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Suns’ Amare Stoudemire draws a foul trying to stop Magic’s Mickael Pietrus in Orlando.
(John Raoux/Associated Press ) |
Kobe Bryant scored 41 points, Andrew Bynum added 17 points and 17 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers won in overtime for the second straight game, beating the Rockets, 103-102, last night in Houston.
Carl Landry scored 20 points to lead six players in double figures for Houston. Luis Scola added 16 points and 13 rebounds and Chuck Hayes had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza both scored 15 points in their first meeting since they swapped teams in July.
The two guarded each other much of the game and hit matching 3-pointers in the final minute of regulation - and neither could resist the urge to taunt his former team after making the shot.
Artest’s 3 from the top of the key with 30 seconds left gave the Lakers a 92-89 lead. As the Rockets walked to their bench for a time out, Artest stood at midcourt and made a mocking timeout signal of his own to the booing fans.
Ariza was tied up in the lane at the other end, then won a jump ball against Derek Fisher with 19.6 seconds left. Ariza quickly got the ball back from Landry and swished a 3-pointer from the wing with 14.2 seconds left. The Lakers called timeout and Ariza held up three fingers for the Los Angeles bench to see.
Bryant had the ball in the final seconds, but Hayes slapped it out of bounds with 0.7 seconds left. The Rockets knocked away the long inbound pass as time expired.
Bryant hit a jumper from the free-throw line with 90 seconds left in overtime. He was fouled by Scola and hit the free throw for a 100-98 lead.
Aaron Brooks sliced through the lane for a layup with 1:06 to go to tie it again. Bryant missed a baseline shot, but Bynum rebounded, got fouled and sank two free throws with 44.2 seconds left.
Landry hit a hook shot with 37 seconds remaining, ensuring that the Rockets would get one more possession. Bynum was fouled by Hayes and hit one of two free throws with 24.7 seconds left.
Magic 122, Suns 100 - Ryan Anderson had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Dwight Howard scored 25 points, and host Orlando defeated previously unbeaten Phoenix.
Nuggets 122, Nets 94 - Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony woke up unbeaten Denver in a 44-point third quarter to continue its best start since 1985-86 with a victory over winless host New Jersey.
Pacers 101, Knicks 89 - T.J. Ford scored 8 of his 16 points in the final 3:12, and visiting Indiana won for the first time this season, holding New York without a field goal for the final 9-plus minutes.
Heat 93, Wizards 89 - Dwyane Wade scored 40 points, including a go-ahead jumper with 25 seconds left, to lead Miami in Washington.
Raptors 110, Pistons 99 - Andrea Bargnani had 22 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, Chris Bosh scored 25 points, and host Toronto beat Detroit.
Hornets 114, Mavericks 107 - Peja Stojakovic hit a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation and Chris Paul scored 6 of his 39 points in overtime, lifting host New Orleans over Dallas.
Hawks 113, Kings 105 - Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford had 26 points each to help visiting Atlanta beat Sacramento.
Warriors 113, Grizzlies 105 - Monta Ellis had 24 points and a season-high 12 assists, Anthony Morrow added 24 points, and Corey Maggette had 20 to lead host Golden State to its first win of the season.![]()





