LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant received huge cheers in his home debut and scored 21 to lead the Lakers to an 87-72 win over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.
The Lakers are 3-0 since acquiring All-Stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton in the offseason.
Bryant played 35 minutes, two fewer than in his first game of the season Saturday night in Phoenix, when he scored 15 in a 103-99 win and was greeted by a mix of cheers and boos. He is awaiting trial on sexual assault charges in Colorado.
Bryant showed no ill effects from the sore right knee that kept him out of the season-opening win against Dallas.
Clifford Robinson led the Warriors with 19 points. Calbert Cheaney added 17 points and Erick Dampier had a career-high 23 rebounds.
All five Lakers starters scored in double figures. Shaquille O'Neal had 17 points and 14 rebounds, Malone had 16 points, Payton had 18 points and 11 assists and Devean George had 12 points.
Bryant was welcomed by the home fans from his introduction. They cheered wildly when he made his first jumper on an assist by O'Neal.
The Warriors didn't offer much of a challenge against a team they beat twice last season. But they no longer have leading scorers Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, and the team is missing starters Nick Van Exel and Troy Murphy to injuries and Jason Richardson to suspension.
The Lakers led by 11 at halftime and twice stretched their lead to 17 in the third quarter, once on a fast-break dunk by Bryant and the other on a jumper by O'Neal.
Cheaney got the Warriors within single digits at 55-46 on an 18-footer, but Malone, Bryant and Payton scored the Lakers' next three baskets for a 61-46 lead with 3:19 to play. The trio assisted on each other's baskets in the spurt.
Golden State trailed by seven early in the fourth but couldn't get close enough to put a scare into the Lakers.
HAWKS: Guard Jason Terry was suspended by the NBA for one game without pay after he elbowed Indiana's Anthony Johnson during Saturday's loss. He will miss tonight's game against New Orleans.
Late Saturday
BLAZERS 104, CAVS 85: Three games into the season, LeBron James is experiencing the highs and lows of the NBA and the grind of the road.
He wouldn't trade it for anything.
"This is everything I dreamed of," the league's most celebrated rookie said.
James had fewer than 20 points for the first time, scoring eight in visiting Cleveland's loss.
James was 3-for-12 from the floor but had six assists.
"I just didn't have my A game," he said. "I just didn't play well."
The off night came after James barreled into the season with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the opener Wednesday at Sacramento.
The next night in Phoenix he had 21 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
"Three games in four nights is tough on anybody," Cavs coach Paul Silas said. "He's adapted so well the first couple of games, I think he fooled a lot of people."
