WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers personally outscored the Washington Wizards in a breakout first quarter to lead his team to a 103-91 road win on Sunday.

Bryant claimed 19 of his 30 points in the opening period as the Lakers roared into a 30-15 lead.

"He's the best in the game right now, hands down," Wizards forward Caron Butler told reporters.

"When a guy like that gets rolling, you are trying to stop one of the best players ever and we weren't able to."

Bryant, hitting a variety of shots, connected on 10 of 15 field-goal attempts.

"He is playing magnificently," Butler added. "With the addition of Pau Gasol, they are going to be great."

Forward Gasol, acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, watched the game from the sideline. He is expected to play his first game for Los Angeles this week.

Four other Lakers joined Bryant in double figures with Vladimir Radmanovic getting 15 and Lamar Odom 14.

"I thought we caught them off guard a little bit," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of his team's fast start.

"I like the rhythm with the change moving Kobe to the small forward position," Jackson added. "It has seemed to work well for us."

The Lakers shot 56.2 per cent from the floor.

"We have grown a lot together," Bryant said. "We understand how to play with each other. Chemistry and knowing where guys are is the key. We were moving the ball almost blindly today."

Antwan Jamison led the Wizards with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Butler, returning to the lineup after a hip injury, added 15 points.

* The Detroit Pistons won their fifth consecutive game, beating the poor-shooting Dallas Mavericks 90-67 behind Rasheed Wallace's 21 points. Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard each had 15 points for Dallas, which shot only 30.3 per cent from the floor in its lowest-scoring performance of the season.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Ed Osmond)