Los Angeles - The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed back Andrew Bynum, and sent the Denver Nuggets packing with another loss at Staples Centre. Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, Spain's Pau Gasol had 27 with a career-high 19 rebounds and the Lakers snapped the Nuggets' eight-game winning streak, 116-102 on Thursday night.

Though the Lakers one-two punch knocked out the Nuggets at Staples Centre for the 22nd time in the last 24 meetings, and moved one-half game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA, the night belonged to Bynum.

The 21-year-old centre made a triumphant return with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes after missing 31 games with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee, suffered on January 31.

"It feels great to be back and be playing man, seriously," Bynum said. "My teammates have been waiting. They fed me the ball a little bit and got me really comfortable out there."

Bynum received a standing ovation when introduced in the starting lineup, but showed some timing issues with just three points at halftime in a game that was knotted at 56-apiece.

However, Bynum got on track in the second half with 13 points to help the Lakers pull away from their guests in a showdown between the top two teams in the Western Conference.

"I started getting out on the floor and getting deep position, "Bynum said. "I just turned around and shot."

Bryant was satisfied with Bynum's effort, especially after being sidelined for 10 weeks

"I felt Drew was moving very well," the Lakers leader said. "Obviously, being out for a while some of his shots around the baskets you could see his timing was off, but it's going to be there.

"In the second half, he started getting the catches in the paint, shooting his jump hook. It's good to have him back."

Bynum had nine points in the third quarter but the Lakers led by one. Shannon Brown buried a three-pointer while Gasol and Bryant combined for seven points in a 12-0 run as the lead grew to 82-69.

The Lakers lead was sliced to 96-89 with 8:12 remaining. However, Bynum nailed a 16-foot jumper, Gasol converted a three-point play and Bryant ran off six straight points, making it 107-93 with just four minutes left to wrap up their fifth straight win.

Carmelo Anthony scored 23, J. R. Smith had 19 for Denver, which failed to lock up the Northwest Division title and the second seed in the Western Conference.

"They are a great team," Smith said of the Lakers. "They have got a great leader and one heck of a guy who just came back and had a great game. They are a tough team to beat."

Elsewhere:

Houston Rockets 115, Sacramento Kings 98 Ron Artest scored 13 of his 26 points in the pivotal third quarter, China's Yao Ming had 20 with nine rebounds and the visiting Rockets pulled away to beat the league-worst Kings.

The victory moved Houston past idle San Antonio atop the Southwest Division as the third seed in the Western Conference playoff race behind the LA Lakers and Denver.

Argentine Luis Scola scored 15 points for Houston (51-28), which erased a five-point halftime deficit with a 36-20 third quarter blitz to take control.

Spencer Hawes had 22 points with 11 rebounds, while Jason Thompson added 16 and 10 boards for Sacramento (16-22) losers of six in a row.

Chicago Bulls 113, Philadelphia 76ers 99

Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas scored 24 points apiece, and the Bulls cut their magic number to one to clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot with their 13th home win in the last 14 games.

Derrick Rose netted 16 and Brad Miller added 15 for Chicago (39- 40) which outscored its guests 63-49 in the second half for its third straight win.

Andre Miller had 20 points and Andre Igoudala chipped in with 19 for the Sixers (40-38) who fell one-game behind idle Miami for the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt following their third straight loss. (dpa)