Houston Rockets forwards Chase Budinger (left) and Shane Battier (No. 31) take a rebound away from LA Lakers forward Ron Artest (37) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, November 15, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo)

LOS ANGELES, November 15, 2009 (AFP) - The NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers dropped their second straight game Sunday, a lackluster performance drawing a few boos from their demanding home fans.

The Lakers were coming off a 105-79 thumping at Denver two nights earlier. But they couldn't bounce back against Houston, falling 101-91.

Trevor Ariza, who played for Los Angeles last season before moving to Houston in the off-season, received his championship ring from the Lakers before the game.

Teammate Aaron Brooks said the Rockets were inspired by the championship bauble.

"That's my first time seeing an NBA ring," said Brooks, whose career-high 33 points included five three-pointers. "It moved us and we played inspired basketball."

Australian David Andersen added a career-high 19 for the Rockets, who lost 103-102 at home in overtime in the first meeting of the season between the two teams earlier this month.

Lakers star Kobe Bryant scored 41 points in that game, but he had just 18 Sunday.

Bryant was slowed by a groin injury that he aggravated in the first quarter. He was originally hurt in a game against New Orleans a week ago.

"I've felt better," he said. "It'll be all right. I've been nursing it, kind of playing through it."

The injury affects Bryant's ability to run and change direction, but he wouldn't pin a sub-par scoring night on it.

"You know I don't make excuses," he said.

Help could be on the way soon for the Lakers. Coach Phil Jackson said center Pau Gasol, who has missed 10 games with a strained right hamstring, has gone five days without reporting soreness. Gasol did some light shooting Sunday before his usual rehabilitation work.

Stoudemire shines in Suns win over Raptors
PHOENIX, Arizona, Nov 15, 2009 (AFP) - Amare Stoudemire rebounded from one of his worst games with his best performance of the NBA season Sunday, pouring in 30 points to lead Phoenix to a 101-100 victory over Toronto.

The Suns improved to 9-2 and are the only team in the NBA to score at least 100 points in every game this season.

Stoudemire, who turns 27 on Monday, had his first 30-point game since February 18, his final game of last season before he was sidelined by a detatched retina that eventually required surgery.

"Anytime you have a game like that, especially as a team, it feels great," Stoudemire said.

"This was a bounce-back game," he added, referring to his eight-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

"We defintely wanted the win to make sure we took care of home court."

Steve Nash had 23 points and nine assists. Channing Frye's 20 points included six three-pointers.

Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

The score was knotted at 98 after Hedo Turkoglu's three-pointer for Toronto with 1:34 to play.

He followed up with a jump shot that gave the Raptors a 100-98 lead with 51.5 seconds remaining.

Nash powered through with a layup with 38.9 to go. He was fouled by Jose Calderon and converted the free-throw to seal the victory.

Nash and Stoudemire, who both had lackluster outings in the 121-102 loss to the Lakers, appeared keen to put that game behind them as they came out strong in the first half.

Nash led all scorers with 15 points and all playmakers with six assists. Stoudemire, who shot a miserable 2-for-15 against the Lakers, had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the half.

However, Toronto led at the half 53-50, thanks in part to 14 points and six rebounds from Bosh. They kept the lead through the third quarter, but couldn't hold off the Suns at the end.

"Luckily we found ways to get stops down the stretch," Nash said. "We had to find a way to grind it out."

Mavs use European one-two punch to down Pistons
DETROIT, Michigan, Nov 15, 2009 (AFP) - German NBA veteran Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, and French rookie Rodrigue Beaubois added 14 Sunday to lift

Dallas to a 95-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Drew Gooden had 11 points and 11 rebounds, Shawn Marion chipped in 11 points and Jason Kidd added 10 with seven assists for Dallas, who ended the

Pistons' three-game winning streak.

Rodney Stuckey paced the Pistons with 28 points before injurying his ankle in the fourth quarter.

Will Bynum added 27, including 17 in the fourth quarter for Detroit.

But Ben Gordon was just 1 for 16 and missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it with 2 seconds to play.

The Mavericks were without center Erick Dampier, who fell ill before the game and was taken hospital for tests.