SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers have put their three-game hiccup behind them and are closing in on their playoff form.
Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, Pau Gasol added 28 points and 11 rebounds, and the Lakers completed a sweep of their Northern California swing with a 106-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.
“We’re playing with more of a sense of urgency,” Bryant said. “Guys understand that we can be beaten. Once you understand that, you understand that that day can come. Guys have to remained focused.”
After committing 24 turnovers and barely holding on for a 124-121 victory at Golden State on Monday night, the Lakers were much sharper on the back end of their trip. They committed just two turnovers in the first half and 10 for the game, overpowering the Kings inside to win their fourth straight following a season-high, three-game losing streak.
Andrew Bynum added 21 points and 12 rebounds to help the Lakers remain four games ahead of Denver for the best record in the Western Conference.
“I think we’re tightening it up and playing better defensively,” Gasol said. “We know there are only 14 games left in the regular season. It’s a good time to step it up and play at our highest level.”
After needing two overtimes to win the first meeting between the teams in December and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Bryant to complete a comeback from 20 points down to win on New Year’s Day, the Lakers had a relatively easy time in the third of four meetings this season.
The Lakers opened a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter on consecutive 3-pointers by Bryant and Lamar Odom. Los Angeles maintained control the rest of the third and took a 77-68 lead into the final quarter.
Cavs 113, Pistons 101
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — LeBron James had 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in his fourth triple-double of the season, lifting Cleveland over Detroit. Cleveland has won four in a row and lost only one of its last 11 games, improving to an NBA-best 53-15.
Spurs 88, Heat 76
MIAMI — Manu Ginobili scored 22 points, George Hill had 16 and surging San Antonio wasted most of a 25-point, third-quarter lead before beating Miami. Richard Jefferson added 15 points and Tim Duncan had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who’ve won eight of their last nine and ensured they would end the night no worse than No. 7 in the Western Conference standings. Dwyane Wade scored 28 points for Miami, which lost for the first time in its past seven home games.
Suns 152, Timberwolves 114
PHOENIX — Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Amare Stoudemire 25, then sat with the rest of the Phoenix starters while the Suns’ reserves finished off the highest-scoring game by an NBA team this season. Phoenix sent the Timberwolves to their 10th straight loss and 16th in the past 17 games.
Pacers 99, Bobcats 94
INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger scored 26 points to help Indiana deny Charlotte what would have been a franchise-record seventh consecutive victory. Indiana had lost 14 of its previous 17 games.
Hawks 108, Nets 84
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jamal Crawford hit a 30-footer at the buzzer to cap his game-breaking, 15-point second quarter and Atlanta ran away from woeful New Jersey. The Nets lost for the 60th time in 67 games and needs to win three times in their last 15 games to avoid tying or breaking the NBA mark for fewest wins (9) in a season, set by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers.
Grizzlies 104, Bulls 97
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — O.J. Mayo scored 24 points, going 4-for-5 from 3-point range, and Memphis sent undermanned Chicago to its eighth straight loss. Mike Conley finished with 19 points and 10 assists, while Zach Randolph added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Nuggets 97, Wizards 87
DENVER — J.R. Smith scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, helping Denver pull away to beat Washington. The game marked the return of Nuggets coach George Karl, who was back on the bench after missing four games over the past week for cancer treatments.
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