The battle for Los Angeles gained another feisty chapter as the Lakers scrapped to a 96-91 win over the Clippers on Wednesday to reassume inner-city bragging rights.
In a duel that featured a number of technical fouls and skirmishes, Kobe Bryant scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers flexed their muscles at crunch time.
Pau Gasol added 23 points and 10 rebounds and the Lakers (11-8) ended a three-game skid with a satisfying victory that ended with Bryant and Gasol exchanging heated words with Clippers leader Chris Paul.
"Just a little bit of trash talk, that's all," Gasol told reporters. "It was a good, competitive battle.
The Spaniard gave the Lakers a strong inside presence along withAndrew Bynum, who finished with 19.
The Lakers trailed narrowly for much of the game until Bryant sank a three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to give the home team their first lead since the opening minute, and they held on to spoil the return of Paul.
Paul, whose off-season trade to the Clippers turned them into a legitimate rival of the Lakers, looked rusty after missing five games with a hamstring injury and finished with four points and 12 assists.
He was originally injured in a Clippers' victory over the Lakers on January 14 which signaled their arrival as a threat to their storied neighbors.
This time, the Clippers (9-6) fell back despite leading by nine early in the third and getting 26 points and nine rebounds from Blake Griffin, including several rim-rattling dunks.
They closed within three points to start the fourth, and after Bryant scored eight straight points in the fourth the Lakers seized control.
Metta World Peace, who helped rally the home team as an emotional leader off the bench, made a three-pointer to give his team an 87-82 with 3:30 left and raced down the court pounding his chest.
The Clippers had a chance to tie things in the last minute but World Peace blocked a Paul lay-up and the visitors made a crucial turnover as the game slipped away.
In the final seconds, Paul barked at Gasol after the Lakers big man tried to rub his head and the rivalry waged on.
"I don't like that," said Paul, whose Clippers are now tied with the Lakes for first in the Pacific Division.
"I have kids of my own, don't touch my head like I'm one of your kids. You don't walk up and do that to a grown man!"
