Former Lakers applaud Kobe Bryant

The reviews trickled in quickly, the comparisons between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant forgotten for one brief period of time.

Bryant passed Jordan on Sunday for third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, an accomplishment that overshadowed the Lakers’ 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“Laker fans we’ve been so blessed to watch Kobe Bryant, one of the top 5 or 6 best players ever, play in a Lakers uniform!” Magic Johnson said on Twitter. “Just like we’ve never seen another player like Michael Jordan, we will never see another player like Kobe Bryant!”

Pau Gasol was similarly excited, saying he was “so proud” of his former teammate after Bryant passed Jordan with two free throws in the second quarter.

“Keep making history brother!” Gasol added on Twitter.

Imagine the symmetry experienced by Byron Scott, who was finishing his NBA career when Bryant scored his first basket as a rookie in 1996. Bryant now has 32,310 career points.

“I think it puts him in the conversation of, ‘Who is the greatest?’” said Scott, in his first year as the Lakers’ coach. “I think his name is going to be mentioned when it’s all said and done.”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal were quiet on Twitter, though Abdul-Jabbar hadn’t been active on the micro-blogging site in almost two weeks.

Former Lakers teammate Rick Fox called it a “long journey for you that continues” while interviewing Bryant for NBA TV.

“We shared some of those battles together and conversations about your desire to not only be the best ‘Kobe Bryant’ basketball player possible but the best in the game,” Fox said. “And I think you’re continuing to take those strides.”

Scott passed soon?

It had to happen amid all the talk of Bryant passing Jordan: Where did Scott rank among the all-time greats?

He didn’t do too badly as a player, currently sitting No. 127 overall after scoring 15,097 career points.

The good news for Scott is he won’t be passed by Dick Van Arsdale, Shareef Abdur-Rahim or Mike Mitchell.

The bad news? Kevin Durant is only 100 points behind him.

Oklahoma City plays two more games before visiting the Lakers on Friday, meaning there’s a chance Scott sees Durant pass him in person.

LAKERS AT INDIANA

When: 4 PST Monday.

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330.

Records: Lakers 8-16, Pacers 7-17.

Record vs. Pacers (2013-14): 0-2.

Update: The Pacers have been predictably poor without the injured Paul George and have lost eight consecutive games. All that needs to be known about the Pacers: Rodney Stuckey leads them in scoring (only 12.8 points a game) and Lavoy Allen leads them in rebounding (only 7.4 a game). The Lakers lost twice to the Pacers last season for the first time since 1991-92.