Los Angeles  - Reigning league MVP Kobe Bryant wasn't at his best, but Pau Gasol was and the Los Angeles Lakers won the West.

Gasol scored a season-best 36 points, to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Lakers clipped the New Jersey Nets 103-95 on Friday night, to clinch the top playoff seed in the Western Conference.

"That's the way I like to describe myself as an efficient player," said Gasol, who made 14-of-19 shots. "I try to be effective, try to contribute in different ways because I think I can.

"It's nothing too spectacular, nothing too crazy, but it's just efficient and productive."

Gasol's big night helped the Lakers secure home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs, while improving to 4-0 on their grueling seven-game road trip.

"It's just one more step toward our goal," the seven-foot Spanish All-Star said.

Slowed by a jammed right ankle, suffered in a late second-quarter collision with Nets' guard Devin Harris, Bryant managed 12 of his 14 points in the third quarter and handed out nine assists.

"It's sore, and it's burning right now," Bryant said. "We have to stay on top of it, get it ready for Sunday."

Derek Fisher scored 18 points, Lamar Odom chipped in with 12 and 11 boards for the Lakers (58-14) whose fifth straight victory kept them one-game behind Cleveland for the NBA's top spot.

Vince Carter scored 20, and Jarvis Hayes added 19 for the Nets (30-42) who came up short after slicing a 22-point third-quarter deficit to three in the final minutes.

"You have to exert so much energy and our guys did," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "But we're running out of time for these consolation prizes."

The Nets' third straight loss left them 4.5 games behind eighth-place Detroit for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase with nine remaining.

With Bryant scoring a dozen in the third period, including three consecutive three-pointers, the Lakers extended a two-point halftime lead to 81-59. However, the Nets rallied to within 11, heading into the final frame.

New Jersey closed to 93-90 on a three-pointer by Hayes, but the Lakers kept their poise. Odom grabbed Bryant's missed jumper for a put-back, and Gasol hit a 15-foot jumper.

After a basket by Brook Lopez at the other end, Gasol made a layup off a pass from Bryant to make it 99-92 with 47 seconds left.

Hayes' fourth three-pointer drew the Nets to 99-95. Gasol, then, spun past Lopez along the right baseline for a dunk, and followed with two free throws to wrap up the victory.

"You can make an argument that Gasol is the best second best player in the NBA on a team," Frank said. "He's a great player, but we gave him a lot of easy baskets. Obviously, the baseline spin was the game clincher, but it was a legitimate post move, we can live with."

Elsewhere: Memphis Grizzlies 113, Sacramento Kings 95 Spanish rookie Marc Gasol scored 27 points, and the Grizzlies snapped a 20-game skid in Sacramento, despite Kevin Martin's 31.

Cleveland Cavaliers 107, Minnesota Timberwolves 85 LeBron James had 25 points with 12 rebounds, and the league-best Cavaliers (59-13 overall, 34-1 home) rolled to their franchise-high tying 11th consecutive victory.

Denver Nuggets 103, Dallas Mavericks 101 Carmelo Anthony scored 43 points, including the go-ahead driving layup with 12 seconds left, and the Nuggets ended the Mavericks' nine-game home winning streak.

German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas (43-20) with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but missed a go-ahead jumper with 10 seconds left

Boston Celtics 99, Atlanta Hawks 93 Ray Allen scored 22 points, Glen "Big Baby" Davis, filling in for Kevin Garnett (right knee soreness) added 19 with a career-high-tying 12 rebounds and the defending NBA Champion Celtics (55-19) regrouped after nearly blowing a 20-point cushion.

Joe Johnson and Josh Smith led the host Hawks (42-31) with 22 points apiece.

New York Knicks 103, New Orleans Hornets 93 Al Harrington scored 23 points, David Lee added 18 with 11 rebounds and the host Knicks snapped a season-high tying six game slide.

David West scored 29 points for New Orleans (44-27) which dropped into a sixth-place tie with idle Utah in the Western Conference playoff race.

Orlando Magic 110, Milwaukee Bucks 94 Rashard Lewis scored 19 points, Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu added 18 apiece, leading the host Magic (54-18) to its 12th win in the last 14 games.

Charlotte Bobcats 100, Philadelphia 76ers 95 Frenchman Boris Diaw scored 24 points, Raymond Felton added 20, including the key layup with eight seconds left, and the visiting Bobcats moved 2.5 games of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot

Andre Iguodala scored 25 points for Philadelphia (37-34) which fell to sixth in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Toronto Raptors 112, Oklahoma City Thunder 96 Chris Bosh had 21 points and 13 rebounds, Shawn Marion added 20 with 11 boards, powering the host Raptors to their season-high-tying third straight victory.

San Antonio Spurs 111, LA Clippers 98 "French Flash" Tony Parker scored 18 points, "Argentine Agitator" Manu Ginobili had 14 and the Spurs rolled the lowly Clippers for their third straight victory. (dpa)