LAKERS 97, CELTICS 94: Kobe Bryant scored 26 points and host Los Angeles scored the final eight points to win its ninth straight home game.

Center Andrew Bynum had 20 points and 14 rebounds - his 12th double-double in 13 games - to help the Lakers improve to 18-2 at the Staples Center.

Metta World Peace added 14 points and Pau Gasol had 13 points and 13 boards for Los Angeles, which won at Boston in overtime last month.

Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead all five starters in double figures, but Boston was held scoreless for the final 2 minutes, 40 seconds after matching its biggest lead at 94-89.

The teams were never separated by more than four points in the fourth quarter until Ray Allen's 3-pointer put the Celtics ahead 94-89 with 2:40 to play.

Bryant responded by sandwiching a pair of jumpers around an alley-oop pass to Bynum for a 95-94 edge, and Bynum made it a three-point game by connecting in the lane with 15.5 seconds to play.

A tying 3-point attempt by Rondo was off the mark, dropping Boston to its second loss in eight games since the All-Star break.

Allen added 17 points and Brandon Bass had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Celtics in the opener of a eight-game road trip.

Boston used an 11-1 run to take a 53-48 lead in the third, but World Peace scored 10 points in the quarter to rally Los Angeles to a 72-70 edge entering the fourth.

The opening half featured a series of spurts. The Lakers had a late 12-0 burst to take a 24-14 lead after the opening quarter and appeared on the verge of a blowout, building the margin to 37-22 with 7 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter.

Boston responded by closing the half with a 20-7 burst, capped by Rondo's 3-pointer at the buzzer, to go to the locker room trailing 44-42.

GAME NOTEBOOK: World Peace tied his season high by hitting three 3-pointers. ... Los Angeles tied Miami and Oklahoma City for the most home wins and best home record ... Boston's Kevin Garnett had nine of his 11 rebounds on the defensive end. He is second on the all-time list with 10,131 defensive boards.