THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ADVERTISING LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant had 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists while playing with a clear mask over his broken nose, and the Los Angeles Lakers returned from the All-Star break with their 17th
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant had 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists while playing with a clear mask over his broken nose, and the Los Angeles Lakers returned from the All-Star break with their 17th consecutive win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 104-85 on Wednesday night.
Bryant didn’t miss a game after Dwyane Wade broke his nose and gave him a concussion with a hard foul in the All-Star game Sunday. After getting clearance to play about an hour before tipoff, Bryant wore a Richard Hamilton-style mask that didn’t appear to affect the NBA scoring leader, who made nine of 10 free throws through the plastic.
Pau Gasol scored 15 points and Andrew Bynum had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, who improved to 15-1 at home since losing their Christmas opener.
Michael Beasley and Martell Webster scored 14 points apiece as the Timberwolves played the middle game of a back-to-back-to-back set without Kevin Love, who sat out with an apparent case of the flu.
Knicks 120,
Cavaliers 103
NEW YORK — Jeremy Lin had 19 points and 13 assists, Carmelo Anthony scored 22 and New York turned around the game with its reserves to beat Cleveland
Steve Novak had 17 points off the bench as the Knicks turned a 17-point deficit into an easy win, outscoring the Cavs 71-42 in the second half.
They capped a 10-5 month, their first 10-win February since going 10-3 in 1996-97.
The Knicks didn’t lead until Novak made consecutive 3-pointers to put them up 75-74 with 2:52 left in the third quarter, then dominated the fourth quarter to send the Cavs to their third straight loss.
Antawn Jamison had 23 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland.
Thunder 92, 76ers 88
PHILADELPHIA — Kevin Durant scored eight of his 23 points down the stretch to lead Oklahoma City over Philadelphia.
Russell Westbrook had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and James Harden added 16 points as the NBA-leading Thunder overcame a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter and won their sixth straight game.
Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday each had 18 points for the Atlantic Division-leading 76ers, who beat Detroit on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Coming off his MVP performance in the All-Star game, Durant struggled a bit.
The two-time scoring champion shot 7-of-18.
But he made key baskets and free throws and added a clutch steal late in the game.
Celtics 102, Bucks 96
BOSTON — Rajon Rondo had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to record his third triple-double of the season and lead Boston past Milwaukee.
Rondo had six rebounds and five assists in the third quarter, when the Celtics went on a 20-4 run to turn a five-point deficit into a double-digit lead. The Bucks cut it to two points in the final minute, but Kevin Garnett made four free throws in the last 15 seconds to clinch it.
Warriors 85, Hawks 82
ATLANTA — David Lee scored 22 points, including the go-ahead
basket with 30 seconds remaining, and the Golden State Warriors answered a late comeback by Atlanta to beat the Hawks.
The Warriors kept the lead until Zaza Pachulia scored on a follow-up shot after a miss by Teague with 52 seconds remaining for a 78-78 tie. Lee drove past Pachulia to score with 30 seconds remaining to give the lead back to Golden State.
Joe Johnson, returning from a knee injury, led Atlanta with 18 points.
Raptors 95,
Hornets 84
NEW ORLEANS — Linas Kleiza and DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points apiece and Toronto rallied to beat New Orleans.
The Raptors, who trailed 69-62 after tying a season low for points in a quarter with 11 in the third, broke loose for 33 in the fourth — matching a season best for any quarter. They hit their first eight shots and took control by scoring 22 points in the first 4:22.
Marco Belinelli had 20 points for the Hornets, who missed 13 consecutive shots in the fourth quarter and lost for the 16th straight time after trailing at the half.
Magic 102, Wizards 95
WASHINGTON — Ryan Anderson had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Orlando pulled away late in the fourth quarter and returned from the All-Star break with a win over lineup-shuffling Washington.
Anderson scored 11 in the fourth quarter and led seven players in double figures for the Magic, who have won 11 of 15.
Pistons 109,
Bobcats 94
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Rodney Stuckey scored 29 points and Greg Monroe added 19 points and a career-high 20 rebounds and Detroit routed Charlotte.
Corey Maggette had 17 points for Charlotte, which has lost 19 of 20 and is 4-29 on the season.
Nuggets 104,
Trail Blazers 95
DENVER — Ty Lawson had 18 points and nine assists after missing two games with a sprained left ankle, Kenneth Faried scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Denver beat Portland.
Jamal Crawford had 21 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Trail Blazers.
Bulls 96, Spurs 89
SAN ANTONIO — Derrick Rose scored 29 points, and Chicago stayed on a roll by cooling off streaking San Antonio.
Rose shook off a scary-looking collision with Tony Parker early that kept the reigning MVP on the floor clutching his right knee for several minutes. But he never left the game, and the Bulls became just the second team to win in San Antonio this season.
Gary Neal led the Spurs with 21 points. San Antonio floundered late and had its homecoming spoiled after going 8-1 during the winningest nine-game road trip in NBA history.
Jazz 104, Rockets 83
SALT LAKE CITY — C.J. Miles scored a season-high 27 points, and Utah halted a four-game losing streak and Houston’s four-game winning streak.
Luis Scola led Houston with 18 points, while Kyle Lowry was held to 13 on 4-of-9 shooting after scoring 32 in the first meeting.
Grizzlies 96,
Mavericks 85
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Marc Gasol had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Mike Conley added 20 points and 10 assists as Memphis defeated Dallas.
Jason Terry led the Mavericks with 18 points, while Rodrigue Beaubois scored 16.
