THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ADVERTISING TORONTO — Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jumper with 4.2 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TORONTO — Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jumper with 4.2 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto.
Bryant, who scored 27 points, took an inbound pass from Metta World Peace and shot over the outstretched arms of James Johnson to deny the Raptors, who battled back after trailing by as many as 18.
Down 93-92, Toronto blew its best chance for a winning shot when Rasual Butler couldn’t inbound the ball and failed to call a timeout before 5 seconds had elapsed. Bryant made one of two from the line to put the Lakers up by two with 3.7 seconds left. Jose Calderon, who scored a career-high 30 points, inbounded to DeMar DeRozan for the final possession, but he airballed his potential tying shot at the buzzer.
CELTICS 95, BULLS 91
BOSTON — Rajon Rondo recorded a triple-double with 32 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Celtics over the Chicago Bulls, who were without star guard Derrick Rose.
Kevin Garnett added 13 points and 12 rebounds, reserve JaJuan Johnson had 12 points, and Ray Allen had 11 for the Celtics, who snapped a two-game skid. Rondo had season highs in both points and assists.
C.J. Watson, who started in Rose’s spot, scored 22 points for the Bulls, whose win streak ended at five in the finale of a 6-3 road trip. Carlos Boozer also scored 22 and pulled down seven rebounds.
WIZARDS 98, PISTONS 77
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — JaVale McGee had 22 points and eight rebounds, and John Wall dished out 14 assists as the Washington Wizards routed the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit entered on a season-best four-game winning streak, but saw it end when the Wizards went on a 22-2 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters.
Nick Young added 22 points for the Wizards. Greg Monroe had a game-high 27 for Detroit.
HEAT 107, HAWKS 87
ATLANTA — LeBron James scored 23 points, Dwyane Wade added 21, and the Miami Heat blew out the Atlanta Hawks after racing to a 22-point lead at halftime.
The Heat made a big statement in the Southeast Division against the second-place Hawks, leading by as many as 32 in what turned into nothing more than a showcase for Miami’s Big Three.
By halftime, Wade already had 21 points, James was rolling along with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Bosh put a double-double in the books with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Bosh finished with 14 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. James grabbed 13 rebounds and doled out six assists. Wade had a couple of steals and blocked a shot.
The Hawks starters — four of whom were averaging in double figures — combined for just 40 points, led by Joe Johnson with 12.
WARRIORS 106, ROCKETS 97
OAKLAND, Calif. — Monta Ellis had 33 points and seven assists, David Lee added 15 points and 13 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets for their second straight victory over a Western Conference playoff contender.
Rookie reserve Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry had 14 points apiece, and each made some big shots late to help the Warriors upset another top team. Golden State also won at Denver on Thursday night.
Kevin Martin started to break out of a recent shooting slump with 28 points, and Luis Scola had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets, whose three-game winning streak ended.
