Lakers win 10th straight game

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Jordan Farmar scored a career-high 24 points, Kobe Bryant added 21 and the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to a season-best 10 games Thursday night with a 106-88 victory over the Miami Heat.

The Lakers (41-17) maintained their one-game lead over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs for best record in the Western Conference, and lead Phoenix and New Orleans by two. Just 6 1/2 games separate the top nine teams in the West.

The double-digit winning streak is the 23rd in Lakers’ franchise history and 19th in Los Angeles—including an NBA-record 33-game run during the 1971-72 championship season, when Miami coach Pat Riley was playing for them.

The Heat, which ended an 11-game skid with a 107-86 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday at Miami, absorbed their 27th loss in 29 games. They are a league-worst 10-45, just two seasons after winning their first NBA title.

Dwyane Wade had 18 points for Miami after playing 13 scoreless minutes during a foul-plagued first half.

Bryant blocked an attempted layup by Shawn Marion in the final seconds of the third quarter, then turned toward the first-row seats across from the Lakers bench and wagged his index finger like Dikembe Mutombo.

Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf blocked two layups by Dorell Wright 2 minutes apart early in the fourth, but was called for fouls both times. He got up again and swatted away an attempted layup by Marcus Banks, triggering a fast-break that resulted in a 3-pointer by Farmar that gave the Lakers an 81-64 lead with 9:06 to play.

Miami got as close as 95-86 with 2:39 remaining on a four-point play by Wade, who was fouled by Bryant on a shot behind the arc and converted the free throw. But Lamar Odom helped seal it for the Lakers with a 21-footer and a 3-pointer in the final 1:25.

Bryant needs 37 points to pass Walt Bellamy (20,941) for 25th place on the career scoring list.

The Lakers, one win away from matching last season’s total, are 11-1 since obtaining Gasol from Memphis. Miami is 1-8 since trading Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix.