Kobe’s Game Is 3-Dimensional

By his own admission, Kobe Bryant is not a three-point jump shooter.

For a night, however, he was not only a jump shooter, but one of the best ever.

Bryant made an NBA-record 12 three-point baskets, including a single-game record nine in a row, and the Lakers defeated the Seattle SuperSonics, 119-98, Tuesday night at Staples Center.

“You know, it’s hard to describe,” Bryant said. “You don’t really realize what’s going on. It doesn’t really sink in, because you’re just shooting them one at a time. Then they start piling up.

“You just feel so confident. You get your feet set, get a good look, it’s going in.”

Just what everybody knew would make the Lakers great again: more jump shots.

Among the worst three-point shooting teams in the league at 31%, the Lakers made 17 of 32, both franchise records.

And, Bryant, who had made 12 threes since Nov. 29 and shoots them with some reluctance, surpassed the likes of Dennis Scott, who made 11 for the Orlando Magic against the Atlanta Hawks seven years ago, and Sam Perkins, Jeff Hornacek and Steve Smith, each of whom had once made eight in a row in a game.

Then he said he would consider joining the three-point contest at this season’s All-Star game, after swearing off on the dunking contest -- his signature -- years ago.

“This [record] is big,” he said. “I never, ever expected a three-point record.”

He smiled. And shrugged. And slapped hands with his teammates. And hung around in the zone for as long as he could, insisting on the basketball, 25 feet from the rim, hoisting shots, defended or not. At one point, Seattle’s Rashard Lewis grabbed him and said, “All right, you proved your point. Leave it alone. Stop.”

When he left the game, having made 12 of 18 threes, Bryant high-fived Phil Jackson, who smiled with 4:16 remaining, early and unusual in a very difficult season for the Lakers. Their lead was 21 points, and Bryant took his place on the bench near Shaquille O’Neal.

“That was perhaps the greatest streak shooting I’ve ever seen in my life,” Jackson said.

When his records were announced with more than two minutes left, 10 minutes before the arena would empty, Bryant waved and held up the last three fingers of his right hand.

He had scored 45 points. O’Neal, who stood and watched jumpers most of the night, scored 20. The Lakers’ 119 were a season-high.

They have won four of five games and five of their last seven. Their record is 15-20, and their victory over the SuperSonics will not be their strategic blueprint for more victories.

Yet, the crowd chanted Bryant’s name and he laughed. He had missed his first three, then made six in a row in the second quarter and -- if there was any thought halftime might chill him -- his first three of the third quarter. He scored 18 points in the second quarter and 20 in the third.

“Let me explain what that was,” Rick Fox said. “That was a shooting display by someone who doesn’t think he’s a three-point shooter.” Bryant made his eighth consecutive three-pointer about five minutes into the third quarter. He was near the SuperSonic bench.

Seattle Coach Nate McMillan stood and made a T with his hands, a timeout he hoped would cool down Bryant, perhaps.

Bryant spun off, raised his arms and circled back to the Laker bench like an airplane, the crowd in an uproar, Bryant grinning broadly.

The ninth came on the very next possession, over Desmond Mason, at the top of the key. The crowd chanted, “Ko-BEE! Ko-BEE!”

“I’ve seen [Michael] Jordan and a lot of guys do that, I’ve seen Chuck Person do that,” Gary Payton. “He was just in a zone. He made shots, he kept firing it up, and it kept going in.”

Between Dec. 20 and Jan. 5, in about 250 minutes on the floor, Bryant made six three-pointers. He made his first six Tuesday night in 4:58, then 12 in 37 minutes.

He said he could remember only one other time when he was as accurate.

“Maybe, one time, when I was, like, 7 years old,” he said. “I had 63 points.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

*--* Record Night for Bryant Most three-point baskets, game, NBA 12 Kobe Bryant, Lakers vs. Seattle, Jan. 7, 2003 11 Dennis Scott, Orlando vs. Atlanta, April 18, 1996 10 Brian Shaw, Miami at Milwaukee, April 8, 1993 10 Joe Dumars, Detroit vs. Minnesota, Nov. 8, 1994 10 George McCloud, Dallas vs. Phoenix, Dec. 16, 1995 (OT) 10 Ray Allen, Milwaukee vs. Charlotte, April 14, 2002 Most three-pointers, game, by a Laker 12 Kobe Bryant, vs. Seattle, Jan. 7, 2003 8 Glen Rice, vs. Portland, May 5, 1999 8 Nick Van Exel, at Denver, Feb. 13, 1997 8 Nick Van Exel, at Dallas, March 4, 1997 8 Nick Van Exel, at Dallas, Dec. 13, 1994 Most consecutive three-pointers, game, NBA 9 Kobe Bryant, Lakers vs. Seattle, Jan. 7, 2003 8 Jeff Hornacek, Utah vs. Seattle, Nov. 23, 1994 8 Sam Perkins, Seattle vs. Toronto, Jan. 15, 1997 8 Steve Smith, San Antonio at Portland, Nov. 3, 2001

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