Nuggets snap Lakers’ streak behind Brewer

NBA: Corey Brewer matched his career high with 27 points and the Denver Nuggets overcame a 40-point effort by Kobe Bryant to beat the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 126-114 on Wednesday night for their seventh straight win at home.

Brewer hit four of his six 3-pointers in the final 12-plus minutes, helping the Nuggets hold off the Lakers, whose five-game winning streak was snapped.

Bryant, who hit 40 points for the 116th time in his career, has scored 30 or more points in 10 straight games.

• Aldridge powers Portland: LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points and 12 rebounds, and the host Portland Trail Blazers beat the Sacramento Kings 109-91.

The Kings are 1-12 on the road this season — the only win coming Dec. 8 against the Blazers.

• Curry’s hot start paces Warriors: Stephen Curry scored 23 points, David Lee added 18 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 94-83 in Salt Lake City.

Curry set the tone by scoring the Warriors’ first 11 points.

• Hawks beat Pistons in double OT: Josh Smith scored 31 points, Al Horford added 22 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the visiting Detroit Pistons 126-119 in double overtimet.

Atlanta has won two straight and eight of 12. Detroit has lost seven of nine.

• Spurs snap Raptors’ winning streak: Tim Duncan scored 15 points and the host San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 100-80 victory over Toronto on Wednesday night, snapping the Raptors’ five-game winning streak.

Manu Ginobili added 14 points, Tony Parker 13, and Tiago Splitter and Stephen Jackson each had 10 for San Antonio (22-8), which has won three straight.

• J.R. Smith hits game-winner: J.R. Smith sank a baseline 21-footer at the buzzer after a Phoenix turnover with a second to play, giving depleted New York Knicks a 99-97 victory over the host Suns.

New York was without the NBA’s No. 2 scorer Carmelo Anthony (hyperextended knee) and Raymond Felton (finger), both hurt in the Christmas day loss to the Lakers.

• Harden sparks Rockets rally: James Harden scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, and the Houston Rockets rallied to win their fifth straight, 87-84 over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis, Minn.

Harden’s drive to the basket gave Houston (16-12) an 85-84 lead with 39 seconds left. He drove again to make it a three-point lead with 11.7 seconds to go and scored 15 of the Rockets’ final 17 points.

• Miami keeps Charlotte reeling: LeBron James had 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists as the Miami Heat handed the host Charlotte Bobcats their 16th straight defeat, 105-92.

Dwyane Wade scored 29 points and had nine rebounds as Miami extended its winning streak to six.

• Hornets end 11-game losing streak: Robin Lopez had a season-high 29 points and Greivis Vasquez scored 27 points as the visiting New Orleans Hornets snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 97-94 victory over the Orlando Magic.

• Bucks beat Nets again: Brandon Jennings scored 25 points, Monta Ellis added 20 points and a season-high six steals, and the host Milwaukee Bucks beat the short-handed Brooklyn Nets for the 13th straight time, 108-93.

• Wright leads 76ers: Dorell Wright scored 28 points and Spencer Hawes had 20, season-highs for both, and the Philadelphia 76ers snapped a six-game road losing streak with a 99-89 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

• Snowstorm postpones game: The NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls has been postponed by a snowstorm that hit the Indianapolis area. No date has been set for rescheduling the game.

Former Maryland football coach dies

College football: Joe Krivak, Maryland’s football coach from 1987-91, has died. He was 77.

Krivak was quarterbacks coach for Bobby Ross in the 1980s, working with Boomer Esiason, Frank Reich and Stan Gelbaugh. After Ross left for Georgia Tech after the 1986 season, Krivak was promoted to head coach.

Maryland went 20-34-2 under Krivak, who resigned after the 1991 season.

His best year was in 1990, when the Terrapins went 6-5-1 and tied Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.

Russia passes bill to fine scalpers

Winter Olympics: The upper house of Russia’s parliament has passed a bill calling for fines of up to $30,000 for anyone scalping tickets to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The bill, passed by the Federation Council, now needs to be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.

For low-level scalping by individuals, the fine would be five to 10 times the ticket’s face value, but penalties will be heavier for scalping done as a business.