Pau Gasol makes game-saving block, Lakers edge Celtics in OT

Feb 10, 2012, 7:21 GMT

Los Angeles - Spaniard Pau Gasol had 25 points with 14 rebounds and blocked Ray Allen's potential game-winning putback attempt at the buzzer in overtime as the visiting LA Lakers escaped with a dramatic 88-87 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

Kobe Bryant scored 27 points while fellow All-Star starter Andrew Bynum had 16 points with 17 rebounds as the Lakers stopped a modest two-game slide and improved to 4-9 on the road.

Allen fired in 22 points, while All-Star Paul Pierce collected 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics, who had won their previous five games and nine of 10.

Argentine Luis Scola scored 16 points, Patrick Patterson added 14 and the visiting Houston Rockets won their third in a row, shading the Phoenix Suns, 96-89.

Channing Frye scored a season-high 21 points, while Steve Nash, celebrated his eighth All-Star game selection earlier in the day, with 14 points and 13 assists.

Stephen Curry hit six threes en route to a season-high 36 points, rookie Klay Thompson added 19 and the visiting Golden State Warriors handed the Denver Nuggets their fifth straight loss, 109-101.

Tyreke Evans scored 21 points, DeMarcus Cousins added 19 and the Sacramento Kings went on a late 18-4 run to surprise the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma Thunder, 106-101, for their fourth win in five games.

Russell Westbrook netted 33 points, Kevin Durant had 27 and Serge Ibaka blocked 10 shots for Oklahoma City (20-6), which dropped to 2-2 on its five-game road trip.