Bryant (53) takes game in his hands

Two tired teams, two missing stars, what could be better than ... two overtimes?

The Lakers got their first win of the season without Lamar Odom but it wasn’t pretty or fast. Returning to the style of the Rudy Tomjanovich era in which Kobe Bryant shoots them into or out of the game, he scored 53 points Friday night, leading them from 21 points behind to defeat the Rockets, 112-101, in double overtime.

Bryant who hadn’t taken more than 26 shots in a game this season, took 38, making 17, going on a furious burst after being held to two free throws in the first quarter.

“Even though we were down by 20 points, I felt the game was ours,” Bryant said, “even though that may sound strange.”

Let’s just say it didn’t strike anyone else like that, including his coach, who played Bryant 54 minutes after Kobe went 43 in Houston Tuesday and 44 in Dallas Wednesday,

On the other hand, Bryant did have Thursday off.

“At some point, he’s going to find a way to make the game go in his behalf,” Phil Jackson said. “I thought it was a long time coming in the first half.”

Said Houston Coach Jeff Van Gundy of Bryant: “I don’t know if he imposed his will, but he imposed his skill.”

The Lakers needed every drop, because the embattled Rockets got a monster effort from 7-foot-6 Yao Ming, who went 48 minutes after going 41 the night before, scoring 35 points with 15 rebounds and eight blocks.

Throw in three more blocks by 40-year-old Dikembe Mutombo, all punctuated by his signature finger wag, and the Lakers had a tough time getting the ball to the basket.

The Rockets started the night, 0-2 without their star guard, Tracy McGrady, coming off a 109-107 loss to the Warriors in Oakland Thursday.

“We need to play hard and well,” Van Gundy said before the game. “The West is unforgiving for teams with injuries. New Orleans is going through it now. We’re going to have to play hard and well to have a chance.”

Well, the Rockets tried.

With Yao swatting away four shots in the first quarter and the Lakers turning the ball over nine times, including Bryant’s four, Houston took a 29-10 lead which became 31-10 early in the second period.

After the first quarter, it was Kobe against the world. He scored 17 points in the second quarter, giving him 19 of the Lakers’ 35 points at halftime.

The Lakers chased the Rockets the rest of the way, clawing to within 66-60 after three quarters, only to see Houston open it up to 77-64 with 8:07 left.

Nevertheless, the Lakers caught them, even with Van Gundy playing Hack-a-Kwame with Kwame Brown, twice sending him to the line with intentional fouls. Brown, who started the night as a 42% free throw shooter, made one of four, dropping him to 41%.

“Well, he hadn’t really shot one until we fouled him,” Van Gundy said. “He’s Shaq-like.”

The Lakers only wish Brown was Shaq-like. Nevertheless, they went on a late 20-6 surge, carrying them into an 89-87 lead in the closing minute. Yao’s 11-foot turnaround with 22 seconds left tied it, 89-89.

The Rockets went up, 97-94, in the first overtime, whereupon Van Gundy went to a zone defense. Brian Cook then banged in a three-pointer over the top of the zone to pull the Lakers even.

The Lakers led, 99-97, in the last minute but once again Yao tied it with another turnaround jumper, this one with :38 left.

The second overtime was all Lakers. They started it with a 9-0 run, with Bryant scoring on a reverse dunk after ducking under Yao, and Parker dropping a three-pointer on the next possession.

So it was a good night’s work for the Lakers, after all, or several of them.

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mark.heisler@latimes.com

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Nifty 50

Kobe Bryant scored more than 50 points Friday for the 13th time in his career. Bryant’s top seven scoring games:

*--* Pts. Opponent Date 81 Toronto Jan. 22, 2006 62 Dallas Dec. 20, 2005 56 Memphis Jan. 14, 2002 55 Washington March 28, 2003 53 HOUSTON DEC. 15, 2006 (2OT) 52 Utah Nov. 30, 2006 52 Houston Feb. 18, 2003 (2OT)

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Los Angeles Times

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KEYS TO THE GAME

* 53 for No. 24. For the second time in his career, Kobe Bryant scored more than 50 points in a double-overtime win at home against Houston.

* Losing fuel. The Rockets, who lost at Golden State Thursday on a last-second shot, had nothing left for the second overtime, scoring only two points.

* Staples success. The Lakers improved to 13-3 at home. That’s the most wins at home for any team.