Kobe Bryant brings home the Lakers, Raptors hold off Portland

Cheered on by a road crowd, Kobe Bryant nailed three three-pointers in the final 6:07 to score a team-high 27 points and lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-96 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Thursday.

Bryant re-entered the game with the Lakers holding an 85-79 lead and immediately hit a three-pointer from the right wing and came back on the next possession with another long-range jumper from the left wing.

Each time his shot fell, the Pelicans' home crowd erupted in cheers.

Los Angeles (11-41), which had lost 14 of their previous 16 games, also got 18 points from Jordan Clarkson.

New Orleans (18-31) lost its third consecutive game despite a game-high 39 points and 11 rebounds by Anthony Davis.

Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined for 59 points as Toronto beat Portland.

Lowry scored 30 points with eight assists while DeRozan added 29 points for the Raptors (34-16), who won for the 13th time in their last 14 outings.

Jonas Valanciunas chipped in 14 points and 11 rebounds for Toronto, which won for only the second time in the last 13 trips to Portland and first since December 2006.

Damian Lillard collected 27 points and 11 assists while CJ McCollum had 21 points for the Trail Blazers (24-27), who lost for only the third time in 12 games. Allen Crabbe added 17 points off the Portland bench.

Corey Brewer had a season-high 24 points, including two three-pointers in the final two minutes, and Trevor Ariza had 20 points to lead Houston past Phoenix.

Brewer hit back-to-back threes from the left corner, the second on a third-chance possession with 1:10 remaining to give the Rockets (27-25) a 108-101 lead.

Archie Goodwin had 22 points for the Suns (14-37), who have lost six in a row, 12-of-13 and 21 of their last 23.

Reggie Jackson scored 21 points, including a pair of three-pointers to save Detroit's victory after it blew a 27-point lead.

Jackson also made three free throws in the closing seconds as the Pistons (27-24) out-scored New York 16-8 in the final 1:47.

Arron Afflalo scored 19 of his 24 points after halftime as the Knicks roared back from a 60-36 halftime deficit. Robin Lopez had 26 points and 16 rebounds to lead New York (23-29), which has lost seven of its last eight.