The Los Angeles Lakers responded to the axing of coach Mike Brown by belting the Golden State Warriors 101-77 at the Staples Center on Friday for their second win of the season.
After a close first quarter, the Lakers went on a tear with Kobe Bryant scoring 27 points, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Having fired Brown earlier in the day after starting the season 1-4 and losing all eight pre-season exhibition games, the Lakers displayed new vigor and style under interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff.
The home fans, however, made no secret of who they wanted to fill the vacant position, chanting "We want Phil" throughout the night in reference to former coach Phil Jackson who helped the Lakers to five of their 16 championships.
Bryant claimed the side still used a little of the "Princeton" style offence Brown was trying to implement in the side before his dismissal but admitted instinctual play was the real help.
"We just had to focus on our execution. It was about coming out and playing hard," Bryant told reporters. "We really just went out there and played almost like a pick up game. We opened up the floor and when we had the opportunity we actually ran some of the Princeton stuff in terms of flair picks and back picks and things of that nature but we really just tried to read each other and react."
Pau Gasol stepped up for the home side in support of Bryant's scoring efforts, pulling in 16 rebounds and scoring 14 while bench man Jordan Hill contributed 14 points also.
Lone unbeaten team
The New York Knicks remain the only unbeaten team after an impressive 104-94 win over the in-form Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
The Knicks were led by five-time all-star Carmelo Anthony who top scored with 31 points and bench man JR Smith who added 22, nine of them during a third quarter surge in which the home team broke clear.
This is the first time since the 1993-94 season the Knicks have started perfect through four games, halting a three-game winning streak of Mavericks who dropped to 4-2.
Results: Milwaukee bt Washington 101-91; Brooklyn bt Orlando 107-68; Philadelphia bt Boston 106-100; NY Knicks bt Dallas 104-94; Miami bt Atlanta 95-89; Memphis bt Houston 93-85; New Orleans bt Charlotte 107-99; Oklahoma City bt Detroit 105-94; Minnesita bt Indiana 96-94; Phoenix bt Cleveland 107-105; San Antonio bt Sacramento 97-86; Denver bt Utah 104-84; LA Lakers bt Golden State 101-77.
