Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Pau Gasol added 26 and the new-look Los Angeles Lakers continued their impressive road trip with a 106-97 win over the reeling Charlotte Bobcats on Monday.
The Lakers improved to 4-1 since acquiring Gasol behind Bryant's third-straight game scoring 30 or more points.
In improving to 6-2 on their nine-game road trip, the Lakers never trailed but struggled to put away the Bobcats. Charlotte cut a 13-point deficit to 89-86 midway through the fourth quarter before wilting in their seventh-straight loss.
Raymond Felton scored 29 points and Nazr Mohammed added 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Bobcats, who matched their longest losing streak of the season.
Cavaliers 118, Magic 111
At Orlando, Florida, Larry Hughes scored a season-high 40 points and LeBron James added 29 and 10 assists as Cleveland won.
Hughes scored 23 in the third quarter on 6-for-7 shooting, including two 3-pointers and an assortment of drives and jumpers. He hit nine of 10 free throws in the period.
Hedo Turkoglu had 25 points for Orlando, leading all five starters in double figures, while Dwight Howard had 16 points and nine rebounds.
76ers 84, Mavericks 76
At Philadelphia, Andre Miller scored 21 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their fourth-straight win.
Miller, the Eastern Conference player of the week, is a big reason why the Sixers are suddenly thinking about a playoff push. Philadelphia have won the first four games of a five-game home stand and moved a half-game behind idle New Jersey for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Spurs 93, Raptors 88
At Toronto, Manu Ginobili scored a season-high 34 points and added a career-high 15 rebounds, leading the San Antonio Spurs.
Tim Duncan added 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, who led from wire-to-wire and won for the fifth time in six games.
Ginobili had 21 points in 19 first-half minutes, scored three more in the third, then helped put the game away with 10 in the fourth.
Clippers 96, Bucks 89
At Milwaukee, Al Thornton scored 25 points and Sam Cassell added 21 points and eight assists as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Milwaukee Bucks.
Los Angeles, who finished 3-4 on their road trip, also got 20 points from Corey Maggette.
IRockets 95, Portland 83
At Houston, Yao Ming had 25 points and seven rebounds as the Houston Rockets won their seventh straight.
Rafer Alston scored 13 of his 17 points in the third quarter, when the Rockets began to stretch their lead over the team right behind them in the Western Conference standings.
Warriors 120, Wizards 117
At Oakland, California, Stephen Jackson scored a season-high 41 points, hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer and getting 10 of Golden State's 12-straight points in the final minutes of a stunning victory.
Jackson's 3-pointer with 55.6 seconds to play gave Golden State their first lead since the opening minute of their 11th victory in 15 games.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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