PORTLAND: Lamar Odom replaced an injured Kobe Bryant and matched his career high with 22 rebounds, as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 99-82 in the NBA on Saturday. Bryant sat out with a sore left ankle, ending the 12-time All-Star’s run of 235 straight games.
Odom also scored 10 points as the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 19 points, en route to ending a nine-game losing streak at the Rose Garden.
Portland was again without All-Star guard Brandon Roy, who will miss the next three games and the All-Star with a hamstring injury.
Jazz 116, Nuggets 106: In Salt Lake City, Utah made it eight straight wins to down Denver.
Andrei Kirilenko scored 22 points and Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 13 rebounds in his return to the lineup.
The Jazz pulled within two games of the Nuggets in the Northwest Division and avoided a four-game sweep by Denver.
Even without Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets were able to cut a 17-point deficit to three early in the fourth quarter before Utah put the game away.
Cavaliers 113, Knicks 106: In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 47 points, including 24 straight for Cleveland in the first half, as Cleveland held off New York and notched its 11th straight victory.
James set a franchise record with 35 points in the first half thanks to his remarkable streak. He finished one point shy of his season high while adding eight rebounds and eight assists.
Hornets 104, Bobcats 99: In Charlotte, North Carolina, Darren Collison scored a career-high 24 points filling in for Chris Paul as New Orleans downed Charlotte. In the first regular-season meeting since the July trade that sent Emeka Okafor to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler, the Hornets rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to snap a three-game losing streak since Paul was sidelined with a knee injury.
Spurs 98, Clippers 81: In Los Angeles, San Antonio breezed to victory against a Los Angeles team adjusting to life under an interim coach.
George Hill scored all of his 22 points in the first three quarters to set up the Spurs victory. Chris Kaman had 21 points in the Clippers’ first game since Mike Dunleavy resigned as coach and was replaced on an interim basis by Kim Hughes.
Bulls 95, Heat 91: In Chicago, the hosts won their first game in four by edging Miami.
Luol Deng scored 25 points and Derrick Rose added 24 for the Bulls, who won despite missing the injured Joakim Noah and suspended Tyrus Thomas. Jermaine O’Neal tied season highs with 24 points and 16 rebounds but the Heat lost for the seventh time in eight games.
76ers 102, Rockets 95: In Houston, Philadelphia came from 13 points down to beat Houston and extend its winning run to a season-best four games. Reserve Thaddeus Young scored 17 points and Willie Green added 15 for the 76ers.
Aaron Brooks scored 34 points for Houston, which controlled much of the game before a late Sixers surge that saw the visitors take the lead with less than five minutes left.
Thunder 104, Warriors 95: In Oakland, California, Oklahoma City matched their season best with a fifth consecutive win, beating Golden State. Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Russell Westbrook added 21, 10 assists, a career-high eight steals and seven rebounds.
Corey Maggette scored 24 points to lead the Warriors, who have lost eight straight.
Bucks 93, Pacers 81: In Milwaukee, Andrew Bogut bounced back from a migraine to score 21 points to lead Milwaukee past Indiana. A night after departing in the first quarter against New York due to a severe headache, Bogut dominated inside, hitting 9 of 15 shots and grabbing eight rebounds as the Bucks won for the fifth time in six games.
Timberwolves 109, Grizzlies 102: In Minneapolis, Al Jefferson rallied Minnesota to its season-high fourth straight victory by scoring 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter.
Jefferson was quiet all night until the Grizzlies stretched their lead to seven points with 8 minutes left.
Pistons 99, Nets 92: In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Detroit ended a run of five straight home losses by downing hapless New Jersey. Jonas Jerebko scored 20 points on 9-for-9 shooting and Richard Hamilton added 17 points for the Pistons.
