Surging Sixers sink slumping Lakers

Andre Miller notched 23 points and eight assists for Philadelphia, which won a season-high six straight games and improved to 16-15 at the Wachovia Center in 2006-07. Kyle Korver netted 18 points and Samuel Dalembert had 12 points and 16 boards for the Sixers, who have won seven in a row as the host.

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points for Los Angeles, which has lost five straight and closed out a winless four-game road trip. Shammond Williams scored 14 points, and Kwame Brown posted 11 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles, which has lost 11 of its last 14 games.

Bryant, who returned after a one-game suspension for his elbow to Marko Jaric’s head in Tuesday night’s double-overtime loss to Minnesota, finished 12-for-27 from the field and 3-for-7 beyond the arc.

The Lakers shot out to an early 14-6 lead midway through the first quarter, highlighted by three Bryant jumpers. The Sixers responded with a 24-12 run down the stretch, capped by a pair of three-pointers by Korver and Iguodala in the final minute, for a 30-26 lead heading into the second.

LA reclaimed control by opening the second quarter on a 17-7 run finished on a Bryant three-point play with 7:53 remaining. The burst put the Lakers ahead 43-37, but the Sixers rallied on a 6-2 run in the final three minutes to keep Philly’s deficit to just 57-51 at halftime.

And that momentum carried over. The Sixers burst out of the locker room on a 20-3 run, the last eight points of which came from Iguodala, for a 71-60 advantage midway through the third.

After Brian Cook’s jumper 33 seconds into the fourth, the Sixers went on an 11-1, run ended by Miller’s jumper with 7:05 to go, for a comfortable 94-78 lead heading down the stretch.

But, the Lakers weren’t finished. They answered with a 12-4 spurt highlighted by five Bryant points to trail just 98-90 with 3:25 remaining.

The Sixers then hit five unanswered free throws, which ignited a 10-2 run to finish the game in front of the first sell-out crowd at the Wachovia Center this season.

Game Notes

Forward Ronny Turiaf (back spasms) remained sidelined for the Lakers...Friday’s showdown was the second and final meeting this season. The Lakers won the first encounter, 104-94, on December 31 at the Staples Center. Bryant scored 35 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists to lead the way...Philadelphia has won five of the last eight meetings, while the Lakers have lost seven straight and nine of their last 10 trips to the City of Brotherly Love.