The Lakers squandered a 14-point lead in the third quarter but fought back in the last four minutes of the game, outscoring the Hornets 9-3 in that span to secure the road victory.

“We shot the ball well and you always have to have that kind of a game to win, especially on the road,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. “The other thing we did was control the pace.”

The Hornets trailed from the opening basket until Chris Paul drained a three-point shot as time expired in the third quarter to put the home team ahead 82-81.

Spanish center Gasol scored a season-high 34 points and Bryant added 32, including a key three-pointer with 3:20 remaining to give the Lakers the lead for good.

Paul led the Hornets with 21 points, Delonte West added 16 and the Hornets bench scored 39 points including 14 by Marcus Thornton.

The Lakers enjoyed a huge advantage at the foul line, converting 23 of 27 opportunities while the Hornets had just four free throws.

“For a game to be that physical and we only get four free throws, I just don’t understand,“said Hornets coach Monty Williams. “Guys are just competing their butts off and I thought we deserved a little bit more whatever you want to call it. We should have gotten to the line more tonight.”

In Cleveland, the Cavaliers’ losing streak reached 24 games Saturday when Wesley Matthews scored 31 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 111-105 win over the pitiful Cavaliers, who remain winless in 2011 and have lost a mind-boggling 34 of 35.

The Cavs, who have won just once since Nov. 27, now own both the single-season mark for consecutive losses and matched the record for overall losses in a row they previously set over two seasons (1981-82 and 1982-83).

Cleveland nearly overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but once again failed to make plays down the stretch.

Antawn Jamison scored 17 for the Cavs, who will try to end their skid on Monday in Dallas.

At Oakland, California, Monta Ellis scored 33 points and Stephen Curry had 23 as Golden State snapped Chicago’s six-game wining streak.

The tandem sparked a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter that sealed Golden State’s third straight win in one of its more impressive defensive efforts of the season. Dorell Wright added 20 points and David Lee scored 13 for the Warriors.

Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Derrick Rose finished with a quiet 14 points and 10 assists for the Bulls.

At Charlotte, North Carolina, Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and Tyson Chandler grabbed 15 rebounds against his former team as Dallas beat harlotte to extend the NBA’s longest active winning streak to eight.

Jason Terry added 21 points for the Mavericks, who have been on a roll since Nowitzki returned from a knee injury.

D.J. Augustin scored 21 points and Stephen Jackson added 17 on a poor shooting night for the 7-year-old Bobcats, who have beaten every other team in the league.

At Minneapolis, Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and J.R.

Smith had 10 of his 14 points in the final seven minutes to lift Denver over Minnesota.

Chauncey Billups added 21 points and 13 assists for his first double-double of the season and Arron Afflalo scored 22 points for Denver, which shot 54.4 percent against Minnesota’s woeful defense.

Newly chosen All-Star Kevin Love had 18 points and 19 rebounds for the Timberwolves, while Michael Beasley had 23 points and five assists.

Anthony left the game briefly in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to his right elbow and did not score in the final 12 minutes.

At Milwaukee, reserve Richard Hamilton scored 15 points in his first game since Jan. 10 and Tracy McGrady added 20, helping Detroit past Milwaukee.

Andrew Bogut returned after being sidelined with right knee soreness and finished with 18 points, but Milwaukee lost its fourth straight game.

Tayshaun Prince had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, and Ben Gordon scored 12.

At Salt Lake City, Russell Westbrook scored 33 points as Oklahoma City earned its fifth win in six games.

Westbrook made all four of his 3-point attempts to help the Thunder shoot a season-best 13 of 21 on 3-pointers.

Kevin Durant scored 21 points and Jeff Green added 20.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 34 points and 10 rebounds and Al Jefferson had 21 points for the Jazz.

At Houston, Kevin Martin scored 31 points, including 15-for-15 shooting from the free-throw line, as Houston won for the first time in six overtime games this year.

Luis Scola scored six of his 17 points in the extra period and Shane Battier grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who’ve won their last 10 games when holding their opponent below 100 points. Chuck Hayes added 15 points.

Zach Randolph had 22 points and 17 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who had a five-game winning streak snapped.

Memphis has not win six in a row since March 2006.

At Washington, Josh Smith scored 29 points and added a season-high 16 rebounds to lead Atlanta past Washington.

Washington hasn’t beaten the Hawks since an overtime win in Atlanta on Jan. 11, 2008.

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Marvin Williams added 15 and 12 rebounds for Atlanta, who has won three in a row.

Nick Young led the Wizards with 21 points. John Wall had 18 but was 2 of 7 from the free-throw line.