LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 38 points Tuesday to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 119-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves that halted the Lakers’ 10-game losing streak.
With the victory, the Lakers avoided the humiliation of setting a franchise record for consecutive defeats.
Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers who will retire after this season, scored 14 of the Lakers’ last 18 points. That included six free throws in the final 17 seconds to seal the victory as joyous fans chanted his name.
“We needed to get a win desperately tonight,” Bryant said of the struggling side that had lost their 10th on the trot Sunday to equal the 1993-94 Lakers, who lost their final 10 games of the season under interim coach Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Bryant hit 10 of 21 shots from the floor, including seven of 11 from three-point range. Guard Lou Williams scored 20 points, guard D’Angelo Russell added 18 and guard Jordan Clarkson finished with 16 for the Lakers. Forward Julius Randle had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Guard Andrew Wiggins had 30 points for the Timberwolves before fouling out with 7.5 seconds left in the contest.
It looked like another tough night for the 10-41 Lakers when Minnesota leapt to a quick eight-point lead.
But the hosts rallied to lead by as many as 16 before the Timberwolves battled back — just as they had on opening night when the Lakers gave up a double-digit lead to Minnesota to open the season with a defeat.
The Lakers took a 92-81 lead into the fourth quarter, but a three-pointer and a layup by Minnesota’s Zach LaVine capped a 21-9 Timberwolves scoring run that put the visitors up 102-101 with 5:15 left to play.
Less than a minute later, back-to-back three-pointers from Bryant had the Lakers back in front and he drained a jump shot with 26.4 seconds left to make it 113-110.
Rockets 115, Heat 102: James Harden recorded a double-double and steered the makeshift Houston Rockets to a 115-102 win over the Miami Heat Tuesday night at Toyota Center.
Harden finished with game highs in points (26) and assists (14) while carrying the Rockets (26-25) to victory. Houston snapped a three-game skid despite the absence of centers Dwight Howard (suspension) and Clint Capela (thigh).
Raptors 104, Suns 97: Toronto guard Kyle Lowry scored 26 points and DeMar DeRozan had 22 as the Raptors spoiled Phoenix interim coach Earl Watson’s debut in a 104-97 victory over the Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Reserve guard Terrence Ross had 16 points and 7-foot center Jonas Valanciunas had 14 for the Raptors (33-16), who have won 12 of their last 13.
Celtics 97, Knicks 89: Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points and distributed eight assists, but it was the contribution of Boston’s bench that was the difference in the Celtics’ 97-89 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Reserve center Tyler Zeller posted a season-high 16 points and 10 rebounds, backup shooting guard Evan Turner contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds and center Kelly Olynyk added 13 points. The Boston (28-22) bench outscored New York’s reserves 47-27.
Trail Blazers 107, Bucks 95: CJ McCollum scored 30 points and Damian Lillard added 14 and 12 assists as the Portland Trail Blazers stayed hot with a 107-95 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Moda Center.
