LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored 28 points, Shannon Brown added 15 and the Los Angeles Lakers thrived again without their top two big men, beating the New Orleans Hornets 104-88 Sunday night.

DJ Mbenga had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who easily won their fifth straight game and their second in a row without injured center Andrew Bynum and forward Pau Gasol.

Bryant scored all but two of his points before halftime, repeatedly capitalizing down low with ease against Devin Brown's defense. Los Angeles opened a 27-point lead in the third quarter and coasted to a 6-1 start.

SUNS 102, WIZARDS 90: At Washington, Jason Richardson scored 22 points, Steve Nash had 17 assists, and the Phoenix Suns maintained their dominance of the Washington Wizards.

The Suns never trailed in the second half as they beat the Wizards for the sixth straight time, including five in a row at the Verizon Center. Washington last defeated Phoenix nearly three years ago — on Dec. 22. 2006.

Phoenix improved to 6-1, matching the best seven-game start in franchise history. The Wizards have lost four straight.

Phoenix let the Wizards stay close by committing 21 turnovers, but ultimately the Suns controlled the game because they were able to share the ball better, finishing with 30 assists to Washington's 15.

PISTONS 88, 76ERS 81: At Auburn Hills, Mich., Ben Gordon scored 23 points and Ben Wallace added 16 rebounds for the Pistons, who held Philadelphia without a field goal the final six minutes.

Wallace had seven of Detroit's 21 offensive rebounds, and added three blocks and three steals. Charlie Villanueva added 16 points.

Andre Iguodala led Philadelphia with 24 points.

THUNDER 102, MAGIC 74: At Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 28 points, Russell Westbrook added 17 points and 10 assists and the Thunder ran away from the Magic. Orlando played for the fourth time this season without Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis, and also added Ryan Anderson to the injured list. The Magic seemed to run out of gas after a strong start. Oklahoma City raced out of halftime to score the first eight points, and then added a 9-0 spurt shortly thereafter to push its lead to 72-49 on Nick Collison's basket in the lane midway through the third period.