Forward Kobe Bryant compiled 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a four-game losing skid with a 97-85 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center.
Guard Jordan Clarkson also had 17 points for Los Angeles (2-8) as Bryant made just 6-of-19 shots from the floor but was effective in involving his team mates.
Nick Young came off the bench to score 13 points for the Lakers, whose only other victory was over the Brooklyn Nets. Center Roy Hibbert chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.
Despite suffering a woeful start to the new season, the Lakers defeated the Pistons for the seventh consecutive time and the 10th time in the past 11 meetings.
Reserve guard Spencer Dinwiddie scored 17 points for the Pistons (5-5). Center Andre Drummond extended his streak of double-doubles to 10 in a row with 17 points and 17 rebounds, but he and the Pistons saw their losing streak reach four games.
Los Angeles was clinging to a 78-74 lead after a dunk by Drummond on an alley-oop pass from Reggie Jackson with 7:28 remaining but the Lakers scored seven consecutive points, starting with a three-pointer by Bryant with 3:44 left.
That sealed the outcome as Detroit got no closer than eight the rest of the way.
The Lakers led by as many as 11 in the first half before taking a 48-44 lead at the break. They held the Pistons to 39.6% shooting while making 43.2% of their shots.
The Lakers also had the edge in free throws, making 12-of-18 (66.7%) attempts to only two of three for the Pistons.
The teams entered the final period tied at 66-66.
Overall, Los Angeles converted 41.3% of its shots compared to only 36.5% for Detroit. Both teams struggled from behind the three-point stripe. The Lakers made just six of 19 (31.6%) to 25.9% (seven of 27) for the Pistons.
The Lakers prevailed despite committing 16 turnovers to 12 for the Pistons.
Smart leads Celtics past Thunder
Marcus Smart scored a career-high 26 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 100-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Smart, who also had to guard Oklahoma's Russell Westbrook, was still able to shoot 9-of-14 from the field and haul in eight rebounds. Guard Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points and handed out eight assists.
Westbrook had a game-high 27 points.
Kiwi centre Steven Adams scored six points, while grabbing seven rebounds in 30 minutes of game time.
Knicks beat Pelicans
The New York Knicks, aided by strong play from their bench, won at home for the second time this season, with a 95-87 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Knicks are now 2-4 at Madison Square Garden.
New York were led by forward Carmelo Anthony's 29 points and 13 rebounds, but it was their reserves who made the difference.
Backup point guard Langston Galloway scored 15 points and power forward Kevin Seraphin added 12 points.
Forward Anthony Davis showed no ill effects from a hip contusion that kept him out for two games as he scored 36 points, pulled in 11 rebounds and blocked four shots.
Green, Conley stand out in Grizzlies win
Forward Jeff Green led the Memphis Grizzlies with 21 points in a 114-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Mike Conley added 20 for Memphis, who had six players in double figures.
Guard Zach LaVine scored 25 points while Andrew Wiggins finished with 21 but the Timberwolves could not match the Memphis shooters, falling to 0-5 at home with their fourth consecutive loss.
Hornets win with big first half
Guard Nicolas Batum and center Al Jefferson combined for 62 points as the Charlotte Hornets built a big lead and held on for a 106-94 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Charlotte used a dominating performance from Jefferson (29 points, five rebounds) and Batum (33 points) to seize a lead in the second quarter they would not relinquish.
The Hornets had built a 71-45 advantage by halftime and led by as many as 29 points, before Portland used a 16-0 run in the fourth quarter to close the gap.
Jazz sneak past Hawks
Forward Derrick Favors scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz to a 97-96 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Favors, who grew up in Atlanta and played one season at Georgia Tech before turning professional, gave the Jazz a five-point lead at 93-88, a margin from which the Hawks could not recover.
He scored 17 points in the second half.
Cousins scores 36 in win
DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 36 points, and guard Ben McLemore's acrobatic layup with under a minute left lifted the Sacramento Kings to a 107-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Cousins produced his third consecutive game of at least 30 points, while Sacramento held Toronto to 12 points over the final 10:23 to win for the third successive game.
Kings forward Rudy Gay added 27 points and forward Omri Casspi contributed 14.
