Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008

LOS ANGELES (AP) With every game the Los Angeles Lakers play, one nagging question keeps cropping up: How did they lose to the Detroit Pistons — at home?

Intense competition: Thunder forward Chris Wilcox fouls Timberwolves forward Craig Smith during first-quarter action on Friday in Oklahoma City. Minnesota defeated Oklahoma City 105-103, handing the relocated franchise its 14th straight loss. AP PHOTO

Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 35 points, and the Lakers used a 17-0 run in the second half Friday night to beat the Dallas Mavericks 114-107 and improve the NBA's best record to 13-1.

"We're a pretty smart team," Bryant said. "So if something is not going our way in the first half, we all come in here and not just talk about playing harder, but we also talk about the execution of it. That's the way Phil (Jackson) has raised us to play and think."

The Lakers matched the 2001-02 championship club for the best start after 14 games in the franchise's 61-year history. That team won three more games before getting their second loss. Even the 1971-72 squad that won an NBA-record 33 consecutive games with Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor lost three of its first nine before going on its historic winning streak.

Andrew Bynum, playing on a sore right foot, had 18 points and 10 rebounds in Los Angeles' sixth straight victory. Bryant was 14-for-26 from the field after going 5-for-17 with 12 points in Wednesday's 120-93 win over New Jersey.

The Lakers recorded just eight fouls, the fewest by the franchise since it moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles for the 1960-61 season. The previous low was nine, on March 28, 1973, at Golden State. The Mavericks became the second straight Lakers opponent that didn't attempt a free throw in the first quarter.

Dirk Nowitzki had 19 points and 12 rebounds in a matchup of the leagues' last two MVPs, but Dallas' five-game winning streak was snapped. Center Erick Dampier, who tied a franchise record with 12 offensive rebounds the last time the Mavericks faced the Lakers, had no offensive boards in the rematch and just three altogether.

Josh Howard missed his fourth straight game because of an injured left ankle. Jerry Stackhouse, who recently asked his agent to try and work out a trade to get him out of Dallas, did not accompany the team on this two-game road trip so that he could get treatment for a sore right heel.

"We need Josh Howard back. It's not rocket science," Nowitzki said. "He's developed into a great scorer for us. We need him back healthy, slicing and scoring."

Reserve Jason Terry had 29 points for the Mavericks, whose bench outscored the Lakers' reserves 58-25. Dallas has lost 32 of its last 35 against them in Los Angeles.

"They played a good ballgame, but we were better tonight," Jackson said. "We had a run that broke the game open. But until that moment, we were really on our heels most of the time."

Heat 107, Suns 92

In Phoenix, Dwyane Wade scored a season-high 43 points as Miami beat the Suns 107-92 in the first matchup between the teams since the Shaquille O'Neal for Shawn Marion trade last February.

Cavaliers 112, Warriors 97

In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 23 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas added a season-high 21, and the Cavaliers matched the best home start in franchise history by beating Golden State.

Pistons 107, Bucks 97

In Auburn Hills, Mich., Allen Iverson scored 17 points in his first game as a reserve this season, leading Detroit over Milwaukee.

Richard Jefferson and Ramon Sessions each scored 21 points for the Bucks, who lost their third consecutive game and trailed by as many as 15 points. Milwaukee center Dan Gadzuric, starting in place of the injured Andrew Bogut, had 12 rebounds.

Trail Blazers 101, Hornets 86

In Portland, Brandon Roy had 25 points and 10 assists, and the Blazers used a 17-point, second-half run to beat New Orleans.

Portland improved to 7-0 this season at the Rose Garden, its best start at home since going 9-0 in the 1998-99 season.

Spurs 109, Grizzlies 98

In San Antonio, Tony Parker had 15 points and seven assists in his first game in three weeks, leading the Spurs over Memphis.

Jazz 120, Kings 94

In Salt Lake City, Deron Williams had nine of his 15 assists during a 44-point third quarter, and Utah pulled away from Sacramento.

Bobcats 115, Pacers 108 (OT)

In Indianapolis, Raymond Felton tied a career high with 31 points and Charlotte beat Indiana in overtime. Emeka Okafor had 14 points and 20 rebounds.

Raptors 93, Hawks 88

In Toronto, Chris Bosh had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Jason Kapono scored 16 points and the Raptors beat the visiting Hawks.

Celtics 102, 76ers 78

In Boston, Ray Allen scored 23 points and Kevin Garnett added 16 to lead the Celtics to their seventh straight victory.

T-Wolves 105, Thunder 103

In Oklahoma City, Craig Smith scored a season-high 23 points and Mike Miller drilled the game-winning jumper.

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