Sacramento at L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST). The Kings have the NBA's best record at 41-14, while their Pacific Division rivals are just five games behind them in the standings.

STARS

Wednesday

_ Kobe Bryant, Lakers, had 35 points and 10 assists in a 112-111 victory over Denver.

_ Speedy Claxton, Warriors, went 16-for-18 from the free-throw line and scored 28 points in Golden State's 99-92 win over Memphis.

_ Troy Hudson, Timberwolves, scored 29 points in an 81-68 win over New Jersey.

_ Amare Stoudemire, Suns, had 24 points and 14 rebounds to lead Phoenix to a 113-95 victory over New York.

_ Baron Davis, Hornets, had 26 points and nine assists in a 99-93 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

SNAPPED

Minnesota snapped New Jersey's 14-game winning streak and coach Lawrence Frank's NBA-record run of 13 straight wins to open a coaching career with an 81-68 victory Wednesday night.

DELIVERY

Andrei Kirilenko scored seven of Utah's nine points in overtime with three critical baskets to help the Jazz beat the Seattle SuperSonics for the second consecutive night, 93-92 on Wednesday night.

FORGETTABLE

Golden State beat Memphis 99-92 on Wednesday night in a sloppy game with 29 turnovers and 62 fouls _ 31 on each team. Four players fouled out, and Memphis coach Hubie Brown was ejected for two of the seven technical fouls that were called in the game, five on the Grizzlies.

STRONG IN DEFEAT

Ray Allen scored 40 points in Seattle's 93-92 overtime loss to Utah on Wednesday night. ... Denver's Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points in a 112-111 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. ... Stephon Marbury had 13 assists in New York's 113-95 loss to Phoenix. ... Cleveland's Carlos Boozer had 16 points and 18 rebounds in a 90-84 loss to Houston.

OVERPOWERING

Charlotte forced the Los Angeles Clippers into 13 second-half turnovers _ including eight in the final period _ for a 99-93 victory Wednesday night. ... Phoenix outrebounded New York 58-26 in a 113-95 victory.

SO CLOSE

Walter McCarty's 3-pointer was waved off at the buzzer, the referees ruling it came too late as Boston lost its seventh straight game, 106-104 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. The Celtics have also dropped 13 of 14.

PAINFUL

Chicago lost to Detroit 107-88 on Wednesday night, the Bulls' third straight loss. They've also lost five of seven and are tied with Orlando for the fewest wins in the NBA with 16.

SPEAKING

``This is a game, where obviously as a coach, you wonder why you ever worked on anything because so much we worked on _ seemed to be getting good at _ we just couldn't accomplish today.'' _ Chicago coach Scott Skiles after a 107-88 loss to Detroit on Wednesday night.