Pau Gasol scored 28 points on 10-for-10 shooting, Kobe Bryant added 20 points and the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight victory with a 117-89 blowout of the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
Lamar Odom had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who beat their upstate rivals for the 11th straight time, including twice at Staples Center in three weeks.
Los Angeles’ 12th win in 14 games to open the season was a laugher by halftime, when the Lakers had hit almost 66 percent of their shots.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Dorell Wright scored 16 points on 5-of-17 shooting and Stephen Curry added 13 in the Warriors’ fourth loss in five games. Monta Ellis sat out most of the second half after landing hard on his hip.
RAPTORS 102, CELTICS 101
Amir Johnson made two free throws with 2.7 seconds left and Andrea Bargnani scored 29 points as the Toronto Raptors upset Boston 102-101 to end an eight-game losing streak against the Celtics.
Paul Pierce’s shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer, giving Toronto their first victory over the Celtics since January 2008.
Johnson had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Sonny Weems added 16 points and Reggie Evans had 16 rebounds and a season-high nine points for the Raptors, who’re on a three-match winning roll.
Nate Robinson led Boston with a season-high 22 points and Pierce and Ray Allen each had 19. Boston have lost two straight for the first time this season.
HORNETS 75, KINGS 71
In Sacramento, California, David West had 17 points and Trevor Ariza added 16 to help New Orleans improve to an 11-1 win-loss record, matching San Antonio for the best record in the NBA.
Marco Belinelli scored 12 points and Chris Paul had nine points and 14 assists for the Hornets, who shot 32 percent and had a season-low point total. New Orleans have won three straight.
Donte Greene had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Sacramento. The Kings have lost nine of their last 10 games.
The Hornets completed a trade on Saturday that sent Peja -Stojakovic and Jerryd Bayless to Toronto for point guard Jarrett Jack, center David Andersen and guard Marcus Banks.
PISTONS 115, WIZARDS 110, OT
At Auburn Hills, Richard Hamilton scored 12 of his 27 points in overtime for Detroit.
Wizards rookie star John Wall missed his fourth straight game because of a sprained left foot.
He was on the Wizards’ active list and coach Flip Saunders said before the game that he hoped to get a few minutes out of him, but Wall ended up watching in street clothes.
JaVale McGee had 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Wizards, while Gilbert Arenas added 19 points and a career-high 16 assists.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just