Lakers beat Suns 99-83 to win 3rd in a row

Kobe Bryant scored 48 points - his fifth straight game with 25 or more - and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 99-83 on Tuesday night to win their seventh straight at home and third in a row overall.

Bryant, the NBA's leading scorer, topped the 40-point mark for the first time this season, the first in the league to do so. He was 18 of 31 from the floor and made 12 of 13 free throws. Pau Gasol added 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Channing Frye scored 17 points, Marcin Gortat had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Steve Nash added 13 points and eight assists for the Suns, who had their two-game winning streak snapped.