Kobe Bryant broke the Madison Square Garden record with 61 points as the Los Angeles Lakers looked potent without Andrew Bynum in a 126-117 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday. Bryant passed Michael Jordan's opponent record of 55 points at the present building, known as “Garden IV,” when he hit three free throws with 3:56 remaining, then bettered Bernard King's mark of 60, set on Christmas Day 1984, with two more foul shots with 2:33 to play. Pau Gasol added 31 points and 14 rebounds in the Lakers' first game since losing Bynum, their starting center, for eight to 12 weeks with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Al Harrington scored 24 points, David Lee had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and reserve Wilson Chandler added 20 points for the Knicks, who had won three straight and six of seven. Trail Blazers 97, Hornets 89: At New Orleans, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points, as Portland overcame a 17-point deficit – after New Orleans guard Chris Paul was injured – for its fifth straight victory. Paul left the game late in the third quarter with a strained right groin, the first action he has missed all season. He had 12 points and 13 assists. The Hornets led 72-55 when Paul left the game. Portland then outscored New Orleans 26-7 during the next seven minutes, with Jerryd Bayless scoring 13 of his 19 points during the decisive surge. David West scored 25 points for the Hornets and Peja Stojakovic 18, but after Paul left the game, the Hornets were 5-of-21 from the field (24 percent) with only two assists and five turnovers. Mavericks 105, Magic 95: At Orlando, Florida, Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and six rebounds and Jason Terry had 23 points as Dallas beat Orlando for its third straight win. Josh Howard and Jason Kidd added 13 apiece for the Mavericks, who held Orlando to 3-for-20 shooting from 3-point range. Dwight Howard had 35 points and 11 rebounds, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 18 as the Magic ended their three-game winning streak. But that wasn't the worst news of the night for Orlando. Grizzlies 113, Wizards 97: At Washington, rookie O.J. Mayo matched his career high with 33 points to lead Memphis past Washington for its first win in nearly a month. Rudy Gay scored 23 and Marc Gasol added 22 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, which ended a 12-game losing streak – the team's longest since dropping 13 in a row to start the 2002-03 season. The Grizzlies had not won since beating Dallas 102-82 Jan. 4. Antawn Jamison had 29 points and 13 rebounds and Caron Butler scored 21 for Washington, which failed to record its second two-game winning streak of the season. Heat 119, Clippers 95: At Miami, Dwyane Wade had 32 points and nine assists, and Michael Beasley added 18 points as Miami beat the Los Angeles Clippers to snap a two-game losing skid. Mario Chalmers scored 15 points, Udonis Haslem added 13 and Shawn Marion – in his first game back after missing five straight with a strained left groin – finished with 11 points and seven rebounds for the Heat, who improved to 15-3 when scoring more than 100 points this season. Zach Randolph, back after missing 19 games with a sore left knee, scored 21 points for the Clippers, who've lost six straight and 20 of 22. Marcus Camby and Eric Gordon each added 12 for the Clippers, who had beaten Miami by a single point in each of their last two meetings. Suns 129, Kings 81; Jazz 105, Bobcats 86; Spurs 110, Warriors 105, OT.
