Kobe Bryant scored 28 points and helped the Los Angeles Lakers build a big lead in a 93-81 victory over the Detroit Pistons Sunday night. The Lakers took the lead with an 11-0 run midway through the first quarter, started the second ahead by 12, had an 18-point lead at halftime and a 21-point cushion after three quarters. Los Angeles closed a trip with a four-game winning streak and an NBA-best 22-win, 4-loss record. Rodney Stuckey scored 16 points, Swedish rookie Jonas Jerebko had 15 and rookie reserve Austin Daye added 10 points for the Pistons. Three of Detroit's best players were out of action: Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon and Tayshaun Prince. The Lakers, though, didn't have much sympathy because travel woes led to them getting to their Detroit-area hotel at 4 A.M. Sunday after beating the New Jersey Nets Saturday night. Celtics 122, Timberwolves 104: At Boston, Paul Pierce scored 29 points and hit all six of his 3-point attempts as Boston finished with a season high in points. Kendrick Perkins had 14 points to go with 11 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 13 points and 15 assists as the Celtics beat the Timberwolves for the sixth consecutive time since acquiring Kevin Garnett in an unprecedented 7-for-1 deal during the summer of 2007. Jonny Flynn scored 21 points for Minnesota. Mavericks 102, Cavaliers 95: At Dallas, Tim Thomas took injured Dirk Nowitzki's spot in the starting lineup and scored 22 points, helping the Mavericks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to spoil LeBron James' 500th career game. The Cavs had won five straight and their previous four against the Mavericks, but they trailed the entire second half. James had 25 points, six assists and three rebounds, but didn't get enough help. Mo Williams scored only eight points and Shaquille O'Neal was just 1 of 7 for five points. Knicks 98, Bobcats 94: At New York, Wilson Chandler scored 26 points, Danilo Gallinari added 21 and a huge blocked shot in the closing seconds as the hosts held on for a close win over the Charlotte Bobcats. David Lee finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who won for the sixth time in eight games. Grizzlies 102, Nuggets 96: At Memphis, Zach Randolph had 32 points and a career-high 24 boards, the highest rebound total in the league this season. Rudy Gay added 19 points for Memphis, which ended an eight-game losing streak to Denver. Marc Gasol had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley scored 11 apiece. Carmelo Anthony finished with 41 points for Denver. Trail Blazers 102, Heat 95: At Miami, Brandon Roy scored 11 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 for Portland, which trailed by six with 5½ minutes remaining. Dwyane Wade scored 28 points and had 10 assists for the Heat, but he was 13 of 31 from the field and didn't have a rebound for only the fourth time in his career. Quentin Richardson shot 7-for-7 from 3-point range, tying a Heat record, and added 22 points for Miami. Raptors 98, Hornets 92: At Toronto, Chris Bosh had 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors. Jarrett Jack had 15 points and Hedo Turkoglu scored 14 for the Raptors, who held the Hornets to 39 percent shooting. David West had 21 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, which lost for the 11th time in 13 road games. Chris Paul, who had 30 points and a season-high 19 assists in Friday's 98-92 victory over Denver, finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
