LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Lakers displayed the toughness they lacked last season to beat the Boston Celtics 92-83 and end the NBA champions' franchise-best 19-game winning streak on Thursday.

Pau Gasol scored seven successive points in the final three minutes and Kobe Bryant had a game-high 27 points as the Lakers (24-5) earned a measure of revenge against the Celtics.

It was the first meeting between the two since the Celtics beat the Lakers 4-2 in the best-of-seven NBA finals in June.