Los Angeles?Kobe Bryant scored 40 points for the 100th time in his career, and Los Angeles avoided a rare three-game losing streak by downing the Detroit Pistons, 106-93.
Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who took a 28-point lead before surviving Detroit?s impressive fourth-quarter rally to avoid their first three-game skid in nearly two years, following losses to Denver and Houston.
Bryant didn?t appear to be slowed by his strained groin while scoring 27 points in the middle two quarters before reaching 40 on a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left. With four 40-point games already this season after getting just four all last year, Bryant trails only Wilt Chamberlain (271) and Michael Jordan (173) in 40-point games in NBA history.
For Detroit, Will Bynum scored 10 of his 24 points in the final period.
Suns 111,
Rockets 105
In Houston, the Phoenix Suns recovered from a slow start to get a 111-105 win over the Houston Rockets, rallying from a double-digit deficit to victory for the fifth time this season.
Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points and Steve Nash had 16 assists for the NBA?s early-season pacesetter.
The Suns extended a strong recent record at Houston and remain the only team to reach 100 points in all their games this season.
For the Rockets, Carl Landry scored a career-high 27 points off the bench.
Nuggets 130,
Raptors 112
In Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points to lead Denver over Toronto.
Anthony is the only player in the NBA to score at least 20 points in all of his team?s games so far. He?s topped 30 points seven times. He sat out the final quarter.
Reserve J.R. Smith finished with 29 for the Nuggets. After withstanding Smith?s seven-game suspension and a six-game trip, the Nuggets weathered a determined Raptors team that was without forward Hedo Turkoglu (left hip) but didn?t trail until midway through the third quarter.
Chris Bosh led Toronto with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
