Lakers 98, Rockets 92
Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and Los Angeles ended the game on a 12-1 run to stun host Houston.
Jordan Hill had 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers won back-to-back games for the first time this season. Nick Young added 16 points off the bench and Carlos Boozer collected 12 points and 13 rebounds for Los Angeles.
James Harden scored 24 points and rookie Kostas Papanikolaou added a season-high 19 points off the bench for the Rockets, who were missing center Dwight Howard due to a right knee strain. Patrick Beverley scored 15 points and Trevor Ariza had 13 for Houston.
The Lakers used an 8-0 to take their first lead of the second half on Young’s circus shot with 6:18 remaining before Harden led an 8-2 run that put the Rockets back in front. Wesley Johnson hit two free throws and stole the ball from Harden before completing the three-point play to put Los Angeles on top 94-92 with 43 seconds left, and Young and Bryant closed it at the line.
Houston led 75-65 before the Lakers bridged the third and fourth quarters with a 9-0 run to cut it to 75-74 on Ed Davis’ put-back with 10:30 left. Beverley and Jason Terry each knocked down a 3-pointer over the next two minutes to extend the lead before the Rockets went over three minutes without a field goal.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Two of Houston’s three losses have come with Howard out of the lineup. … Ariza recorded multiple steals for the ninth time in 12 games with two. … Bryant, who shot better than 50 percent for the first time this season in Wednesday’s win at Atlanta, slipped back to 10-of-28 from the field.