Lakers 93, 76ers 84
LOS ANGELES -- Guard Lou Williams scored 24 points, guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to a 93-84 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night at Staples Center.
Guard Jordan Clarkson added 19 points for the Lakers (7-27), who won their second straight game for the first time since February of last season. Lakers forward Julius Randle came off the bench to score 15 points and grab nine rebounds.
Center Nerlens Noel had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers (3-32). Forward Jahlil Okafor and point guard T.J. McConnell each scored 12 points for Philadelphia.
Lakers forward Kobe Bryant sat out the contest with a sore shoulder. The Lakers won for the first time in the five games Bryant hasn't missed this season.
Neither club led by more than six points through three quarters before the Lakers seized control in the final one. Los Angeles held a 62-60 advantage to end the third before pushing the lead to double digits in the fourth. Two free throws by Williams less than two minutes into the fourth put the Lakers up 70-62 before Philadelphia rallied. The 76ers cut the deficit to 73-70 after a dunk by guard Nik Stauskas with 8:10 remaining in the contest.
However, the Lakers answered with a 15-2 surge, capped by a 3-pointer and a jumper by Williams with 4:32 remaining for an 88-72 cushion. The 76ers never recovered.
It was a far different story than Dec. 1, when the 76ers ended a record 28-game losing streak with a 103-91 decision over the Lakers in Philadelphia.
The 76ers took a 41-40 lead at the break. Both clubs struggled offensively, with Philadelphia making only 35.7 percent of its shots compared to just 31.1 percent for Los Angeles. The 76ers led despite committing 10 turnovers to only four for the Lakers. However, the Lakers managed just four points of the 76ers' miscues.
Overall, the Lakers outshot the 76ers 37.9 percent to 36.9.
The game marked the second meeting between the second and third picks of the 2015 draft, Lakers' backup point guard D'Angelo Russell and Okafor. Russell finished with six points and five assists in 26 minutes.
Rookie Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. had career-high 14 rebounds with eight points.
NOTES: Lakers coach Byron Scott doesn't know if the condition of F Kobe Bryant's sore right shoulder might be more serious. The 37-year-old Bryant had surgery on the shoulder to repair a torn rotator cuff last January, which forced him to miss the final 35 games. "I think we'll just take it game-by-game," Scott said. ... 76ers G/F Hollis Thompson sat out the contest with a right eye corneal abrasion. ... Former Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni, who the 76ers hired as an associate head coach earlier this month, faced his ex-club for the first time. ... The 76ers cap their six-game swing against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday at Staples Center, while the Lakers host the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.