Kobe Bryant scored 26 points, passing Moses Malone to stand sixth on the NBA all-time scoring list, and the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers beat Atlanta 101-87 on Tuesday.
Bryant, a 13-time All-Star who has won five NBA titles in the past 10 seasons, passed Malone’s total of 27,409 points with three free throws 2 minutes, 5 seconds before the end of the second quarter and finished the game 14 points ahead of Malone.
“I’m just very fortunate, that’s all,” Bryant said.
Bryant has passed six NBA legends on the career scoring list this season, including John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Elvin Hayes only one week ago.
“Kobe is going to get his shots,” Hawks standout Joe Johnson said. “We all knew we had to try to limit guys around him. The guys around him played big.”
Andrew Bynum added 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Spain’s Paul Gasol had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who stretched their win streak to eight games in a row and improved to 46-19, third overall in the Western Conference.
“It’s not necessarily that we’re winning games, but how we’re winning them,” Bryant said. “We’re really playing well. We’re not making too many mistakes.”
The Lakers led 57-49 at halftime and stretched the edge to 79-57 late in the third period. Atlanta ran off nine points in a row to pull within 90-82 before the Lakers ran off eight in a row, including a Bryant three-pointer with 3 minutes, 22 seconds to play to help seal the victory.
“He’s very unique,” said Hawks coach Larry Drew, who was an assistant coach for the Lakers when Bryant debuted there in 1996. “I was in LA when we traded for him and you saw the talent.”
“It was a matter of understanding and picking his spots and learning to play the game on the NBA level, and he did that. He’s a phenomenal player,” Drew added.
Al Horford scored 17 points, while Josh Smith added 16 for the Hawks, who suffered their fourth loss in their past five games.
“We’re making people take contested shots and taking them out of areas they’re comfortable in,” Bryant said.
TRAIL BLAZERS 105, HEAT 96
In Miami, LaMarcus Aldridge showed why he should have been an All-Star selection by scoring 26 points to lead Portland over out-of-form Miami.
Gerald Wallace scored 22 for Portland, which won their seventh straight on the road.
Dwyane Wade scored 38 points, while LeBron James added 31 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Heat, who have lost five in a row.
SUNS 113, ROCKETS 110
In Phoenix, Arizona, Hakim Warrick scored a career-high 32 points starting in place of injured Channing Frye as Phoenix added to their recent dominance of Houston.
Vince Carter scored 15 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, including two of his five three-pointers, in the Suns’ seventh consecutive victory over Houston.
Kevin Lowry scored 32 points, including a career-high seven three-pointers, for the Rockets, who had won seven of eight overall and seven of eight road games entering the contest.
The Suns never led by more than six in the game and trailed by 11 before recovering.
A rare free throw miss by Steve Nash gave the Rockets a chance to tie it at the finish, but Brad Miller’s three-point try under pressure was far off the mark at the buzzer.
76ERS 110, PACERS 100
In Indianapolis, Indiana, Philadelphia made it seven wins from eight games by downing Indiana.
Thaddeus Young scored 18 points, while Andre Iguodala, coming off back-to-back triple-doubles, finished with 16 points and 10 assists for the 76ers.
Tyler Hansbrough’s 26 points led the Pacers, who have lost four straight. They started off 7-1 under interim coach Frank Vogel, but have struggled to defend since.
Philadelphia shot 51 percent and forced Indiana to commit 20 turnovers. All five 76ers starters scored at least 12 points.
In other NBA play, it was:
‧ Bucks 95, Wizards 76
‧ Warriors 95, Cavaliers 85
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