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Lakers stumble past Wizards

Straining to work out the kinks in an offense coach Mike D'Antoni compared to dancing with two left feet, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers even struggled to put away the Washington Wizards.

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard is fouled by Washington Wizards forward Kevin Seraphin, top, from France, and guard Bradley Beal, right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard is fouled by Washington Wizards forward Kevin Seraphin, top, from France, and guard Bradley Beal, right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)Read more
    Inquirer
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Straining to work out the kinks in an offense coach Mike D'Antoni compared to dancing with two left feet, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers even struggled to put away the Washington Wizards.

A night after joking about wanting to face the Washington Generals, the Harlem Globetrotters' longtime foils, Bryant scored 30 points, and ex-Sixer Jodie Meeks added 24, helping the Lakers beat the Wizards, 102-96, on Friday to end a four-game losing streak.

Slowed by foul trouble, Dwight Howard finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and the Lakers improved to 10-14.

Cartier Martin scored a season-high 21 points for Washington, which fell to an NBA-worst 3-17.

But the Wizards led by as many nine points in the first half and, after trailing by as many 16 in the second, closed to 92-89 with 51/2 minutes left.

The Lakers visit the Sixers on Sunday.

Elsewhere: Joe Johnson made a jumper from just inside the arc as time expired in the second overtime, giving the Brooklyn Nets a 107-105 victory over the Detroit Pistons in New York. Johnson finished with 28 points for the Nets, scoring their final five in the second OT. Deron Williams scored 17 for the Nets, who blew a 17-point lead, missed their first six shots in the second OT, and still managed to win their second straight.

Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Serge Ibaka added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings, 113-103, in Oklahoma City for their 10th straight win. It's the franchise's longest winning streak since 1996, when it won 11 in a row as the Seattle SuperSonics. . . . James Harden scored 21 points and to help the Rockets to a 101-89 win over the Boston Celtics in Houston. . . . Nikola Pekovic scored a season-high 31 points, and the Minnesota Timberwolves won their third straight game, 113-102, over the Hornets in New Orleans.

In Cleveland, Monta Ellis scored a season-high 33 points, and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Cavaliers, 90-86. . . . J.J. Redick had 16 points to help the Magic hold off the Golden State Warriors, 99-85, in Orlando, Fla. . . . In Toronto, Linas Kleiza scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Raptors beat the Mavericks, 95-74.

- Associated Press

    Inquirer