Bryant Gives Lakers Early Edge

The first was for the highlight reel. Starting out on the perimeter, in transition, attacking the rim, an up-and-under move after takeoff to elude one set of converging defenders, spinning up a reverse layup to dodge more arms. They’ll love that one on the 11 o’clock news.

The second was for perspective, because Kobe Bryant, with the defensive game that has made such impressive gains and the all-around game that gets lost amid the pyrotechnics, is about more than flight. This, for example, was one of his three three-pointers in the opening half Thursday night.

Consecutive baskets late in the second quarter. Back breakers for the Sacramento Kings early in Game 2 of the series.

“I felt we had a mental advantage at one point in the game,” Bryant said. “They dropped their edge.”

That time just before halftime being one of the points.

“Absolutely,” he said. “In transition, I was just going with the flow. With the three, I was going for the kill.”

The timing was everything. The Kings had just finished a 16-5 run that erased most of what was once a 13-point Laker lead from the final minute of the first period, a cushion built with the help of consecutive three-pointers by Bryant. Shaquille O’Neal had two early fouls, though also 11 points and 12 rebounds.

The Laker advantage was at eight when Bryant went “SportsCenter.”

The drive cut through the heart of the King defense, if not through the Kings, period. The acrobatic move, followed by the move of great control to flip in the reverse layup, made the score 49-39 with 2:19 to play in the half.

The jumper on the ensuing Laker possession, after Jason Williams missed after a drive down the lane for Sacramento, showed the lack of King defense. No one came out to contest the shot--unless it was that no one wanted to come too far out out of concern that Bryant would blow past them--so he stood alone on the right side, 26 feet out, and launched.

When the ball splashed the net, with 1:59 left, it became the capper to a 12-1 run that put the Lakers up, 52-39. It signaled the end for the Kings, at least for the night.

“We spent a lot of time talking about Shaq, but we probably should have spent more talking about Kobe,” Sacramento Coach Rick Adelman said.

Bryant had 22 points in the first half, 32 in all, in a 113-89 victory at Staples Center, a career playoff high. He made 12 of 20 shots, after making 11 of 22 in the Game 1 victory Sunday.

That’s 23 of 42 overall and, though very early in what the Lakers figure will be a long playoff journey, a development just as significant as the two baskets.

In 1996-97, he shot 41.7% during the regular season as a rookie, then 38.2% in nine playoff games.

In 1997-98, he shot 42.8% during the regular season, then 40.8% in 11 playoff games.

Last season, he shot 46.5% during the regular season, then 43% in eight playoff games.

Three years. Three playoff declines.

Come 1999-2000, he’s at an early, a very early, 54.8%, after 46.8% the first 5 1/2 months. It’s a big showing at the start of the playoffs. An even bigger showing near the start of Game 2.