Kobe Bryant scored 21 points in three quarters and Pau Gasol added 20 points for the Lakers, who won their seventh in a row at home.

Deron Williams scored 17 points for Utah, which has lost its last nine against the Lakers at Staples Center.

The Lakers had the game in hand after the first quarter, when they shot 72 percent from the floor, hit all three of their 3-pointers and went 8 of 10 on free throws while building a 17-point lead.

In Dallas, reserve guards Jason Terry and J.J. Barea helped Dallas erase an early 15-point deficit and beat Los Angeles.

Terry scored a season-high 28 points and Barea added 25 for Dallas, which turned things around with a 23-6 spurt in the third quarter, then put together a 14-0 run in the fourth.

The Clippers announced during the first half that a wrist injury will sideline Eric Gordon for at least three weeks.

He’s their leading scorer at 24.1 points, eighth-best in the NBA.

In Boston, the hosts inflicted Cleveland’s 18th consecutive defeat.

Paul Pierce scored 24 for Boston, and Kendrick Perkins returned for the first time since injuring his knee in the NBA finals to score seven points and have six rebounds in 16 minutes.

It was the Cavs’ first time back in Boston since losing Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals to end the LeBron James era in Cleveland.

J.J. Hickson scored 12 points with 17 rebounds for Cleveland.

In Washington, Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points to lead Denver over Washington.

Nene and Al Harrington each scored 21 for the Nuggets, who began a five-game road trip with a strong performance that comes amid continued trade talk surrounding Anthony.

Anthony shot just 8 for 20, but six players scored in double figures for Denver, who put together a 17-2 run to take a a 24-10 lead in the first quarter that set up the win.

n Sacramento, Stephen Jackson scored 21 points to lead Charlotte over Sacramento.

Kwame Brown had a season-high 18 rebounds for the Bobcats, who are 9-6 since Paul Silas was named interim head coach.

Brown had 13 points and his 18 rebounds were one short of his career high.

Tyreke Evans and Carl Landry each scored 19 points for Sacramento, which shot 36 percent and has dropped five of six games.


Meantime, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will coach the West team in the All-Star game after leading San Antonio to the NBA’s best record.

Popovich has guided the Spurs to a 38-7 start, the best in franchise history. The Spurs have been rejuvenated behind Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili staying healthy for the first time in three seasons.

Popovich also coached the West All-Stars in 2005.

The All-Star game is Feb. 20 in Los Angeles. The coach for the Eastern Conference has not yet been announced.