NBA Roundup: Fun After Fifty Club

Notes on Thursday's games in the National Basketball Association ...

• Kobe Lights Up The Scoreboard Just For You. Some may say that Kobe Bryant's latest milestone doesn't really count, because it came against the Grizzlies. Naw, it counts ... he scored 60 freakin' points. Bryant became the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 50 points in three straight games, the Lakers beating Memphis 121-119. Bryant was 20-for-37 from the field and 17-of-18 from the free-throw line. "It's special because it's coming off three straight wins," Bryant said. "This is a stretch where we really need to make up some ground." Indeed. Kobe's not only going off, but he's winning games. So color us impressed. The last Laker with three consecutive 50-point games was Elgin Baylor in December 1962. Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain are the only other players with three straight 50-point games (Chamberlain has the record with seven straight).

• Beast From The East. Yep, Yao is back. Mr. Ming scored 27 points and made a key block in the final minute as the Rockets beat the Pistons 91-85. The Rockets have won eight of 10 since Yao returned from a broken leg.

• Welcome To The 30-20 Club. Amare Stoudemire, stud. His 33 points and 21 rebounds led Phoenix to a 118-100 win over Sacramento (sans Ron Artest). Steve Nash had 17 points and 16 assists.

• Slip Slidin' Away. Brandon Roy scored 24 points to lead Portland over New York 92-86. The Knicks lost for the fourth time in five games and missed a chance to move into a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.