan Giricek and Harpring grabbed offensive rebounds on the same possession and Harpring got the ball inside to Millsap for another layup that got Utah within 80-75 and the fans who were booing just a period before were roaring. Giricek and Harpring hit 3-pointers to cut the lead to 85-81 with 6:03 remaining.

But the Jazz faded from there and Portland slowly pulled away to seal it and improve to 2-9.

Notes:@ Webster's previous high for the season was 21 on Oct. 30 against San Antonio. ... Channing Frye scored 10 points and Joel Przybilla had 10 rebounds for Portland. ... The Jazz were 7-for-23 in the second quarter and went 5:31 without a field goal. ... Aldridge skipped the one-game road trip with plantar faciitis.

Salmons lead Kings to victory over Bucks

John Salmons scored 22 points and the Sacramento Kings rallied for a 96-93 victory over the slumping Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.

Trailing in a back-and-forth final quarter that saw 10 lead changes, Ron Artest's layup with 52 seconds left put the Kings ahead for good, 95-93. Following a steal by Brad Miller, Salmons made a free throw for a 96-93 lead with 14 seconds remaining.

Michael Redd, who led the Bucks with 24 points, missed a 3-pointer from the corner in the closing seconds and Artest secured the rebound for Sacramento, which snapped a two-game losing streak.

It was a bounce-back game for Redd, who misfired on 18 of 23 shots Sunday night in a loss at Portland.

Miller had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings, who outscored Milwaukee 30-19 in the fourth quarter. Francisco Garcia had 15 points and Beno Udrih scored 14.

Artest continued to struggle offensively for the Kings and finished with 11 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Artest missed his first seven shots and didn't make a field goal until just before halftime. Artest was 5-of-18 in a loss Saturday in Denver.

Andrew Bogut had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, who have lost four straight and eight of nine. Mo Williams contributed 12 points and nine assists, and Charlie Villanueva scored 11 points.

Picking up their energy at both ends of the court, the Kings awakened in the fourth quarter when an early 10-point run fueled by two 3s by Garcia got them back in the game.

The Kings continued to struggle offensively in the absence of leading scorer Kevin Martin, who missed his third straight game with a strained right groin and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks. The Kings start a five-game road trip Wednesday in Boston.

Notes:@ Before the game the Kings signed swingman Dahntay Jones and waived rookie C Darryl Watkins, who saw minimal playing time in nine games this season. Jones averaged 7.5 points last season with Memphis. ... Redd made two 3-pointers and scored 16 points in the first half which finished with Milwaukee leading 49-47. ... Miller made two free throws in the second quarter to reach 7,000 points for his career.

Bosh returns to power Raptors past Rockets

Chris Bosh returned from injury to score 21 points and lead the Toronto Raptors to a 93-80 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday.

Bosh, who had missed five games with a strained groin, also had 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.

"It just took me a couple minutes," Bosh, who was 1-for-7 in the first half, told reporters. "I felt I had a good hard practice, and I felt I was ready to roll."

Houston led 45-34 at the half, but the Raptors held the Rockets to 11 points in the third quarter and went on an 18-3 run to seize a 62-56 lead.

Anthony Parker had nine of his 11 points in the quarter and Bosh contributed seven.

"The thing I love about this team is we stay with it. No matter what happens, we continue to try playing defense, and keep taking those shots," Bosh said.

Toronto forward Kris Humphries then scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and pulled down nine rebounds for the game.

Tracy McGrady led Houston with 23 points. Yao Ming added 15 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.

*Miami coach Pat Riley won his 1,200th NBA game as Dwyane Wade had 35 points and 10 assists to help the Heat end a five-game losing streak with a 100-94 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Riley, who has a 1,200-642 record, became the third NBA coach to reach the milestone. Corey Maggette paced the Clippers with 24 points and 12 rebounds.

*Brandon Roy put Portland ahead for the last time with a layup as the Trail Blazers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 117-113 in overtime for their third straight win. Roy, who finished with 26 points, gave Portland a 113-112 lead with 24 seconds left. LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points for the Trail Blazers. Mo Williams topped Milwaukee with 33.

*Kobe Bryant scored 20 of his game-high 28 points in the second half when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 123-113 for their third straight win. Andrew Bynum added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers. Baron Davis led Golden State with 20.

*Chauncey Billups scored 20 points, Antonio McDyess 19 and Richard Hamilton 18 to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 104-85 home win over the Charlotte Bobcats.

*Caron Butler's 28 points powered the Washington Wizards to a 104-89 home win over the New Jersey Nets. Vince Carter had 30 for New Jersey and Jason Kidd delivered a triple-double with 13 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Martin Petty)

Iverson, Martin lead Nuggets past Kings

Allen Iverson scored 23 points and Kenyon Martin had 20 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 101-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

John Salmons led the Kings with 25 points, and Beno Udrih added 24 for Sacramento, which lost for the second straight night.

The Kings had a chance to win it in the closing seconds. With Denver leading 99-97, Iverson turned the ball over and Sacramento had a fast break. Francisco Garcia, who finished with 21 points, missed a 3-pointer with less that 2 seconds left that would have given the Kings a one-point lead.

Before that, the Nuggets appeared to be in control. Sacramento trailed 96-95 when Martin hit two free throws and Anthony Cater another. Sacramento couldn't get any closer until Garcia's two free throws cut the lead to two and set up the final seconds.

The Nuggets trailed 80-77 early in the fourth when J.R. Smith converted a three-point play to tie it. Anthony Carter made a layup, and after a Sacramento turnover, Iverson's layup made it 84-80.

Ron Artest and Udrih hit buckets to tie the game with 7:46 left.

The Nuggets led 59-47 at the intermission and increased it to 65-52 before the Kings made a run. Salmons' 3 with 4:38 left in the third cut Denver's lead to 69-68.

Salmons steal and fast-break bucket, and Udrih's two layup gave Sacramento a 76-71 lead late in the third quarter.

Carter kept the Nuggets in the game in the period, scoring 10 of his 17 points, blocking Brad Miller's shot and drawing an offensive foul on Salmons.

Iverson scored 19 in the first half as the Nuggets built a double-digit lead. His tip-in with 8:02 left in the second quarter was part of a 14-2 Nuggets run that gave them the lead.

During that run, he scored on a layup and fed Martin on an alley-oop that made it 50-42.

The Kings stayed with the Nuggets in the first quarter. Salmons had 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting in the first 10 minutes to give Sacramento an early lead. Iverson had 11 points and Carmelo Anthony had 10 of his 14 to keep the game tied at 34 heading into the second quarter.

Notes@: Nuggets C Marcus Camby had his 6,000th career rebound in the first quarter. ... Nuggets F Eduardo Najera suffered a left knee contusion in the first quarter when he collided with Kings C Spencer Hawes with 2:23 left in the period. He hit a free throw before leaving the game with 6.5 seconds left. He did not return.

Kaman, Clippers end long losing streak

Chris Kaman had 26 points and 12 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Clippers snap a seven-game losing streak with a 97-87 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.

Trailing by 11 points entering the third quarter, the Clippers took control in the second half behind the inside play of Kaman, who made nine of 12 shots and eight of 10 free throws.

Playing a rare poor game at home, the Kings went cold in the second half when they shot 10 of 36 to end a five-game stretch at Arco Arena. Sacramento will travel to Denver on Saturday night, going on the road for six of the next seven games. The Kings are 0-7 on the road, where they are the NBA's only team with out a victory.

Corey Maggette had 18 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles, Tim Thomas had 17 points, Cuttino Mobley scored 12 and Ruben Patterson added 10.

The Clippers opened the fourth quarter with five straight points and built the lead to 10 when Maggette made two free throws for a 90-80 lead with 4:13 remaining. The Kings, who played a lethargic second half, never got closer than eight points.

Ron Artest scored 21 points for the Kings, but missed plenty of open looks and finished 8-of-22. Beno Udrih and Mikki Moore each scored 13 points, while Brad Miller fouled out in the fourth quarter and finished with 11 points, and John Salmons had 10.

The Kings played without leading scorer Kevin Martin, who strained his groin Tuesday against Utah and will be out four to six weeks. Martin entered the game as the NBA's eighth leading scorer at 24.5 points a game.

The Clippers were playing short-handed as well. Veteran point guard Sam Cassell missed his fifth straight game with a strained left calf muscle.

Kaman scored 12 points for Los Angeles, which outscored the Kings 30-18 in the third quarter to take a 71-70 lead into the fourth.

Both Artest and Moore had 10 first half points for the Kings, who led 52-41.

Notes:@ Kings veteran forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim had season-ending surgery Friday on his right knee. Abdur-Rahim, who played just 51 minutes in six games this season, also had offseason surgery on the same knee. Mobley scored all his points in the second half. Former Kings Harold Pressley, Pete Chilcutt and Henry Turner were at the game, taking part of NBA Heritage Week.

Iverson, Dirk and microphones

On a night when Allen Iverson had his first 30-point, 10-assist game this season and Dirk Nowitzki matched his season high with 32 points, the historical footnote comes from the little black wire hardly visible on the ties of their coaches and the ones tucked inside the jerseys of two other players.

The microphones.

The NBA began a fan-oriented, electronic invasion into previously off-limits aspects Thursday night by allowing listening devices on the court, in-game sideline interviews with coaches and cameras in the locker rooms during pregame and halftime chats. This will only happen on games nationally televised by TNT, ABC and ESPN, and the very first was Denver's 122-109 victory over Dallas.

Iverson was the star of the show, scoring 35 points and dishing out 12 assists one night after scoring 51 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"A.I. had it all going from everywhere," Nowitzki said. "He was driving and making shots in-between."

In the other games Thursday, Atlanta edged Minnesota 90-89 and Portland beat Miami 112-106.

Iverson made 12 of 19 field goals and was 11-for-13 from the line. It was his sixth time scoring 30 points and his fourth time with at least 10 assists. However, this was his first 30-10 game of the season.

"I thought A.I. had a real good feel for the game," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "His game is to get to the free-throw line and to run. Dallas tried to get the ball out of his hands. He definitely did a good job getting the guys involved."

Karl and Dallas coach Avery Johnson said before the game they were only wearing microphones because they have to, reflecting an attitude shared by colleagues throughout the league. Lakers coach Phil Jackson compared it to Big Brother watching, Pat Riley called it an invasion of privacy and Pistons coach Flip Saunders wondered how strategy can be avoided in anything that comes from a locker room.

"What's public, what's private on TV?" Karl said.

The microphones are only part of some new rules aimed at taking fans a step closer to the action whenever TNT, ESPN or ABC cameras arrive. Other changes:

_Remote-controlled cameras in the locker room can capture pregame, halftime and postgame discussions.

_Players will be asked to wear microphones, too. Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse and Denver's Eduardo Najera became the pioneers Thursday night.

_Coaches will be subject to interviews during the game, the visiting coach talking between the first and second quarters, the home coach between the third and fourth.

"I wouldn't say (I'm) ready. But with the company I work for, it's mandatory," Johnson said. "We just have to adjust."

While the utterances broadcast Thursday night were somewhat historic because they were firsts, they weren't very revealing. Among the insights: Karl saying, "When we pass the ball, we usually play well," and Mavericks coach Avery Johnson telling his team during an early timeout, "Good hustle, men, keep it up."

The Mavericks didn't, allowing their most points this season in a quarter (39, the first), a half (64) and a game. The problems were at both ends of the court as the Mavericks also committed a season-high 19 turnovers.

"It was a layup drill out there," Nowitzki said. "At no point in the game I thought we could really stop them."

Linas Kleiza benefited from Iverson's passing, scoring a season-best 23. Carmelo Anthony had 23 points and Kenyon Martin, a Dallas native, had 18 points and seven rebounds. Marcus Camby added 14 rebounds and eight points. Denver made 50.5 percent of its shots and that was with Anthony going 9-for-30.

For all his statistical prowess, Iverson's most impressive number might've been his game-best playing time of 42:54. Now in his 12th season, the 32-year-old guard played a full 48 minutes the previous night in a loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"He's the Energizer bunny," said fellow starting guard Anthony Carter. "He just doesn't get tired. He was charged up for this game."

Stackhouse scored a season-high 23 points and Josh Howard had 20. Howard had 17 at halftime, then got his fourth foul seconds into the third quarter and didn't score again until there was 8:18 left in the game.

Hawks 90, Timberwolves 89

Joe Johnson's 18-footer at the buzzer helped host Atlanta avoid an embarrassing defeat.

Minnesota, which lost its fifth straight to drop to a league-worst 2-15, had a one-point lead after Marko Jaric's laying with 2.2 seconds left.

Josh Smith had 28 points and seven blocks to lead Atlanta. Johnson added 21 points, and Marvin Williams finished with 20.

Craig Smith scored 20 points for the Timberwolves, and rookie Corey Brewer had 18 rebounds — two more than Al Jefferson's previous season high in a loss to Atlanta on Nov. 24.

Trail Blazers 112, Heat 106

Brandon Roy had 25 points, Travis Outlaw had 20 and Portland handed visiting Miami its fourth straight loss.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 14 points and 10 rebounds and reserve James Jones had all of his 14 points in the first half for the Trail Blazers, who had lost their past five meetings against the Heat.

Dwyane Wade had 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for Miami, but he shot 9-for-26 from the field. Daequan Cook had 20 and Ricky Davis had 18. Shaquille O'Neal had just eight points and 10 rebounds in 22 foul-plagued minutes.

Garnett and Pierce keep Celtics rolling

The Boston Celtics improved to an NBA-best 15-2 with a 113-103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and Paul Pierce contributed 19 points and 12 assists for the Celtics, who pulled away in the fourth quarter against a Philadelphia team playing for the first time under new President and general manager Ed Stefanski.

The Sixers (5-13) responded with an impressive effort against the NBA leaders, surging 57-52 ahead at the half and regaining the lead in the fourth quarter while shooting an impressive 56 percent.

"Teams are up to play us," Boston coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "We've never gone through this."

The Celtics wore down Philadelphia in the dying minutes, however, Eddie House and James Posey hitting key three-pointers to seal the win.

Posey had 17 points, House added 15 and Ray Allen chipped in with 12 for the Celtics, who shot 53 percent.

Andre Miller had 26 points and 12 assists to lead the Sixers, with Andre Iguodala adding 24 for the losers.

"For 40 minutes we were there, but you've got to be able to sustain it against a team like that," coach Maurice Cheeks said.

*The Los Angeles Lakers overcame 51 points from Allen Iverson by beating the Denver Nuggets 111-107.

*The San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 97-95, Tony Parker scoring 23 points for the Spurs.

*The Phoenix Suns set a season-high points total as Leandro Barbosa scored 35 in a 136-123 win over the Toronto Raptors.

*The Charlotte Bobcats lost their seventh game in a row, going down 91-82 to the Chicago Bulls.

*The New York Knicks beat the New Jersey Nets for just the second time in 12 meetings, downing them 100-93.

*Richard Hamilton scored 21 points as the Detroit Pistons beat the New Orleans Hornets 91-76.

(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto; Editing by Ed Osmond)

Kobe shakes off illness to down T-Wolves

Even with a bout of the stomach flu, Kobe Bryant was too much for the NBA's worst team. Bryant scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half to help Los Angeles jump out to a big lead, and the Lakers cruised the rest of the way to a 116-95 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

Trevor Ariza added 15 points and five rebounds, and Bryant also had five assists for the Lakers, who dropped Minnesota to 2-14.

Al Jefferson had 12 points and 12 rebounds, but shot just 5-for-14 from the field. The Timberwolves have lost their last three games by a combined 65 points.

A sparse crowd braved a winter snow storm to make it to the game, and the weather even wreaked havoc with the Lakers' short travel plans.

The Lakers stayed in a hotel across the street from the Target Center, but the bus that was supposed to pick them up and bring them to the arena was late because the poor road conditions created a traffic snarl in the city.

About half the Lakers chose to walk over on their own, while coach Phil Jackson, Bryant and others waited for the late bus.

A reporter jokingly suggested to acting head coach Jerry Sichting before the game that the Wolves were playing games with their opponents from sunny California, but even a little help from the skies couldn't get them their third win of the season.

Bryant came out gunning from the start, scoring 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting in the first quarter. He appeared to be a little less explosive than his usual self, until he threw down a 360-degree dunk off a fast break late in the second quarter.

The Lakers were up by 16 by that point, and Bryant didn't even need to play the fourth quarter as they snapped a two-game losing streak.

In Minnesota, rebuilding has been painful — literally.

The Timberwolves have been banged up all season, which certainly hasn't helped matters in what already was expected to be a difficult year after Kevin Garnett was dealt to Boston. Randy Foye (knee) and Theo Ratliff (knee) have been out for weeks, while Rashad McCants (knee) and Mark Madsen (shoulder) have recently returned from injuries.

Marko Jaric missed the game with a foot injury, leaving the Wolves with Sebastian Telfair as the only healthy point guard.

Even their coach hasn't been able to stay healthy. Randy Wittman missed the game and will be out indefinitely when he undergoes back surgery on Wednesday. Sichting will fill in until Wittman returns, though the team has not said when that will be.

Notes:@ Lakers C Andrew Bynum did not dress with the same illness Bryant had and spent part of the afternoon at a Minneapolis hospital to receive IV fluids. ... Lakers Ronny Turiaf (concussion) and Kwame Brown (ankle, knee) did not make the trip. ... Wolves F Antoine Walker played after being listed as a game time decision with an ankle injury.

Bobcats sign Varejao to offer sheet

In need of a big man, the Charlotte Bobcats reached agreement Tuesday on a three-year offer sheet with Cleveland restricted free agent Anderson Varejao, giving the Cavaliers a week to match the deal or lose him.

The deal is for the Bobcats' midlevel salary cap exception, worth just over $17 million. Varejao could opt out of the deal after the second season and become an unrestricted free agent.

The 6-foot-10 Varejao has been in a prolonged contract dispute with the Cavaliers, which has kept him sidelined this season. He said last week that he would prefer to play for another team.

Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said in an e-mail they wouldn't decide whether to match the offer until they received the document from the Bobcats.

"It will probably arrive tomorrow and then we will make the appropriate decision," Ferry said.

The 25-year-old Varejao averaged a career-best 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds last season in helping the Cavaliers reach the NBA finals for the first time.

Bobcats coach Sam Vincent has been asking for a big man since the beginning of the season. The Bobcats lost Sean May to season-ending knee surgery in training camp. Starting center Primoz Brezec has been ineffective and was replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Jared Dudley on Monday night in Toronto, the Bobcats' sixth straight loss.

"We're excited about the opportunity to add a player of Anderson's caliber to our team," Vincent said. "We feel like he's a guy who can come in and give us some immediate help in the post."

Before training camp opened, Varejao turned down Cleveland's one-year, $1.2 million qualifying offer. If he had signed that deal, the former second-round pick could have become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

In late October, the Cavaliers rejected a six-year, $52 million package presented by Fegan.

Varejao is known for his energy and defense, and the move comes a day after Vincent questioned his team's focus and preparation following the 98-79 loss to the Raptors.

The Bobcats, with 15 guaranteed contracts, would have to release a player to add Varejao if the Cavaliers don't match the offer.

"Anderson has established himself as a very good young player in this league," Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins said. "We look forward to the opportunity to add him to the core of our franchise as we continue to grow and improve."

Before joining the Cavaliers in the 2004-05 season, Varejao spent three seasons in Spain playing for F.C. Barcelona. He's also a member of the Brazilian national team, and the Bobcats said he could play for the team in the offseason, a point of contention with the Cavaliers.

Celtics maintain dominant home form with win over Cavaliers

The Boston Celtics posted an 80-70 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who struggled without the injured LeBron James on Sunday.

Ray Allen led the league-leading Celtics (14-2) with 20 points, but neither team shot well.

Boston made just 37.5 percent of its field-goal attempts and had 15 turnovers. Cleveland sank 32.9 percent of its shots and gave up the ball 18 times.

The victory, the ninth in a row at home for Boston, did little to impress coach Doc Rivers.

"There will be no video on this game, hopefully," Rivers told reporters.

"It was a win and we'll take the win."

Allen scored 13 of his points in the first half, which ended with Boston ahead 43-39.

Daniel Gibson's three-pointer brought Cleveland within four at 48-44 with 8:59 to play but the next eight points belonged to Boston.

Kevin Garnett hit two free throws, then Rajon Rondo went on a six-point scoring run, hitting a driving layup off an assist by Paul Pierce then scoring on consecutive jumpers.

Rondo finished with 12 points, Garnett scoring nine and Pierce seven.

"We just didn't have the energy we normally come out with," Pierce, who was 2 of 7 from the field, told reporters.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas topped Cleveland with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

James, who sprained his left index finger on Tuesday, watched the game from the Cleveland bench. His is day-to-day.

DUNCAN HURT

*Tim Duncan bruised his right knee and sprained his right ankle in a first-half fall in the San Antonio Spurs' 100-79 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Tests on Monday will determine how long he will be out, the Spurs said.

"I hope he won't be out for very long, but he will probably miss a little bit of time," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters.

Tony Parker had 27 points and eight assists in San Antonio's third successive win.

*The Golden State Warriors streaked to their sixth consecutive victory by beating the Seattle SuperSonics 109-96 .

*Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points and Marcus Camby pulled down 21 rebounds in the Denver Nuggets' 115-89 home win over the Miami Heat. Dwyane Wade was held to 13 points and Shaquille O'Neal scored only six.

*Grant Hill and Amare Stoudemire each had 28 points and Steve Nash handed out 15 assists in the Phoenix Suns' 115-104 road win over the New York Knicks. Eddy Curry and Stephon Marbury led the Knicks with 21 each. Marbury's father, who attended the game, died afterward in a New York hospital, The New York Times reported on its Web site.

*Richard Hamilton had 19 points and Chauncey Billups 18 as the Detroit Pistons topped the New Jersey Nets 118-95.

*Hedo Turkoglu's three-pointer put Orlando in the lead to stay and the Magic beat the Los Angeles Lakers 104-97. Rashard Lewis led Orlando with 18 points with Turkoglu getting 14. Kobe Bryant scored 28 for the Lakers.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

Kings spoil Adelman's return to Arco

Ron Artest and Kevin Martin each scored 26 points, and the Sacramento Kings spoiled former coach Rick Adelman's return to Arco Arena by beating the Houston Rockets 107-99.

The Kings took the lead for good with a strong third quarter and withstood a Tracy McGrady-led charge by Houston. McGrady scored 28 of his 40 points in the second half. It was the 44th game McGrady has scored 40 or more points, including the third time this season.

Martin also produced a big second half with 21 points for the Kings, who had lost four of their previous five games. His 3-pointer gave the Kings their biggest lead at 89-79, and the Rockets never got closer than three points in losing their second straight.

Adelman, who was often criticized during the last of his eight seasons as the Kings coach, made his first visit back to Arco Arena and received a standing ovation during pregame introductions.

The typically stoic Adelman, who guided Kings to their biggest success in the Sacramento era and won 63 percent of his games before being fired after the 2005-06 season, stood up and waved to the crowd, acknowledging the ovation.

Beno Udrih scored 15 points for the Kings, John Salmons had 13 and Brad Miller added 12 points and seven rebounds.

Yao Ming bounced back with 29 points and 11 rebounds after scoring a season-low 10 points Thursday when Houston lost by 19 points at Golden State, its worst defeat of the season.

But it was a frustrating finish for Yao. After fouling out with 3:01 remaining, he headed to locker room following a technical foul for arguing the call.

Bonzi Wells had eight points and 10 rebounds for Houston.

Martin and McGrady traded baskets for much of the second half. McGrady scored 15 points in the third quarter, but the Rockets were still outscored 30-24, thanks to Martin's 14 points. Artest added eight points in the period as the Kings took a 79-74 lead into the fourth.

The Kings had no first-half answer for the inside play of Yao, who had 21 points and eight rebounds to help Houston to a 50-49 advantage.

Notes: Yao made his first four shots, scored Houston's first nine points and had 16 in the opening quarter. Houston starter Chuck Hayes had four first-half fouls in 10-plus minutes. Kings rookie Spencer Hawes had a season-high 10 rebounds in 14 minutes.

(This version CORRECTS Kings 107, Rockets 99. corrects to Martin, sted Garcia, in 3rd graf.)

AK-47's triple-double paces Jazz

Andrei Kirilenko had his third career triple-double and Deron Williams scored a career-high 35 points to help the Utah Jazz overcome injuries to two starters and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 120-96 on Friday night.

Kirilenko finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, along with six steals and four blocks.

Williams had more turnovers than assists, but was 14-for-24 from the floor and the Jazz won without leading scorer Carlos Boozer (ankle) and center Mehmet Okur (back spasms).

Kyrylo Fesenko added six points and seven rebounds in his NBA debut — just hours after he was called up from Utah's D-League affiliate in Orem.

Kobe Bryant had 28 points to lead the lackluster Lakers, who were flat one night after beating Denver 126-99 in Los Angeles.

Williams overcame that almost by himself and left the passing to Kirilenko, the lanky forward who was back to his everywhere-on-the-court self.

Kirilenko achieved the triple-double with an offensive rebound that led to Ronnie Brewer's dunk, putting Utah up 111-90 with 5:23 left. The only remaining suspense was whether he would reach double figures in any other category.

Paul Millsap added 20 points and nine rebounds, and Brewer scored 14 for Utah.

Lakers guard Derek Fisher finished with three points and two assists in his return to Utah, where he played last season but asked over the summer to be released from his contract because of his 1-year-old daughter's cancer treatments in New York.

Jazz fans felt slighted when Fisher signed with the Lakers and he was booed often Friday, sometimes even louder than Bryant.

Jordan Farmar scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half for the Lakers, who had no answer for the shorthanded Jazz in the first half. Utah was 29-for-50 from the floor in the first two periods and led 70-51 at halftime.

The Lakers used a 10-0 run in the third quarter to pull to 87-70, but Williams ended the drought for Utah with a three-point play, drawing Bryant's fourth foul and putting the Jazz back up by 20 with the free throw.

Fesenko, the 7-foot-1 Ukrainian picked up by the Jazz in a draft-day trade, was a fan favorite by the end of the night. In his first game, he posted up Chris Mihm, then made a turnaround bank shot for his first NBA points. He added a dunk at the end of the first quarter off a pass from Kirilenko and had to leave briefly in the second half after Mihm's elbow caught him in the eye and drew blood.

Fesenko got another loud ovation when he returned — with a puffy right eye — in the fourth quarter.

Notes:@ It was Kirilenko's first triple-double since March 2006 against Sacramento. ... Bryant scored 13 straight points for the Lakers in the second quarter, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers and then a three-point play that kept the Lakers in it for a while. ... Boozer injured the ankle Wednesday in a win in Philadelphia. ... Matt Harpring scored 12 for the Jazz.