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Bryant goes for 46

Lakers forward Kobe Bryant throws down one of his six dunks Friday night. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
Lakers forward Kobe Bryant throws down one of his six dunks Friday night. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Kobe Bryant gave the Los Angeles Lakers the perfect finish to a promising day.

Bryant scored 46 points to help the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 121-101 Friday night at Toronto, hours after acquiring Pau Gasol in a trade with Memphis.

There was little Bryant couldn’t do against the Raptors, leaving the crowd gasping with six dunks, including one over Toronto’s Carlos Delfino in the second quarter, and a one-handed jam in the fourth.

Sasha Vujacic added 22 points and Jordan Farmar had 13 for the Lakers, who came in having lost four of five, including a 90-89 defeat in Detroit on Thursday night.

Andrea Bargnani had a career-high 28 to lead Toronto in scoring for the second straight game.

Rockets 106, Pacers 103: At Indianapolis, rookie Carl Landry scored 13 of his career-high 22 points in the fourth quarter and Houston beat Indiana for its sixth straight road victory.

Tracy McGrady had 19 points for the Rockets.

Nets 94, Heat 85: At Miami, Richard Jefferson scored 25 points, Josh Boone added 15 and New Jersey snapped a seven-game road losing streak by beating the Heat.

Vince Carter had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Jason Kidd finished with 11 points and 12 assists for the Nets, who have won two straight.

Timberwolves 104, Clippers 83: At Minneapolis, Al Jefferson scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in three quarters, Craig Smith added 21 points, and Minnesota beat short-handed Los Angeles.

The Timberwolves won for the fifth time in seven games.

Blazers 94, Knicks 88 (OT): At Portland, Brandon Roy had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists a night after being picked for his first All-Star game, and the Trail Blazers beat New York in overtime.

Warriors 127, Bobcats 96: At Oakland, Calif., Monta Ellis scored 21 points, Stephen Jackson had 19 and the Warriors made Jason Richardson miserable in his return to Golden State with a victory over Charlotte.

Richardson had 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting.

Magic 108, 76ers 106: At Philadelphia, Hedo Turkoglu hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining and finished with 23 points, and Orlando beat the 76ers.

Rashard Lewis added 18 points for the Magic.

Jazz 96, Wizards 87: At Washington, Mehmet Okur scored 27 points, 19 in the second half, and had 11 rebounds as Utah won its seventh straight game by defeating the Wizards.

Utah started slowly but pulled away in the fourth quarter to pick up its 11th win in the last 12 games.

Kings 112, Hornets 103: At Sacramento, Calif., Ron Artest scored 24 points, Kevin Martin added 22 and the Kings handed New Orleans back-to-back losses for the first time in seven weeks, beating the Western Conference’s top team.

Around the league

Hours after Miami Heat coach Pat Riley said he still believes Shaquille O’Neal deserves an All-Star game role, O’Neal offered a differing opinion. “As the general of this squad, I wouldn’t deserve to be an All-Star,” O’Neal said. “And if they gave me the spot, I wouldn’t take it, because I don’t want to be given anything.” So with that, O’Neal’s record-tying streak of 14 consecutive All-Star selections ends. … A federal appeals court gave a green light to a $4 billion, Frank Gehry-designed project that would bring a new arena for the NBA’s New Jersey Nets to Brooklyn.