Basketball: LA Lakers 114 Phoenix 102

Kobe Bryant took charge with 31 points Friday in helping the Los Angeles Lakers give Coach Mike D'Antoni a win in his debut, 114-102 over Phoenix. D'Antoni replaced Mike Brown, who was fired less than a month into the season. The Lakers won for the fourth time in nine games, displaying an up-tempo pace in which four players produced more than three-fourths of the team's points. Bryant made only 10-of-24 from the field, but was 10-of-11 from the foul line. Metta World Peace added 22 for the Lakers, Dwight Howard had 18 and Pau Gasol had 16 to go with 10 rebounds. Los Angeles closed the third period on a 10-2 run after the game had been tied with 2:30 left in the quarter. The lead grew to 15 during the first 2:30 of the final period. Goran Dragic scored 22 for the Suns, who suffered their second straight loss.