LOS ANGELES — Pau Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds in his season debut, and Kobe Bryant scored 21 points while passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the Lakers’ career scoring chart in Los Angeles’ 108-93 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Ron Artest added 15 points for the Lakers, who finally had their full starting lineup intact for their ninth victory in 12 games to start the season. The defending NBA champions had little trouble with the Bulls, opening a 20-point lead in the third quarter before beating them for the eighth time in nine meetings.
Derrick Rose had 20 points and John Salmons scored all 18 of his points in the first half for the Bulls, who lost on the second stop of a taxing six-game road trip.
With a free throw in the third quarter, Bryant passed Abdul-Jabbar (24,276) for second place on the Lakers’ career scoring list, leaving him trailing only Jerry West (25,192).
Hornets 110, Suns 103
NEW ORLEANS — Peja Stojakovic hit seven 3-pointers during a 25-point, 13-rebound performance in New Orleans’ victory over Phoenix.
Jazz 90, Spurs 83
SAN ANTONIO — Deron Williams scored 21 points and Utah ended its decade-long misery in San Antonio. Utah had not won a regular-season game in San Antonio since 1999, a losing streak that spanned 20 games. Paul Millsap added 20 points for the Jazz.
Williams mulls plea deal
TRENTON, N.J. — Jayson Williams is expected to accept an 18-month prison sentence today in the shooting death of limousine driver Costas “Gus” Christofi — nearly eight years after the incident on Feb. 14, 2002, at Williams’ former Hunterdon County estate.
But the former All-Star center for the Nets is not certain to approve the plea agreement when he appears in Somerset County Superior Court on Friday. Friends say Williams is in emotional turmoil after the death of his father, E.J., last week. In addition, his mother, Barbara, is seriously ill, and Williams is undergoing a bitter divorce with his wife, Tanya.
Williams’ manager, Akhtar Farzaie, said Thursday afternoon that despite media reports, Williams had not yet signed off on the plea deal.
“He’s not at the point yet of focusing on the exact stipulations of this deal,” Farzaie said. “And when I’ve spoken to him, it’s been as a friend, to talk about his father.”
If Williams doesn’t take the deal, he faces a reckless manslaughter retrial in January.
Groups sue to block Nets arena
NEW YORK — Opponents of the Brooklyn arena planned for the New Jersey Nets have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn a state agency’s approval of the project. The lawsuit seeks to block a Sept. 17 move by the Empire State Development Corp. to approve a delayed construction plan for the Atlantic Yards project.
Ginobili to miss a week
SAN ANTONIO — Manu Ginobili is expected to miss about a week for the San Antonio Spurs because of a strained left groin. Ginobili and Tony Parker were both inactive for Thursday night’s game against Utah. Parker re-aggravated a sprained left ankle in a loss Saturday.
Iverson clears waivers
NEW YORK — Allen Iverson has cleared waivers and is free to sign with any NBA team. The former MVP was waived Tuesday after playing only three games with the Memphis Grizzlies and no team claimed him in the following 48 hours, making him a free agent. The New York Knicks are discussing whether they want to bring in the 34-year-old guard.
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