SCOREBOARD
Monday, Dec. 17
Phoenix at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST). The Suns look to hand the Spurs their first home loss this season.
STARS
Sunday
-Kobe Bryant, Lakers, scored 32 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the Los Angeles Clippers 113-92.
-Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers, had 26 points and matched a career high with 11 assists in Portland’s 116-105 win over Denver.
-Tayshaun Prince, Pistons, scored 23 points to help Detroit rout Golden State 109-87.
BATTLE OF L.A.
The Los Angeles Lakers upended the Los Angeles Clippers 113-92 in their first meeting this season on Sunday to improve to 24-9 against their Staples Center co-tenants since the building opened in 1999. The teams split each of the previous three season series 2-2.
STREAKING
straight game without guard Ray Allen (sore right ankle). … Portland downed Denver 116-105 on Sunday to win its seventh straight overall and third straight on the road, where they had lost their first nine games of the season.
SNAPPED
Portland topped Denver 116-105 on Sunday, snapping the Nuggets’ nine-game home winning streak in the series. Denver had won 15 of the past 17 meetings with the Blazers at home going back to the 1999-2000 season. … Toronto was beaten by Boston 90-77 to lose for the first time in five games. The Raptors’ 77 points were a season-low. Toronto’s previous low was 84, set in a Dec. 7 loss at Boston.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Allen Iverson had 38 points in Denver’s 116-105 loss to Portland on Sunday. The Nuggets have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak. … Corey Maggette scored 27 points and Chris Kaman had 18 points and 16 rebounds to record his ninth straight double-double and 19th overall this season but the Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 113-92.
SPEAKING
“All we’ve been hearing is about his great hops, and then he doesn’t take the dunk. We’ve still got no evidence that he can dunk. When I was a rookie, I would have dunked that ball, but I’m old now.” – Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, on teammate Arron Afflalo’s decision to pass up an easy dunk and dish to Jason Maxiell, who missed the dunk, in Detroit’s 109-87 win over Golden State on Sunday.