Bryant scores 28 as Lakers surge past Knicks

Kobe Bryant scored 28 points in yet another dynamic performance against the Knicks, and the Los Angeles Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter for their ninth straight victory over New York, 99-82 on Thursday night.

Pau Gasol had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Lakers, who have won two straight games after a 0-2 start to the compressed season.

Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points in his first showdown with Bryant since joining the Knicks, and Amare Stoudemire had 15 points on 4-for-17 shooting as New York again struggled down the stretch in the middle stop of a three-game West Coast road trip.

Steve Blake scored 11 points and hit two big 3-pointers while the Lakers opened the fourth quarter with a 17-3 run, taking a 22-point lead and forcing the Knicks to miss nine of their first 10 shots while committing seven turnovers. Bryant didn't even need to score in the fourth quarter, contributing three assists as Los Angeles roared away.

The Lakers have dominated this rivalry between the signature teams from the nation's two largest cities in recent years, winning every meeting since February 2007 with Bryant averaging more than 34 points per game.

Tyson Chandler had 13 points and 11 rebounds in his hometown for the Knicks, whose nine-game skid against the Lakers is their longest current stretch against any opponent.