Bryant keeps streak going in Lakers victory
Rolling 40s
LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant had 41 points to extend his remarkable streak of scoring at least 40 to nine straight games as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Seattle SuperSonics 106-101 on Sunday night.
Bryant equaled the best such streak of Michael Jordan, who did so early in the 1986-87 season.
The only player with longer streaks of 40 or more points is Wilt Chamberlain. The NBA's fourth-leading career scorer, Chamberlain accomplished the feat in 14 straight games twice in the 1961-62 season and in 10 straight the following season.
Bryant shot 13-of-34 and made 14 of 16 free throws. He missed his last six shots, but made two free throws with 23.6 seconds remaining to push him over 40.
Shaquille O'Neal had 27 points and 17 rebounds for the Lakers, who have won four straight games and 11 of 13. Ray Allen was terrific in his first game for the Sonics, just missing his second career triple double with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
His rebounding total equaled a career high and his assist total tied a season high.
The Sonics acquired Allen and two others for Gary Payton and Desmond Mason last Thursday.
Rashard Lewis had 28 points and eight rebounds and Peja Drobnjak added 16 points and six rebounds for the Sonics, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
Mavericks 106, Wizards 101, OT
WASHINGTON -- Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Finley had 24 points, and Steve Nash had 22 points and 10 assists as the Mavericks won their sixth in a row.
Two days after scoring 43 in a victory over New Jersey -- when he became the first 40-year-old to score 40-plus -- Michael Jordan had 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. It's Jordan's seventh 30-plus game this season -- and it's the first one that the Wizards lost.
76ers 116, Cavaliers 103
PHILADELPHIA -- Allen Iverson scored 23 points and Derrick Coleman added 20 points and 13 rebounds as the 76ers won their sixth straight game.
The Sixers, unbeaten since the All-Star break, moved into a tie with Boston for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Timberwolves 99, Suns 97
MINNEAPOLIS -- Wally Szczerbiak scored a season-high 30 points and Kevin Garnett added 24 points, 15 rebounds for Minnesota.
Trailing 97-82 with 5:41 left, Phoenix went on a 15-2 run to give itself a chance to win. But Casey Jacobsen's 3-point attempt with 4.9 seconds left went off the rim.
Magic 113, Nets 105
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Tracy McGrady had 46 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in his second monster game since Orlando traded Mike Miller and the Magic won their third straight.
McGrady's performance came just two days after he tallied a career-best 52 points in a game against Chicago. He hit 16 of 27 shots in posting the second triple-double of his career.
Warriors 115, Hawks 93
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jason Richardson scored 20 points, and Gilbert Arenas had 18 points and six assists as the Golden State Warriors stayed strong at home.
Antawn Jamison scored 17 points as Golden State improved to 10-2 against the Eastern Conference in Oakland, where it has won five of its last seven games.
Kings 99, Knicks 92
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Chris Webber, made a successful return with 20 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists after missing 10 games because of a badly sprained left ankle.
Sidelined since Jan. 28, Webber barely missed his 18th career triple-double.
Mike Bibby added 15 points for Sacramento, which had seven players score in double figures. The Kings have won three in a row and five of six.
New York missed its first 15 3-point shots and finished only 2-for-21 from behind the arc. Kurt Thomas scored 17 points, Michael Doleac had 14 and Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston each had 13.