LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, carrying the Lakers in the fourth quarter when they lost the lead three times, and Los Angeles beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 95-92 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in its playoff series.
The Lakers’ Pau Gasol had 25 points and 12 rebounds for the defending champs, who failed to sustain their strong start for the second straight game.
Celtics 106, Heat 77
BOSTON — With Kevin Garnett serving a one-game suspension for elbowing Quentin Richardson in Game 1, Glenn Davis started and had 23 points and eight rebounds, going aggressively to the basket to grab missed shots and draw fouls.
Suns 119, Trail Blazers 90
PHOENIX — Phoenix, lulled into the Blazers’ slowdown game in the series opener, shot 52 percent to Portland’s 38 percent. The Suns led by 14 at the half and blew it open in the third quarter, and none of their starters played in the fourth quarter.
Hawks 96, Bucks 86
ATLANTA — Joe Johnson took control in the fourth quarter to finish off a 27-point effort, Josh Smith finished one assist shy of a triple-double and Atlanta will head to Milwaukee on Saturday night with a commanding 2-0 lead, the first time the Hawks have won the first two games in a best-of- seven series since 1970.
The Associated Press
