Kobe Bryant scored 14 of his 18 points in the decisive third quarter on Friday to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Ron Artest scored a season-best 19 and Pau Gasol added another 19 points for the Lakers, who got 18 points from Lamar Odom and 17 from Andrew Bynum in a victory over a Nuggets team still awash in questions over the future of star Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony has been the subject of trade talk since he declined to sign a three-year contract extension prior to the start of the season.
PHOTO: REUTERS
This week, New Jersey called off negotiations on a deal to land Anthony, but Nuggets executives say they are still in talks with other teams about a possible trade for him.
Despite the turmoil, Anthony led Denver with 23 points, with Arron Afflalo adding 22.
Bryant got drawn into the Anthony saga, saying on Thursday that Denver fans were “stupid” for booing Anthony after his 35-point performance against Oklahoma City this week.
Bryant suggested the treatment might drive Anthony out of Denver — if there were, indeed, still any chance he might stay.
Nuggets coach George Karl said he had learned to keep a sense of humor about the situation — a necessity after his doctors advised him to keep his stress levels down after treatment for throat and neck cancer last year.
“I can’t deny that in the last two or three weeks it’s gotten a little tiring, but in the same sense, I’ve had fun with it. There’s some laughter going on,” Karl said
HORNETS 100, HAWKS 59
In Atlanta, Georgia, Chris Paul scored 16 points and dished out eight assists for the New Orleans Hornets, who took control late in the first half and held the Hawks to their lowest-scoring game in Atlanta history, a 100-59 rout on Friday.
New Orleans cruised to their seventh straight win against a Hawks team that shot 29 percent and barely beat the franchise record for fewest points. As it was, the home team did eclipse the previous scoring low since moving to Atlanta 42 years ago, a 73-63 loss to Cleveland in 1996.
Only Jordan Crawford’s three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining kept the Hawks from their worst offensive effort ever — a 57-point game in 1955 when the team was in St Louis.
David West and Marco Belinelli both scored 15 points and Emeka Okafor pulled down 12 rebounds.
WARRIORS 119, KINGS 112, OT
In Oakland, California, Monta Ellis scored 28 points, including a tying jumper in the final second of regulation as Golden State stunned Sacramento in overtime again.
Stephen Curry had 34 points, while David Lee finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds to help the Warriors win four straight for the first time in three seasons. They also beat the Kings in overtime in their previous meeting.
Tyreke Evans had a career-high 35 points and DeMarcus Cousins scored 21 in the latest setback in a miserable season for the Kings.
They have lost seven of eight and own the Western Conference’s worst record at 9-32.
CELTICS 110, JAZZ 86
In Boston, Kevin Garnett scored 21 points, Paul Pierce added 20 and Rajon Rondo had 12 assists to lead Boston to their fifth straight win.
Deron Williams had a season-low five points for the Jazz, who have lost three in a row. Earl Watson scored 12 for Utah, while Paul Millsap, Gordon Hayward and Andrei Kirilenko had 11 apiece.
Glen Davis scored 15 and Semih Erden had a career-high 14 points for the Celtics.
Spurs 101, Knicks 92
In San Antonio, Texas, Tim Duncan had 21 points and 16 rebounds as San Antonio extended their winning streak to eight games.
Tony Parker added 21 points and 13 assists as the Spurs avenged one of just six losses this season.
That was in New York earlier this month, when the Knicks wore out the NBA’s top team and put up a season-high 128 points on San Antonio.
Raymond Felton led the Knicks with 23 points.
MAGIC 112, RAPTORS 72
In Orlando, Florida, Dwight Howard had 31 points and 19 rebounds to lead Orlando to an easy win over Toronto.
Ryan Anderson added 21 points for Orlando, who avenged a four-point home loss to the Raptors in November. Howard earned his 31st double-double of the season, J.J. Redick scored 12 points and Brandon Bass finished with 10.
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 16 points. Andrea Bargnani scored all 11 of his points in the first half as Toronto fell to their sixth consecutive loss.
SUNS 109, WIZARDS 91
In Washington, Channing Frye scored 25 points and led a third-quarter three-pointer run, helping Phoenix to their season-high fifth consecutive victory.
Frye made four of the Suns’ six three-pointers during a third quarter in which Phoenix outscored Washington 31-18. Steve Nash had six of his 14 assists in the period and also finished with 17 points and five turnovers, the wily veteran -holding his own against the up-and-coming John Wall.
Nick Young scored 25 points for the Wizards, while Wall had 11 points, 14 assists and five turnovers.
GRIZZLIES 115, ROCKETS 110
In Memphis, Tennessee, Zach Randolph had 29 points and 19 rebounds, and Rudy Gay added 22 points as Memphis snapped a seven-game losing streak to Houston.
In other NBA play, it was:
‧ Nets 89, Pistons 74
‧ Bucks 102, Cavaliers 88
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