Bryant inspires Lakers to win

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins (right) tries to make his way past Tarik Black of the Los Angeles Lakers in their NBA game in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Lakers won 119-115. — AP

Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 38 points on Tuesday to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 119-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves that halted the Lakers’ 10-game losing streak.

With the victory, the Lakers avoided the humiliation of setting a franchise record for consecutive defeats.

Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers who will retire after this season, scored 14 of the Lakers’ last 18 points. That included six free throws in the final 17 seconds to seal the victory as joyous fans chanted his name.

“We needed to get a win desperately tonight,” Bryant said of the struggling side that had lost their 10th on the trot on Sunday to equal the 1993-94 Lakers, who lost their final 10 games of the season under interim coach Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

Bryant hit 10 of 21 shots from the floor. Guard Lou Williams scored 20 points, guard D’Angelo Russell added 18 and guard Jordan Clarkson finished with 16 for the Lakers.

Forward Julius Randle had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles.

Guard Andrew Wiggins had 30 points for the Timberwolves before fouling out with 7.5 seconds left in the contest.

It looked like another tough night for the 10-41 Lakers when Minnesota leapt to a quick eight-point lead.

But the hosts rallied to lead by as many as 16 before the Timberwolves battled back — just as they had on opening night when the Lakers gave up a double-digit lead to Minnesota to open the season with a defeat.

The Lakers took a 92-81 lead into the fourth quarter, but a three-pointer and a layup by Minnesota’s Zach LaVine capped a 21-9 Timberwolves scoring run that put the visitors up 102-101 with 5:15 left to play.

Less than a minute later, back-to-back three-pointers from Bryant had the Lakers back in front and he drained a jump shot with 26.4 seconds left to make it 113-110.

James Harden scored 26 points and handed out 14 assists as the Houston Rockets also gained a needed victory, 115-102, over Miami Heat.