Kobe Bryant had 41 points on Sunday to extend his remarkable streak of scoring at least 40 to nine-straight games and lead the Los Angeles Lakers over the Seattle Supersonics 106-101.
Bryant equaled the best such streak of Michael Jordan, who did so early in the 1986 to 1987 season.
The only player with longer streaks of 40 or more points is Wilt Chamberlain. The NBA's fourth-leading career scorer, Chamberlain accomplished the feat in 14 straight games twice in the 1961 to 1962 season and in 10 straight the following season.
Bryant shot 13-of-34 and made 14 of 16 free throws. He missed his last six shots, but made two free throws with 23.6 seconds remaining to push him over 40.
Shaquille O'Neal had 27 points and 17 rebounds for the Lakers, who have won four straight games and 11 of 13.
Ray Allen was terrific in his first game for the Sonics, just missing his second career triple double with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
Mavericks 106, Wizards 101
In Washington, Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Finley had 24 points, and Steve Nash had 22 points and 10 assists as Dallas beat Washington for its sixth successive win.
Two days after scoring 43 in a victory over New Jersey -- when he became the first 40-year-old to score 40-plus -- Michael Jordan had 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. It's Jordan's seventh 30-plus game this season -- and it's the first one that the Wizards lost.
The Mavericks rallied from an 18-point first-quarter deficit and blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead as they improved to 20-4 against Eastern Conference teams.
Jordan finished 14-for-26 from the field and had nine rebounds, but he also had six of Washington's nine turnovers.
Jerry Stackhouse, whose 3-pointer sent the game to overtime, also scored 30 for the Wizards.
Magic 113, Nets 105
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Tracy McGrady had 46 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in his second monster game since Orlando traded Mike Miller and the Magic won their third straight with a victory over the New Jersey Nets.
McGrady's performance came just two days after the 23-year-old McGrady, who leads the NBA in scoring, tallied a career-best 52 points in a game against Chicago.
Gordon Giricek and Drew Gooden, acquired in the deal that sent Miller and Ryan Humphrey to Memphis on Thursday, added 15 points apiece. Pat Garrity added 14, including the first seven in a 17-0 fourth-quarter run that McGrady capped with the final 10.
Timberwolves 99, Suns 97
In Minneapolis, Wally Szczerbiak scored a season-high 30 points and Kevin Garnett added 24 points, 15 rebounds and six assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Phoenix Suns.
Trailing 97-82 with 5:41 left, Phoenix went on a 15-2 run to give themselves a chance to win. But Casey Jacobsen's 3-point attempt with 4.9 seconds left went off the rim.
Rasho Nesterovic added 22 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota. Szczerbiak also had eight assists for the Wolves, who have won 19 of their last 24 games.
Stephon Marbury had 32 points and 10 assists for Phoenix. Shawn Marion had 19 points and 11 rebounds while rookie Amare Stoudemire had 13 points and eight rebounds.
76ers 116, Cavaliers 103
In Philadelphia, Allen Iverson scored 23 points and Derrick Coleman added 20 points and 13 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers won their sixth straight game, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Sixers, unbeaten since the All-Star break, moved into a tie with Boston for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Warriors 115, Hawks 93
In Oakland, California, Jason Richardson scored 20 points, and Gilbert Arenas had 18 points and six assists as Golden State stayed strong at home with a win over Atlanta.
Antawn Jamison scored 17 points as Golden State improved to 10-2 against the Eastern Conference in Oakland, where it has won five of its last seven games.
The Warriors finished off the Hawks early, building an 18-point lead in the third quarter on the way to a rare blowout victory for a team that's missed the playoffs in eight straight years.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 23 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which lost for the sixth time in eight games.
Kings 99, Knicks 92
In Sacramento, California, Chris Webber, made a successful return with 20 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists after missing 10 games because of a badly sprained left ankle as Sacramento beat New York.
Sidelined since Jan. 28, Webber barely missed his 18th career triple-double. Mike Bibby added 15 points for Sacramento.
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