Kobe Bryant scored 37 points, including two drives to spark a 14-2 second-half run, and the Los Angeles Lakers spoiled Atlanta's home opener, beating the Hawks 103-97 on Tuesday night.
Bryant topped the 30-point mark for the fourth straight game and had 37 for the second straight game — right on his NBA-best average of 36.3.
On a night the Philips Arena game clock and shot clock rarely worked, the public address announcer had to call out the scores. After a close first half, Hawks fans didn't like what they heard.
Atlanta, sparked by Joe Johnson's season-high 26 points, led 29-19 in the first quarter and 51-48 at halftime. But following the last tie at 63, Bryant scored on back-to-back drives to send the Lakers on the run that made it 77-65.
The Lakers kept the lead in double figures most of the rest of the game until the Hawks closed the gap late with Bryant on the bench.
With 7:54 to play, Bryant scored on a breakaway jam, drawing a foul from Hawks rookie Marvin Williams, to give him 37 points. With the Lakers' lead at 12 points, Bryant sat out most of the final seven minutes.
Lakers guard Smush Parker continued his strong start with 21 points, 13 in the third quarter. Parker has scored 20 or more points in three of the Lakers' four games. Lamar Odom added 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Devean George had 12 points.
Al Harrington returned after missing two games with an ankle injury to get 18 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta. Tyronn Lue and Zaza Pachulia each had 13 points.
The Hawks, 0-4 for the second straight year, are coming off a franchise-worst 13-win season.
For the second straight game, Johnson started at shooting guard instead of point guard for the Hawks, a switch that again pushed Josh Childress to small forward and Josh Smith out of the lineup.
With Lue starting at point guard, Johnson could reserve his energy for guarding Bryant.
Johnson couldn't slow Bryant, even when giving the Lakers a major scare by sending the star crashing to the floor while trying to stop him on a fast break. Bryant was slow to get up, but remained in the game and made one of two free throws, giving him half of the Lakers' 38 points.
GRIZZLIES 94, SUPERSONICS 69: At Memphis, Tenn., Shane Battier and Pau Gasol each scored 20 points and sparked a third-quarter rally for Memphis.
Battier scored 13 points in the third quarter as Memphis built its lead to 68-51. Battier outscored the Sonics by himself until the final minute of the period. Meanwhile, Gasol had 10 in the quarter which Memphis closed with a 10-2 run.
The win was the third straight for Memphis, and gave the Grizzlies (3-1) their second-best start in franchise history. They were 4-1 to open the 2000-01 season. It also snapped a six-game losing streak to the Sonics, who had won five straight in Memphis.
Mike Miller added 14 points for the Grizzlies and Eddie Jones had 10.
Ray Allen led the Sonics (1-2) with 15 points, less than half of his 31.5 average through Seattle's first two games.
WARRIORS 110, BUCKS 103: At Milwaukee, Baron Davis had 20 points and 15 assists and Golden State went 13-of-27 from 3-point range.
Troy Murphy scored 25 points — including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc — and Jason Richardson added 23 for the Warriors (3-1).
Mo Williams and Michael Redd each had 21 points for the Bucks (3-1).
Davis, a two-time All-Star, also throttled T.J. Ford, the Eastern Conference's player of the week. Ford went 3-of-14 with eight points and 11 assists — 10 in the first half.
MAGIC 76, ROCKETS 74: At Houston, Steve Francis scored 27 points and had two assists to Jameer Nelson in the final two minutes as Orlando won for the first time in four games. The Rockets (1-2) lost their second straight without Tracy McGrady.
PISTONS 102, KINGS 88: At Sacramento, Calif., Tayshaun Prince scored 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting, and the Pistons emphatically snapped an eight-game losing streak in Sacramento.
Chauncey Billups had 16 points and eight assists, and Richard Hamilton added 21 points and six rebounds for the unbeaten Pistons in their first win in Sacramento since Feb. 26, 1996.