NBA: LA Lakers 104, New Orleans 88

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Kobe Bryant scored 28 points despite sitting out much of the second half Sunday in the Los Angeles Lakers' 104-88 win over New Orleans.

Bryant scored 26 in the first half on 10-of-16 shooting from the field for the defending NBA champion Lakers, who have won five straight and six of their first seven games to open the season.

Shannon Brown scored 15 points off the bench and Luke Walton scored 11 for the Lakers, who once again played without Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Gasol has been sidelined by a small hamstring tear and Bynum is recovering from an elbow injury.

Chris Paul finished with 15 points and nine assists for the Hornets, who lost for the fifth time in their first seven games. David West scored 11 and James Posey, Emeka Okafor and Devin Brown had 10 points apiece for New Orleans.

The Lakers were ahead 55-42 at the half and used a 17-3 outburst in the third quarter to go up by 27.