By Mike Fitzpatrick
The Associated Press

Nobody can stop Kobe Bryant these days - certainly not the Denver Nuggets. Bryant scored an NBA season-high 51 points in less than three quarters as the visiting Los Angeles Lakers beat Denver 113-102 on Wednesday night to extend their winning streak to seven games.

The All-Star guard has at least 35 points in seven straight games, including 42 in an easy home victory over the woeful Nuggets on Tuesday night.

"I've been in this league a long time and he's playing better than anybody I've ever seen," Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik said.

Bryant was 15-for-28 from the field and 18-of-20 on free throws in the NBA's first 50-point game this season. It was the 11th time he scored 40 or more points this season and his third career game with at least 50.

Bryant finished five points short of his career high, set last season against Memphis, despite sitting out the final 13 minutes.

"I'm playing in such a good rhythm right now," Bryant said. "I don't know where it comes from."

In other games, it was Washington 108, the Los Angeles Clippers 104; Toronto 97, Atlanta 96; Minnesota 102, Cleveland 91; Philadelphia 119, Chicago 111 in overtime; Golden State 113, New York 107; Milwaukee 120, Dallas 114; Indiana 83, New Orleans 72; Houston 106, Utah 76; and Memphis 97, New Jersey 90.

The Nuggets, who own the worst record in the Western Conference, started with rookie Vincent Yarbrough guarding Bryant and tried three others. None of them stood a chance.

Bryant outscored the Nuggets 20-15 in the first quarter and had 36 points by halftime.

"When you have a great player like that you just have to ride him," said Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal, who added 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Bryant had a few words for Denver's bench after a near-impossible fadeaway along the baseline in the second half.

He also had the crowd cheering with a hard dunk, and eclipsed the 50-point mark with a pair of free throws with 3:18 left in the third. He never got a chance at his career high, leaving the game with 1:08 remaining in the period.

"I told him the hook was out the way he was shooting the ball every time - that at the end of the third quarter he better get it before the quarter was over or else he was coming out," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

Wizards 108, Clippers 104

At Los Angeles, Michael Jordan had 23 points and 12 assists for Washington before fouling out for the first time since the 1991-92 season.

Tyronn Lue added a season-high 21 points and Christian Laettner had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Wizards, who snapped a five-game road losing streak and beat the Clippers for the eighth time in nine meetings in Los Angeles.

Raptors 97, Hawks 96

At Toronto, Vince Carter scored 13 of his 21 points in the final five minutes to help the Raptors win their fourth straight.

Antonio Davis added 22 points and nine rebounds for Toronto, which has won five of six since Carter returned to the lineup after missing 23 games with a strained right knee.

Timberwolves 102, Cavaliers 91

At Cleveland, All-Star MVP Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 17 rebounds for his 41st double-double this season to lead surging Minnesota past the struggling Cavaliers.

The Timberwolves won their fourth straight and 10th in 12 games. Cleveland lost for the 12th time in 14 games and fell to 2-8 under interim coach Keith Smart.

76ers 119, Bulls 111, OT

At Philadelphia, Allen Iverson scored four of his 36 points in overtime and the 76ers withstood a scare from the NBA's worst road team.

The Sixers had an 11-point lead with 3:45 left in the fourth quarter, but Jalen Rose's leaning 18-footer with 7.6 seconds left in regulation tied it at 109.

Rose finished with season highs of 38 points and 13 assists. Tyson Chandler had 21 points, 17 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks for the Bulls, who lost their seventh straight and fell to 2-26 away from home.

Warriors 113, Knicks 107

At New York, Troy Murphy hit an 18-foot jumper with 1:11 left to stop a late Knicks rally as Golden State won on the road for the second straight night.

Murphy had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Gilbert Arenas added 25 points for the Warriors, who shot a season-high 58.9 percent.

Allan Houston scored 32 points to lead the Knicks, who played the final 5:12 without Latrell Sprewell. The subject of rampant trade speculation, Sprewell shot just 5-for-18 in what might have been his final game with the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Bucks 120, Mavericks 114

At Milwaukee, Ray Allen scored 28 points and Tim Thomas had a season-high 27 as the Bucks sent Dallas to its third consecutive loss.

Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Steve Nash scored 26 points and Michael Finley 25 for the Mavericks.

Rockets 106, Jazz 76

At Salt Lake City, Steve Francis scored 36 points and Yao Ming had 11 of his 15 in the second half as Houston snapped a three-game skid and avenged an overtime loss to Utah 24 hours earlier.

Karl Malone, who broke his nose late in Tuesday night's game, finished with 13 points and sat out the fourth quarter. The Rockets had lost 11 straight at the Delta Center.

Pacers 83, Hornets 72

At New Orleans, Brad Miller scored 18 points and Reggie Miller added 17 as Indiana ended the Hornets' three-game winning streak.

Jamaal Magloire grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for New Orleans.

Grizzlies 97, Nets 90

At Memphis, Tenn., third-string point guard Earl Watson - forced into a starting role because of injuries and illness - had a career-high 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals to help the Grizzlies snap a seven-game skid.

Jason Kidd scored 28 points for New Jersey, which dropped its second road game in as many nights.