NEW YORK – Kobe Bryant broke the current Madison Square Garden record with 61 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers looked plenty potent without Andrew Bynum in a 126-117 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night.

Bryant teased and pleased a sold-out crowd that took turns booing him and saluting him with “MVP!” chants during an electrifying performance. He passed Michael Jordan’s opponent record of 55 points at the present building, known as “Garden IV,” when he hit three free throws with 3:56 remaining, then bettered Bernard King’s mark of 60, set on Christmas Day 1984, with two more foul shots with 2:33 to play.

Bryant, who also finished with the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, left to a loud ovation after the 24th 50-point game of his career. It was also his fifth 40-point game here.

Pau Gasol added 31 points and 14 rebounds in the Lakers’ first game since losing Bynum, their starting center, for eight to 12 weeks with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. They’ll be fine without him if Bryant plays the way he did Monday, going 19-of-31 with an array of tough jumpers, powerful drives to the basket and perfect foul shooting. He also hit all 20 free throws.

Mavericks 105, Magic 95

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and six rebounds, Jason Terry had 23 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Orlando Magic 105-95 for their third straight win.

Josh Howard and Jason Kidd added 13 apiece for the Mavericks, who held Orlando to 3-for-20 shooting from 3-point range.

Dwight Howard had 35 points and 11 rebounds, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 18 as the Magic ended their three-game winning streak. But that wasn’t the worst news of the night for Orlando. All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson left the game in the third quarter with a dislocated right shoulder. He was scheduled to have an MRI on Tuesday.

Trail Blazers 97, Hornets 89

NEW ORLEANS – LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points, and the Portland Trailblazers overcame a 17-point deficit after Chris Paul was injured for their fifth straight victory, 97-89 over the New Orleans Hornets.

Paul left the game late in the third quarter with a strained right groin, the first action he has missed all season.

He had 12 points and 13 assists to that point in helping New Orleans build a lead that got as large as 70-50 with 2:41 to go in the third quarter.

The Hornets led 72-55 when Paul left the game. Portland then outscored New Orleans 26-7 during the next seven minutes with Jerryd Bayless scoring 13 of his 19 points during the decisive surge.

Heat 119, Clippers 95

MIAMI – Dwyane Wade had 32 points and nine assists, Michael Beasley added 18 points and the Miami Heat snapped a two-game losing skid by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 119-95.

Mario Chalmers scored 15 points, Udonis Haslem added 13 and Shawn Marion – in his first game back after missing five straight with a strained left groin – finished with 11 points and seven rebounds for the Heat, who improved to 15-3 when scoring more than 100 points this season.

Grizzlies 113, Wizards 97

WASHINGTON – Rookie O.J. Mayo matched his career high with 33 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 113-97 win over the Washington Wizards, their first win in nearly a month.

Rudy Gay scored 23 and Marc Gasol added 22 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, which ended a 12-game losing streak – the team’s longest since dropping 13 in a row to start the 2002-03 season.

The Grizzlies had not won since beating Dallas 102-82 Jan. 4.

Antawn Jamison had 29 points and 13 rebounds and Caron Butler scored 21 for Washington, which failed to record its second two-game winning streak of the season.

Memphis led for much of the game, but did not pull away until a 19-2 run to finish the third quarter, with Gay scoring nine straight points as the Grizzlies ended the quarter with a 94-81 lead.

The game was Memphis’ highest scoring mark of the season, and the Grizzlies’ eight turnovers matched a season low.