Bryant ignites Lakers
Kobe Bryant scored big at the start and finish Wednesday night. In between, he set up his teammates for easy baskets. It turned out to be a winning formula.
Bryant had 49 points and 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 122-107 in Los Angeles to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.
Games 3 and 4 will be in Denver on Saturday and Monday night.
Bryant, who was 18 for 27 from the field and finished one point off his career playoff high, scored 20 points in the first quarter to get the Lakers off to a fast start, and 19 over the last 7 minutes to keep them safely ahead. He left with 2:02 remaining to a loud ovation and chants of “MVP, MVP” from the capacity crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center.
Bryant was replaced by Coby Karl, the son of Denver coach George Karl. It was the first time in NBA playoff history that a father has coached against his son.
Pau Gasol added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Luke Walton scored 18 points for the Lakers. Lamar Odom, hampered by foul trouble throughout the second half, was held to four points, four rebounds and six assists.
Allen Iverson had 31 points and six assists to lead the Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony added 23 points, J.R. Smith scored a career playoff-high 21 and Marcus Camby had 17 rebounds for Denver. Kenyon Martin, who fouled out with 5:47 left, scored 10.
Pistons 105, 76ers 88: At Auburn Hills, Mich., Rasheed Wallace scored 11 of his 16 points in the first quarter and Detroit went on to beat Philadelphia in Game 2 to even the first-round series.
The Pistons had four scorers in double figures en route to a 17-point halftime lead. Andre Miller scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half for the Sixers.
In their 90-86 Game 1 loss, the Pistons blew a 15-point lead they built midway through the third quarter. Detroit refused to let the young Sixers rally again.
Game 3 is Friday in Philadelphia.
Each of the Pistons starters shot at least 50 percent through three quarters and four of them had 16 points, then all but Richard Hamilton rested in the fourth period.
Hamilton finished with 20 points, Tayshaun Prince and Antonio McDyess both added 16 and rookie Rodney Stuckey had 12 after being held scoreless in his playoff debut.
Celtics 96, Hawks 77: At Boston, Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo added 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds to lead the Celtics past Atlanta to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.
Paul Pierce returned from a first-quarter knockdown to score 14 points, and Kendrick Perkins added eight points and nine boards for the Celtics.
Josh Smith, who helped take Pierce down and appeared to land on him and roll over his head, had 13 points and eight rebounds for Atlanta.
Game 3 is Saturday in Atlanta.
Around the league
New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter had surgery to remove a bone spur from his right ankle. Dr. Martin O’Malley performed the surgery in New York, Nets president Rod Thorn said. He is expected to be ready for training camp. … Darell Garretson, the longtime NBA referee who also directed the league’s officiating staff, died Monday at his Mesa, Ariz., home. He was 76.