Lakers right at home vs. Nuggets

So much for all that confidence the Denver Nuggets had built up during their two impressive wins against the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season.

The defending NBA champions picked up on the playoff vibe inside Staples Center yesterday and got things back to normal, despite a poor shooting effort from Kobe Bryant.

Lamar Odom scored nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 12 rebounds, helping the Lakers overcome an 11-point third-quarter deficit and pull out a 95-89 victory in Los Angeles against the team they knocked off in last year’s Western Conference finals. Pau Gasol added 15 points and 14 rebounds.

“It was nice to be in somewhat of a pressure-cooker,” Bryant said. “It’s been two years now where we’ve beaten them in the postseason, so I’m sure they’re fed up.”

Ron Artest added 17 points and tied a season high with six steals for the Lakers, who trail the Cavaliers by one game for the league’s best record. They lead Denver by 5 games for the Western Conference lead.

Bryant was just 3-for-17 from the field, finishing with 14 points and 12 assists.

Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points for Denver before fouling out for the second time this season with 2:13 to play and the Nuggets down by four.

Spurs 113, Suns 110 - Richard Jefferson scored 20 points in his best game since losing his starting job, and San Antonio beat visiting Phoenix to end the Suns’ five-game winning streak.

Amare Stoudemire had a season-high 41 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix, but Jefferson and the Spurs hung on late to hand the Suns only their second loss since the All-Star break.

Wizards 89, Nets 85 - In East Rutherford, N.J., Andray Blatche scored a career-high 36 points and had 15 rebounds, and Randy Foye hit two jumpers in the final 44 seconds to lead Washington to a comeback victory over New Jersey.

Al Thornton added 20 points, and Foye had 16 as Washington rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to deny the Nets their first winning streak of the season.

Hawks 106, Bucks 102 - Joe Johnson scored nine of his 24 points in overtime, Josh Smith had 22 points and 15 rebounds, and host Atlanta ended Milwaukee’s winning streak at six.

The Bucks lost for the first time since trading for John Salmons, who finished with a season-high 32 points, including a straightaway 3-pointer that cut it to 103-102 with :09.7 left in the extra period.

Magic 96, Heat 80 - Rashard Lewis had 22 points, and Vince Carter added 17 to help Orlando overcome Dwight Howard’s subpar game against visiting Miami.

Dwyane Wade, who returned to the Heat lineup after missing four games because of a strained calf, led Miami with 21 points.

Thunder 119, Raptors 99 - Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Nenad Krstic had a rare 3-pointer and added 16 points and host Oklahoma City handed Toronto its third straight loss without All-Star forward Chris Bosh (sprained left ankle).

Jeff Green had 20 points and a career-best four steals for the Thunder.

Elsewhere in the NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal will undergo surgery today to repair his injured right thumb. . . .

Minnesota Timberwolves star and former Celtics [team stats] center Al Jefferson [stats] apologized to the team and fans after his arrest on suspicion of DWI following a weekend loss to Portland. The Timberwolves suspended Jefferson for the next two games without pay - a punishment Jefferson said he accepts.