Everyone Chips In for a Laker Victory

Kobe Bryant took fewer than 35 shots, and the Lakers survived.

Lamar Odom scored more than 20 points, and Phil Jackson didn’t mind.

Kwame Brown, Devean George, Luke Walton and Slava Medvedenko all sat out with injuries, and the Lakers were fine.

With an ugly loss to the Clippers and a final-minute meltdown against Chicago in their rearview mirror, the Lakers put together their best second half of the season and defeated the Seattle SuperSonics, 108-96, Thursday night at Staples Center.

Bryant, who had averaged 35 shots over the previous three games, had 34 points, 29 in the second half, and made 12 of 26 shots.

Odom had 23 points, and Brian Cook, starting in place of Brown, had a season-high 17.

The Lakers had double-figure scoring from all five starters for the first time this season.

Bryant, who didn’t score until 6:55 remained in the second quarter, couldn’t miss in the second half.

He had nine points in the last 1:33 of the third quarter, converting a three-point play after getting fouled on a four-foot runner, and making two three-pointers, one of which came with 1.4 seconds left in the quarter.

He had 15 points in the third quarter.

“Nice energy in the second half,” Jackson said. “We rode the wave of Kobe’s rush there in the third and part of the fourth quarter.”

Allen, a nemesis of Bryant dating to last season, had 19 points on six-for-15 shooting.

There was the hint of an old fire rekindled before the game, when Jackson approached Bryant and asked if he’d like to rest on defense and let somebody else guard Allen, a five-time All-Star.

Bryant’s answer, as told by Jackson: “I’m ready for him.”

A year and a month ago, in the Lakers’ first exhibition of the 2004-05 season, Allen and Bryant exchanged elbows and insults, Allen saying afterward that Bryant was “very selfish” and would demand a trade within two years.

They eventually reached a truce, but there they were again Thursday, Allen winning the battle early by drawing two fouls on Bryant in the first four minutes and sending the threadbare Lakers to an apparent early demise.

But the Lakers managed to maintain the five-point edge they held when Bryant left and led, 24-19, when he returned to start the second quarter.

For the rest of the half, however, the Lakers could do nothing right, making eight of 24 shots and surrendering 32 points to Seattle, which took a 51-43 halftime lead.

The SuperSonics’ second-quarter dominance was so thorough that TNT analyst Charles Barkley brought up the subject of Jackson’s annual book-giving to players and recommended the Laker coach hand out Bibles because “only God can help them.”

They didn’t need divine intervention in the second half. Just Bryant, who took more pride in his defense against Allen than his outburst on offense.

“Scoring is pretty much like breathing to me,” he said. “Defense, I really take a lot of pride there.”

Earlier in the week, Odom pledged to average 20 points over the next four games, then backed down after a conversation with Jackson, who reminded him of his role as distributor first, scorer second.

Still, Odom looked more aggressive than in recent games, taking four shots by the time the game was seven minutes old -- matching his total in Sunday’s game against Chicago -- and scoring 10 points in the first quarter.

Odom, moved back into the guard position after spending a game at power forward, had 12 rebounds and six assists.

Jackson originally labeled Thanksgiving a fair date to assess how well this season would fare, but he ditched the theory earlier in the week because of the Lakers’ multiple injuries, saying a six-game trip starting in early December would be a better indicator.

On Thursday, he liked what he saw.

Tired of slow Laker starts in recent games, Jackson wrote “Carpe Diem” on the board and told the players that they weren’t starting games with a sense of purpose. Their start, and finish, was enough to make Jackson pleased.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Top gun

*--* Opponent KB Shots Rest Result at Denver 28 54 W 99-97 Phoenix 26 61 L 122-112 Denver 31 51 W 112-92 at Atlanta 26 47 W 103-97 at Minnesota 26 52 L 88-74 at Phila. 27 57 L 85-81 at Memphis 18 59 L 85-73 New York 36 49 W 97-92 Clippers 35 50 L 97-91 Chicago 34 44 L 96-93 Seattle 26 58 W 108-96 Total 313 582 W-L (5-6)

*--*