LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Kobe Bryant and LeBron James traded hugs, big shots and verbal jabs all night with warmth and humour. In the waning minutes, they went head-to-head in yet another entertaining duel between two of this generations greatest talents.Although LeBron ended up topping his friendly rival again, King James relished what could be one of his final chances to share a court with one of his few true peers.James scored 36 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their six-game losing streak with a 109-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night despite Bryants 19 points and career-high 17 assists.Its always fun, a pleasure, James said. Its two of the best competitors this game has probably ever seen, and to be on the same floor with him, somebody I looked up to when I was a child growing up, seeing him go straight from high school to the NBA, its fun, its great. I hated him being out of the NBA last year because of injury, and its fun having him back.Cleveland had lost nine of 10 before James held off Bryant down the stretch in a scintillating exchange between the basketball icons.Bryant hit a 3-pointer with 1:54 left and two free throws with 43 seconds to play, cutting Clevelands lead to 103-99. But James drove past Bryant for an acrobatic layup with 20.9 seconds left, and Bryant missed a jumper that essentially ended it.Bryant and James embraced again afterward, and even Kobe allowed himself to relish the moment.If we were contending for a championship, Id be my same moody self, Bryant said. But right now, I tend to have a little more perspective, knowing I really wont get a chance to play against him for much longer. So you want to enjoy it.Bryant set a career high for assists in his 1,279th regular-season game, playing in his second straight after skipping three of four games to rest his 36-year-old body. He showed off his playmaking skills, but James got the Cavs comfortably ahead while Kobe sat out the start of the fourth quarter under a strict minutes limit.James and Bryant laughed and joked throughout the game, exchanging good-natured jibes while waiting to check into the game together. James turned 30 last month, while Bryants season has been defined by his weariness from a 19-year career.Kobe even had something to say when LeBron spectacularly clanged a dunk attempt off the rim.He said, Thats what old age will get you, James said with a laugh. You start missing dunks when you thought you was up there.James has won 13 of his last 16 matchups with Kobe since 2006. When Bryant went back to the bench after getting his 15th assist in the third quarter, James took charge of the Cavs rally to an 11-point lead in the fourth.For all of us, those are two all-time greats going at it ... like two prizefighters, Cavs coach David Blatt said. Its great to see two guys playing the game at that level for so many years and still involving their teammates in the way that they did.Kyrie Irving added 22 points and Kevin Love scored 17 for the Cavaliers, who moved back to .500 with their first victory since Jan. 2.On the fourth stop of Clevelands five-game West Coast trip, James hit four 3-pointers in his second game back from an eight-game absence with an injured right knee.Jordan Hill scored 20 points in the Lakers ninth loss in 12 games.TIP-INSCavaliers: James ripped off the protective sleeve on his elbow in frustration after missing his first three free throws, only to miss a fourth without the support. ... Loves back appeared to be bothering him throughout the game. A trainer attended to him during a second-quarter timeout. ... Cleveland began the night under .500 for the first time since Nov. 24.Lakers: Bryant set his previous career high in assists on Feb. 2, 2002, against Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards. ... Nick Young scored 14 points, but his streak of consecutive free throws made ended at 31 in the fourth quarter. ... NBA career assists leader John Stockton also played 19 seasons, getting a season high of 13 assists that year.TIGHT COREBlatt used just three reserves, but got significant contributions from all eight players. J.R. Smith had three 3-pointers and 14 points, while Timofey Mozgov had 10 rebounds.SHUTDOWNBryant wont travel to the Lakers road game against the Jazz on Friday, and he realizes coach Byron Scott has suggested the team might decide to shut him down for the season in several weeks. Thats a tough one for me, Bryant said. I want to play, but at the same time, I understand his position, and I understand managements position, and I will do what they ask of me. But its very, very hard for me to miss one game.UP NEXTCavaliers: At Clippers on Friday.Lakers: At Utah on Friday. Chandler Parsons Jersey . Lawries batting helmet hit an umpire during his ninth-inning outburst in the Jays 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The 22-year-old threw his helmet to the ground and it bounced up and hit home plate umpire Bill Miller on the right hip after Lawrie was called out on strikes for the second out. Mike Bibby Jersey . -- Howie Kendrick had a two-run single in his first game batting leadoff this season, Chris Iannetta hit a pair of RBI singles and the Los Angeles Angels beat Cleveland 6-4 Tuesday night, sending the Indians to their fifth straight defeat. http://www.grizzliesbasketballpro.com/Mi...zlies-Jersey/.A. Happ is coming off his first start of the year, a win at Philadelphia Monday. The former Phillie allowed three hits in five scoreless frames of a 3-0 triumph. Mike Bibby Grizzlies Jersey . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. Cheap Memphis Grizzlies Jerseys . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Cincinnati Reds used a well-rounded effort to end their losing streak on Saturday. Jay Bruce homered and drove in three runs and the Reds snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-5 win over the Phillies. Todd Frazier also homered and the Reds played strong defence, throwing out two runners at the plate to end innings and overcome homers by Marlon Byrd, Carlos Ruiz and Jimmy Rollins to send the Phillies to their seventh loss in eight games. "Talk about a complete game," first-year manager Bryan Price said. "Those two perfectly executed relay throws were a big deal. We had a lot of good things, defensively and offensively." Centre fielder Billy Hamilton, second baseman Brandon Phillips and catcher Devin Mesoraco teamed up to throw out Byrd at the plate to end the sixth inning and Ruiz to end the seventh. "Those are fun plays," Mesoraco said. "Those are always my most fun plays. You certainly dont want to give up the doubles to get into that position." Alfredo Simon (8-3) allowed seven hits and three runs with three strikeouts in six innings. Jonathon Broxton pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his eighth save. The Reds wasted no time snapping their 17-inning scoreless streak, scoring in the first inning. Hamilton drew a leadoff walk, stole second on the first pitch to Skip Schumaker and hustled to third on Schumakers groundout to Rollins at shortstop, setting up Bruces sacrifice fly. "As a team, you need the small things," Bruce said. "Those are what lead to the bigger things." The Phillies answered with Byrds two-run homer in the second, his ninth of the season. Frazier led off the bottom of the second with his team-leading 13th homer of the season, giving him home runs in three of his past four games. Frazier sparked Cincinnatis fourth-inning go-ahead rally with a single to right field and stolen base. Zack Cozart drove him in with a sinking line drive to right-centre field that Ben Revere got a glove on with a diving try before the ball trickled away. Cozart went to third on Ramon Santiagos single and scored on Hamiltons sacrifice fly. The Phillies threatened in the fifth, getting runners to second and third with one out, prompting manager Ryne Sandberg to pinch-hit John Maybberry Jr.ddddddddddddfor starting pitcher Roberto Hernandez. Hernandez (2-4), is 0-3 in seven starts since his most recent win on May 4, allowed four hits and four runs with three walks and two strikeouts in four innings. He also hit a batter. Bruce followed Brandon Phillips fifth-inning leadoff walk with his fourth homer of the season and first since April 20 against the Cubs in Chicago. The homer was his first in Cincinnati since April 3 and the 100th of his career at Great American Ball Park. "Thats one of those things I knew was coming," Bruce said. "You just have to keep on keeping on. Ive been trying to keep the same approach. It felt good to put a good swing on a pitch I should have driven." Ruiz led off the sixth with his second homer of the season, and Rollins hit a two-run shot in the seventh, his eighth homer of the season and second in two days. Byrd was thrown out on a double on Domonic Browns double to right-centre field. He collided with Mesoraco, prompting umpire crew chief Tom Hallion to ask for a review to make sure Major League Baseballs new rules governing plays at the plate werent violated. "I cant give you an educated response because I dont know what the rule is," Byrd said. "I was waiting for a lane. I was going to slide outside and get my hand in" When the replay confirmed the initial ruling, Sandberg came out of the dugout to argue, which is automatic grounds for ejection. The umpires tried to wave him back into the dugout, and Hallion ejected Sandberg when he persisted. "My argument was the catcher blocked the plate before he had the ball," Sandberg said. "Byrd almost twisted his ankle with indecision. It has gone against us three times with different scenarios. Everyone wants to know what the rule is." Notes: Reds 1B Joey Votto will begin an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Sunday. Votto hasnt played since going on the disabled list on May 21, retroactive to May 16, with a quadriceps strain in his left knee, the same knee on which he had two surgeries in 2012. ... Bruces walk in the third inning was his first in 16 games since he was walked three times by Milwaukee on May 1. ... Sandbergs ejection was the first of his managerial career. ... 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