ATLANTA // The red-hot Los Angeles Lakers produced another scintillating performance to beat Atlanta 101-87 and record their eighth successive win.
Kobe Bryant netted 26 points to move into sixth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, Andrew Bynum had another strong performance inside with 16 points and 16 rebounds as the Lakers again looked like the team that won the last two NBA titles.
Following a three-game losing streak just before the All-Star break, Los Angeles (46-19) have rediscovered top form and had some impressive performances including Sunday's 99-83 rout of the NBA-best San Antonio Spurs.
The Lakers opened up a 22-point lead over Atlanta in the third quarter then put the game away after the home team cut the deficit to eight.
Al Horford finished with 17 points and nine rebounds for the Hawks (37-27), who lost their third in a row.
Meanwhile, George Karl, the Denver Nuggets head coach, who missed part of last season battling throat and neck cancer, has agreed to a three-year contract extension, the NBA team confirm.
Karl's contract extension had been put on the back burner as the team dealt with the trade of Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.
But with the Anthony move completed, the Nuggets moved quickly to lock up Karl, who has led Denver to the play-offs each of his six seasons in charge and in December became just the seventh NBA coach to record 1,000 regular season wins.
"I've always said Denver is the place I want to end my career," Karl said on the official NBA website.
"This puts me one step closer to achieving that goal. "The Kroenkes (the Nuggets owners) have been great throughout this entire process. They've been very supportive of me as a coach and during my battle with cancer.
"I'm excited for the remainder of the season and look forward to making another play-off run."
