PHOENIX — Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant were dominant forces on the same court where they were All-Star Game co-MVPs three weeks ago.

Give this one to Shaq and the Suns.

O'Neal scored 33 points and Phoenix overcame Bryant's 49-point performance to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 118-111, yesterday.

Matt Barnes added 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Suns, without Steve Nash for the third straight game because of a sprained right ankle, defeated the Lakers for the first time in four tries this season.

Pau Gasol added 30 for Los Angeles, loser of two in a row for just the third time this season.

"We're going through a period right now where everybody's just kind of tired a little bit," Bryant said. "It happens. ... Everybody kind of goes through it a little bit. And this two games, we've been playing lethargic. It's that point in the season where we kind of hit it. The key for us is to snap out of it."

After his 45-point game against Toronto on Friday night, O'Neal has consecutive 30-point games for the first time since March 5-7, 2004, when he and Bryant were teammates in Los Angeles.

"It's what I do," O'Neal said. "I've been doing it since 1992. If you don't believe it, Google me."

O'Neal, who turns 37 on Friday, is the fourth player over 35 in NBA history to score at least 33 points in consecutive games. The others are Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Alex English.

"A lot of people thought I lost it," O'Neal said. "It's kind of funny to me, when I say 'I'm injured,' no one believes me. Last year I was injured and this year I'm feeling pretty good."

Cavaliers 88, Hawks 87: LeBron James scored 26 points, including the winning free throw with 1.6 seconds left, and Cleveland won for the seventh time in eight games by beating host Atlanta.

The Hawks, after rallying from a 13-point deficit, squandered a five-point lead in the final 1:42. Delonte West hit a jumper, Mo Williams sank a 3 and James won it for the Cavs on their final possession. He drove from the top of the key and was fouled by Al Horford. James hit one of two foul shots.

Joe Johnson, who missed a jumper as the horn sounded, led the Hawks with 21 points.

Pistons 105, Celtics 95: Richard Hamilton had 25 points, Tayshaun Prince scored 15 and each hit a 3-pointer in the final 80 seconds to help Detroit beat host Boston. Hamilton also had nine assists.

Celtics forward Paul Pierce scored 26. Glen "Big Baby" Davis, starting in place of the injured Kevin Garnett, added 18 points.

Hornets 99, Nets 96: David West scored 32 points and Chris Paul made two key steals in the final minute as Charlotte won its fourth straight by beating host New Jersey.

Rasual Butler added 22 points for New Orleans, and Paul had 14 points and nine assists.

Devin Harris and Vince Carter each had 26 to pace the Nets. Harris also had 14 assists.

Rockets 105, Timberwolves 94: Yao Ming had 17 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in Houston's victory over host Minneapolis.

Ron Artest scored 23 points and Aaron Brooks had 22 points and a career-high 10 assists for the Rockets.

Randy Foye scored 24 points for the Timberwolves.

Pacers 100, Nuggets 94: Jarrett Jack had 28 points and eight assists, Troy Murphy added 22 points and 18 rebounds and host Indianapolis hung on to beat Denver.

Marquis Daniels added 19 points and six rebounds for the Pacers.

Chauncey Billups led the Nuggets with 27 points and seven assists, and Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points.

Trail Blazers 102, Spurs 84: Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 26 points to help host Portland spoil the return of Tim Duncan to San Antonio.

The Spurs didn't even play Duncan in the fourth quarter after Portland led by as many as 29 points. The All-Star forward had missed the last three games with a right quad injury.

Tony Parker had 15 points for the Spurs. Like Duncan, he did not play the fourth quarter.

Mavericks 109, Raptors 98: Jason Kidd handed out 15 assists to become the fourth player in NBA history with 10,000 for his career, and Dirk Nowitzki added 24 points and 10 rebounds as host Dallas beat Toronto.

Kidd reached the milestone with 1:04 left in the third quarter when he handed out his 13th of the night, passing to Brandon Bass for a 10-foot turnaround. He trails John Stockton (15,806), Mark Jackson (10,334) and Magic Johnson (10,141) on the NBA career list.

Chris Bosh paced the Raptors with 28 points and 10 rebounds.

Jazz 112, Warriors 104: Mehmet Okur scored 23 points, Deron Williams had a season-high 20 assists and Utah won its eighth straight by beating host Golden State.

Corey Maggette scored 27 points and rookie Anthony Randolph had a career-high 20 for the Warriors.

NOTES

Three released: Sacramento Kings forward Drew Gooden, New Jersey Nets forward/center Stromile Swift and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Joe Smith were released yesterday.

Raptors: Toronto forward Shawn Marion left in the first quarter of last night's game against the Dallas Mavericks with flu-like symptoms and did not return.