Lakers 103, Kings 90: Dwight Howard had 23 points and 18 rebounds and Kobe Bryant scored 20 points as Los Angeles defeated visiting Sacramento to improve to 2-0 since firing coach Mike Brown.

Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace added 18 points apiece for the Lakers, who were again coached by assistant Bernie Bickerstaff. Los Angeles is having ongoing talks with Phil Jackson in hopes Jackson will return for a third stint with the team.

Jimmer Fredette scored 18 points, Jason Thompson had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Isaiah Thomas added 13 points for the Kings, who were without DeMarcus Cousins after the center was suspended two games earlier Sunday for a confrontation with San Antonio Spurs television analyst Sean Elliott on Friday.

Los Angeles led 57-48 at halftime but Sacramento pulled within four points early in the third quarter. The Lakers then rattled off 11 consecutive points – including five by Bryant and four by Howard – to boost the lead to 72-57 with 4:26 left in the quarter.

Sacramento trailed by as many as 23 points in the final period and fell to 0-4 on the road.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The NBA announced that Cousins’ suspension was due to the “hostile manner” in which he confronted Elliott after Friday’s game regarding comments Elliott made about Cousins during the broadcast. … Los Angeles had a 50-39 edge on the boards and held the Kings to 40.0 percent from the field. … Sacramento was also without power forward Thomas Robinson, who was serving the second of a two-game suspension for elbowing Detroit’s Jonas Jerebko.
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