LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The Los Angeles Lakers  cruised into the second round of the NBA playoffs on Monday  while the Denver Nuggets moved a big step closer to joining  them with a record-equalling thrashing of the New Orleans  Hornets.

The Western Conference champion Lakers utilised Kobe  Bryant’s 31-point effort to beat the Utah Jazz 107-96 and claim  their Western Conference quarter-final series 4-1.

However, it was the Nuggets who put on the most remarkable  display of the day by earning a spot in the record books with a  121-63 rout of the Hornets in New Orleans.

Not since the Minneapolis Lakers defeated the St Louis  Hawks 133-75 in 1956 has an NBA team won a post-season game by  a 58-point margin.

“I must say I have never been a part of a game quiet like  this in the playoffs,” Chauncey Billups told reporters after  scoring 17 points to help Western Conference second seeds take  a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

In Monday’s other game, the Atlanta Hawks beat the Miami  Heat 81-71 to tie up their Eastern Conference series at 2-2.

In Los Angeles, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol provided strong  support for Bryant as the Lakers strolled into the second  round.

Odom delivered 26 points and 15 rebounds, while Spanish  forward Gasol had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

“We played well offensively but we played spotty defense  tonight,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “We broke the game  open but we didn’t close the door.”

The Lakers had a 21-point lead cut to six points by Utah in  the fourth quarter.

Paul Millsap came off the bench to lead the  rally with 16 points.

In New Orleans, the Nuggets went on a scoring spree while  holding Hornets top scorer Chris Paul to just four points.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a team play defense like  that,” Nuggets coach George Karl said.

Denver had a 36-15 lead after the first quarter and was in  front 61-39 at the half. Seven Nuggets, including Carmelo  Anthony with 26 points, wound up in double figures.

“That’s the worst game I’ve seen us play in the five years  I’ve been here,” Hornets coach Byron Scott said.

Game Five is in Denver today.

In Miami, Atlanta recorded its first road playoff win in 12  years.

The Hawks had not won away from home in the postseason  since defeating Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls on May 8, 1997.

Mike Bibby led the way with 15 points and Georgian backup  center Zaza Pachulia provided a career playoff-high 18 rebounds  and 12 points.

Miami’s Dwyane Wade scored 22 points, making only nine of  26 field-goal attempts as he suffered from back spasms.

Game Five is in Atlanta today.