Lakers improve to 4-0 without Kobe Bryant

The first surprise came earlier in the day, when Kobe Bryant decided he would not play against the Golden State Warriors.

Then the outcome of the game itself was in doubt, the Lakers stumbling Tuesday against the hapless Warriors, who entered with punch line-inspiring credentials of a 14-37 record, 4-22 on the road.

But the Lakers hemmed and hawed their way to a victory, 104-94, another testament to their ability to win without Bryant as much as the Warriors’ inability to win, period.

Shannon Brown shook off a miserable effort in the All-Star dunk competition, Andrew Bynum returned from a two-game absence, and the Lakers came back successfully from the All-Star break, even if Bryant didn’t.

It wasn’t easy, the Lakers coughing up double-digit leads on two occasions and causing their fans to squirm restlessly at Staples Center, but they improved to 4-0 since Bryant pulled himself out of the lineup with a high sprain in his left ankle.

Bynum had 21 points and seven rebounds despite a sore right hip, but the story of the game was Brown, who had 27 points and 10 rebounds, both career-highs on the way to his first NBA double-double.

“I didn’t know where the double-double came from,” Brown said, smiling. “I know it wasn’t assists. I was just out there playing, trying to help this team win. That’s pretty much it.”

Bryant practiced Monday but informed the team Tuesday that he didn’t feel his ankle was strong enough to play against the Warriors. It is unknown if he will play Thursday against Boston, but the team doesn’t seem overly concerned with the injury. He is not scheduled to see any doctors or get any further medical tests beyond an MRI exam he had last week that confirmed the sprain.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said Bryant was “effective” in Monday’s practice, but with a caveat.

“He didn’t try anything. He didn’t go to the basket,” Jackson said. “He kind of just helped run the team and helped keep things going in the right direction. I thought he was just adjusting to what he had to do out there but [Tuesday] morning he said he just didn’t feel like he had enough strength in the leg to really be explosive so he checked out of this game, basically.”

Said Bryant: “It just got worse and worse [in practice]. I was limping around by the end of it. My team won both scrimmages, though.”

Bryant wasn’t sure if he would suit up against Boston. If he doesn’t, the Lakers don’t play again until next Tuesday in Memphis, thanks to a quirky break in their schedule that provides another long weekend without games.

“It’s purely up to him,” Jackson said. “We’ll encourage him to play if he’s ready. If he’s not, that’s OK.”

Unlike their structured, methodical victories over Portland, San Antonio and Utah, the Lakers were too careless on offense (19 turnovers) to pull away from the Warriors, who fought back from a 14-point second-quarter deficit and again from an 11-point third-quarter deficit.

It was a strange game from the start.

Brown came alive a few days after a dud of a dunk competition, but he experienced a rarity in the first quarter, getting two three-pointers changed back to two-pointers after video review.

Then there was a bizarre Jason “Wee Man” Acuna sighting before the third quarter, when the “Jackass” star grabbed a ball and started shooting around with the Warriors -- mostly airballs -- before getting chased off the court by security and a referee.

Only after four late free throws by Pau Gasol and Brown’s 22-footer from the right side could the Lakers exhale, holding a 98-91 lead with 1:13 to play.

Boston is up next, with or without Bryant.

mike.bresnahan

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