Lakers fill void left by Bryant

For the Staples Center sellout crowd of 18,997, Friday night was like showing up for a Broadway play only to discover the much-celebrated leading man was out because of an illness, replaced by an understudy.

For the Atlanta Hawks, it was like showing up at the first tee of a PGA Tour event only to discover Tiger Woods wasn’t playing.

But for the Lakers, the decision by Kobe Bryant not to play because of a sprained right ankle was an opportunity for other players to again demonstrate they are more than a mere supporting cast, able to survive and even prosper without their superstar.

That the Lakers did, beating the Hawks, 106-95.

Three players in particular took advantage of their opportunity. Luke Walton (25 points), Maurice Evans (22) and Jordan Farmar (15) each had a career high in points on a night when the Lakers shot 55.7% from the field.

Bryant was injured Monday night when he came down on the right foot of Jeff Foster of the Indiana Pacers, suffering an injury that was diagnosed as a moderate sprain.

Bryant did not return that night, but he did play Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets, operating by his own admission at 50% efficiency and scoring 24 points.

That efficiency level dropped even more late in the game when the ankle stiffened. And by Thursday, the swelling had increased.

Still, Bryant came to Staples Center with an open mind Friday night.

“We made the final decision not to play about 20 minutes before game time,” Bryant said. “[Trainer] Gary Vitti tried everything as far as taping up my ankle to the reduce the pain, but we couldn’t do it.”

With the schedule about to take a sharp upturn in terms of quality of opponent and degree of difficulty -- home against San Antonio on Sunday, back-to-back road games in Houston and Dallas, followed by a home game against Houston -- Bryant was given some additional healing time.

It’s not as if the Lakers haven’t been in this situation before. When Bryant was not ready to take the court for the first two games of the regular season because of the lingering effects from July arthroscopic knee surgery, the Lakers still beat the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors.

In facing the Hawks, the Lakers were going up against a club that was only 8-9 coming in, but was coming off an inspirational victory over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, having won despite trailing by 17 points in the fourth quarter.

There was no such comeback Friday night.

Walton made 10 of 13 shots from the floor, including the only three-pointer he attempted, and all four free throws, plus he pulled down four rebounds and added six assists. Evans was eight for 14 from the field.

As for Farmar, who left UCLA after his sophomore year, he made five of six shots from the floor, including all three three-pointers he attempted, had four assists and did a pretty good impersonation of Bryant in the second quarter when it appeared the game might be slipping away, Atlanta up 32-24.

Farmar had a hand in the next 12 unanswered points.

So much for those who questioned Farmar’s size, his quickness, his decision to come out of school and pass up a chance to be part of a possible national championship team with the Bruins.

“I was disappointed in the way I played the last few games,” Farmar said. “I wanted to play the way I have in the past [in college].

“I felt I was ready to come out of school. And though I have far, far, far more to learn, I know I can play at this level.”

No argument Friday night.

While Lamar Odom scored only six points, he was the dominant figure on the boards, pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds. Odom also had seven assists.

The Hawks’ Joe Johnson led all scorers with 30 points.

As the final seconds ticked away, it was Farmar dribbling out the clock, a smile on his face. He has arrived.

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steve.springer@latimes.com

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KEYS TO THE GAME

* The Lakers’ hot shooting, led by Luke Walton (25 points), Maurice Evans (22) and Jordan Farmar (15), each with a career high.

* The work on the boards of Lamar Odom, whose 15 rebounds enabled the Lakers to beat the Hawks in that category, 42-35.

* The poise of Farmar, who took over the game in the second quarter with the Lakers trailing by eight and led them to 12 unanswered points, having a hand in all of them.

--STEVE SPRINGER