Bryant’s time is adding up

So much for easing back into the flow of things.

Since coming back from a sprained right ankle that forced him to sit out a game, Kobe Bryant has played 39, 43, 44 and 54 minutes in four games, three of which were victories.

Lamar Odom is out until at least mid-January, adding to the responsibilities already piling up on Bryant -- more minutes, more shots and, presumably, more scoring.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson doesn’t want to go down the overload road too often with Bryant. Against Houston, Bryant had 53 points in 54 minutes in a double-overtime victory Friday. He made 17 of 38 shots.

“We don’t want to have him have to extend himself as much as he had to the other night,” Jackson said. “Someone else has to step in and play. Obviously, we had a half in which we tried to execute some of the team stuff and we didn’t get it going the first half. In the second half, we started doing things that brought Kobe to the scoring front.

“This is tough for him to carry this kind of load continually. We hope our big guys start stepping in and getting some points and Luke [Walton] gets his game going here and into double figures.”

Bryant is averaging 39.1 minutes a game, two fewer than he averaged last season.

“It is what it is,” Bryant said. “We’ll just try to make do and keep the ship moving in the right direction until [Odom] gets back. I feel fine.

“I feel normal. Now it’s just about getting my conditioning and strength to the next level.”

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Instead of Hack-a-Kwame, Jackson preferred to call it “Crack-a-Kwame” before revealing what ails the Lakers’ center at the free-throw line.

Houston fouled Kwame Brown intentionally twice in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game, and Brown responded by making one of four free throws. He made one of five overall in the game and has made 26 of 64 (40.6%) this season.

“I’ve never seen Crack-a-Kwame,” Jackson said Saturday. “In the timeout, I jumped down his throat and said, ‘I’m not taking you out of the ballgame to accommodate free-throw shooting. You can make free throws. Go up there and make them.’

“It’s not about Kwame’s shooting. It’s about his anxiety level at the line. He gets nervous and he doesn’t hold the ball. He kind of squirts it out of his hand a little bit quick. We’re just trying to get him to relax up there.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Washington, 6:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570; 1330.

Records -- Lakers 16-7; Wizards 11-11.

Record vs. Wizards (2005-06) -- 1-1.

Update -- With Gilbert Arenas (28 points a game) Caron Butler (18.7) and Antawn Jamison (18.4), the Wizards can hold their own with anybody on offense, but they are 2-8 on the road.

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com