Salt Lake City ? A sore knee and exhaustion from playing two overtimes the night before weren’t enough to end Kobe Bryant’s torrid scoring run.

Bryant scored 11 of Los Angeles’ last 17 points and finished with 40 as the Lakers held off Utah, 93-87, Wednesday.

Bryant has scored 40 or more in seven straight games and has at least 35 in his last 11. The Lakers have gone 9-2 during his scoring binge.

“I don’t really know what it is,” Bryant said of what’s driving him during the streak. “All this has done is help us win games. Maybe when I retire I can look back and see what an accomplishment it was.”

When finally he does look back, Bryant will find himself in good company.

The last player to score 40 in as many consecutive games was Michael Jordan, who did it in nine straight early in the 1986-87 season. Wilt Chamberlain scored at least 40 in 14 consecutive games early in the 1961-62 season.

Bryant, who scored 52 the night before in a 106-99 double-overtime win over Houston, decided just before tipoff to play despite a sore right knee, since the Lakers were without Shaquille O’Neal for a second straight night.

“Kobe was Kobe. He carried the load for two superstars tonight,” said Rick Fox, who scored 11 for the Lakers.

Bryant was booed throughout the night until the end, when the sellout crowd of 19,911 realized he was about to continue the streak. With the crowd chanting “KO-BE! KO-BE!” Bryant got his 40th point on a free throw with 8.2 seconds left after the Jazz had no choice but to foul him.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (8) slips past Utah guard Calbert Cheaney, center, and center Greg Ostertag (00), a former Kansas University player. Bryant scored 12 of his team's first 14 points en route a 40-point effort in the Lakers' 93-87 victory Wednesday in Salt Lake City.

“I never thought I’d hear that,” Bryant said. “It felt like the Staples Center out there.”

76ers 110, Bulls 82

Chicago — Philadelphia turned a tight game into a laugher, outscoring the Chicago Bulls 36-8 in the third quarter. The Bulls made just three field goals in the quarter and went scoreless for the last 5:17 of the period. They threatened the franchise low for points in a quarter, missing it by two. Allen Iverson led the 76ers with 28 points and nine assists, and Kenny Thomas had his seventh double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Keith Van Horn added 22 points as the 76ers won their fourth straight.

Rockets 107, Suns 89

Phoenix — Glen Rice had 23 points, Cuttino Mobley scored 22, and Yao Ming outdueled Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire, his primary competition for Rookie of the Year. Eddie Griffin contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Rockets to a 57-32 rebounding advantage. Maurice Taylor added 13 points and Moochie Norris had 11 as the Rockets snapped a two-game skid. Shawn Marion had 24 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix.

Timberwolves 85, Nuggets 77

Denver — Kevin Garnett had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and Wally Szczerbiak added a season-high 24 points as Minnesota completed a four-game season sweep of the Nuggets. Garnett was 4-for-4 from the line and hit a key jump shot in the fourth quarter in getting his 44th double-double of the year. Szczerbiak is averaging 18 points in his last 11 games, and the Timberwolves are 16-5 since his return from an injury. Vincent Yarbrough hit his first five shots and led Denver with 18 points. Juwan Howard had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who have lost seven straight.

Hornets 87, Wizards 75

New Orleans — Jamal Mashburn scored 24 points, and Jamaal Magloire had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Mashburn hit a three-pointer and a pair of runners as New Orleans scored on eight of nine possessions down the stretch to break open what had been a tight game. Michael Jordan scored 20 to lead Washington, but shot only 8-of-23 in his first game since turning 40. Jerry Stackhouse, returning from a strained left groin that kept him out five games, added 15 for the Wizards.

Pistons 89, Raptors 84

Toronto — Chauncey Billups scored 18 points, including a key three-pointer with 19.4 seconds left, as the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons won for the ninth time in 10 games. Vince Carter scored 16 points — only two in the second half — in his first game since declaring that the Raptors still can make the playoffs. The loss dropped Toronto’s record to 16-36. Corliss Williamson added 16 points for the Pistons, who improved to 37-16 overall and 17-11 on the road.

Blazers 125, Warriors 98

Portland, Ore. — Bonzi Wells scored 29 points, 26 in the first half alone, as the Trail Blazers cruised past Golden State. Portland bounded to a 76-49 halftime lead, the most first-half points scored in the NBA this season, en route to its third consecutive win. The Blazers led by as many as 33 points, and their final point total was a season high.

Sonics 103, Knicks 94

Seattle — Gary Payton scored 31 points, and Rashard Lewis had 26 as Seattle ended a six-game losing streak. Payton, the nine-time All-Star whose name has been prominent in trade rumors, helped Seattle end a five-game losing skid against New York. Lewis, who missed the Sonics’ previous game with a sprained right ankle, shot 9-of-14 and had eight rebounds. Payton was 11-for-26. Rookie forward Reggie Evans had 14 rebounds to help the Sonics outrebound the Knicks 47-34.

Clippers 110, Bucks 104

Los Angeles — Corey Maggette led six Clippers in double figures with 23 points, and Los Angeles defeated Milwaukee, giving the Bucks their first three-game losing streak in 21/2 months. Elton Brand added 20 points, and Andre Miller had 11 assists for the Clippers, who snapped a two-game losing skid.