Bryant Feeling Better and Looking Great

The three-pronged Hotel Figueroa, whose lanky brick structures once were colored with Shaq, Kareem and Wilt, now project Kobe, Kobe and Kobe, holding trophies from the last three NBA championships.

“It warms my bones every time I see it,” Kobe Bryant said.

It was one of those weeks when everything worked for Bryant, the Lakers won every time they took the floor, and defenders, like anyone strolling along Chick Hearn Court, saw Bryant in triplicate.

The Lakers dug in to play themselves away from seemingly disastrous home losses to Golden State and New Jersey, and Bryant averaged 40 points in wins at Phoenix, at Sacramento and against Utah.

He made 49.4% of his shots, half of his 10 three-pointers and 33 of 37 free throws, and suddenly the Lakers looked healthy and viable again.

Laker Coach Phil Jackson said it was about getting Bryant, “into a position where he can operate in the open floor a little bit, where he can attack, break teams down and get to the free-throw line and get some things happening for us.”

As a result, even as the Lakers strain to reach .500, observers and teammates are beginning to size up Bryant’s standing among most-valuable-player candidates Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Shaquille O’Neal, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Webber and the rest.

“It’s building a case,” forward Rick Fox said. “An MVP case has to stretch for a full season.”

Of course, the Lakers couldn’t really concern themselves with such things.

Said Bryant, “That’s not my No. 1 priority.”

After the grind of three games in three arenas in four days, they took Sunday off and were to meet early this morning for a quick practice followed by a flight to Indianapolis.

They play the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night and the New York Knicks on Thursday before Bryant and O’Neal go to Atlanta for the All-Star game and everyone else goes home.

“It definitely feels like we’re going downhill right now,” Fox said, meaning things feel simpler. “Everyone has stepped into a nice rhythm.”

Bryant said after Saturday’s game that his sore right knee felt better, that it was as sound as it was going to be, and that therefore he was looking forward to playing on.

“Let’s go,” he said. “Let’s go. This is what we’ve been waiting for. I can’t wait to get down to Indiana, they’ve been playing so well.”

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The Pacers on Tuesday won’t have Ron Artest, who will be serving the last of his four-game suspension for various acts committed during last week’s Miami game.

Strong and tough, Artest has always been a game defender on Bryant, who was asked what impact Artest’s absence might have on the game.

“I have no idea,” he said. “We’ll see.”

The last time Reggie Miller and Bryant were on an NBA floor together, March 1 at Staples Center, the game ended and they fought, Miller later suggesting Bryant had personal problems that had spilled onto the court.

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The four weeks after the All-Star game will be critical to the Lakers, because they will play 14 of their final 21 games as the road team, one of them at Staples Center against the Clippers.

In one 15-game stretch, from March 11-April 4, they will play 12 road games.