Lakers hold off Nets, win D’Antoni’s debut

LOS ANGELES: Kobe Bryant scored six of his 25 points in the final two minutes, and the Los Angeles Lakers hung on for a 95-90 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night in coach Mike D’Antoni’s sideline debut.
Dwight Howard had 23 points and 15 rebounds despite a horrific 7-for-19 performance at the free-throw line for the Lakers, who have won five of six and moved above .500 since firing Mike Brown.
Although D’Antoni is still unsteady on his surgically replaced knee, he coached Los Angeles to a narrow victory that snapped Brooklyn’s five-game winning streak.
Brook Lopez scored 23 points and Deron Williams had 22 for the Nets, who missed five of their last six shots in their ninth consecutive loss to the Lakers.
Knicks 102 Hornets 80: In New Orleans, Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points and the Knicks extended the undermanned New Orleans Hornets’ losing streak to four games.
Raymond Felton and J.R. Smith each added 15 points. Felton scored all of his points on five 3-pointers as New York hit 14 3s as a team. Tyson Chandler grabbed 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who’ve won two straight since their first loss of the season and are 8-1 for only the third time in franchise history.
Ryan Anderson, starting in place of Anthony Davis, led the Hornets with 15 points. Davis was ruled out shortly before tip-off because tenderness in his left ankle.
76ers 106 Raptors 98: In Philadelphia, Jason Richardson scored six of his 21 points late in the fourth quarter, Nick Young had 23 off the bench and the 76ers rallied to beat Toronto.
Jrue Holiday had 19 points and 12 assists and Thad Young scored 18 to help the Sixers win their third straight game.
DeMar DeRozan had 24 and Andrea Bargnani scored 22 for the Raptors, who are off to a 3-8 start.
Down 87-80 early in the fourth, the Sixers came back to win their first game in which they trailed after three quarters.
Meantime, in Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki says he is still about two weeks away from getting back on the court to start running and shooting. He’s not sure how long after that it will be before he makes his NBA season debut for the Dallas Mavericks.
The perennial All-Star forward is recovering from knee surgery. He says the goal is for the swelling to be gone 100 percent and his strength to be 100 percent before playing. He said on Tuesday it’s getting better but he still feels “far away from” 100 percent.
Nowitzki this week has increased the intensity of off-court workouts to build his strength and conditioning.
He had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Oct. 19, the first surgery for the 7-foot (2.14-meter) German who is in his 15th NBA season.
In Oakland, California, Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut is scheduled to miss at least the next three NBA games as he continues to strengthen his surgically repaired left ankle.
The team said on Tuesday that Bogut spent several days last week in Los Angeles to get treatment under the supervision of Dr. Richard Ferkel, who performed the surgery on the 7-foot (2.14-meter) Australian on April 27.
The Warriors, who host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, anticipate Bogut being able to run on a special anti-gravity treadmill this week and return to practice next Monday.
Bogut has missed the last six games. The 2005 No. 1 overall pick broke his ankle on Jan. 25 with Milwaukee and missed the rest of the season after being traded to Golden State for guard Monta Ellis.