Lakers have upper hand

PHOENIX -- It sure seemed like May or June, anything but February, with a frenzied backdrop and thickened tension that were present and tangible long before tipoff.

Then the Lakers emerged with a victory over the Phoenix Suns, 130-124, riding 41 points from Kobe Bryant and showing Wednesday at US Airways Center that their recent acquisition might hold a little more juice than the Suns’ newest toy.

When it finally ended, and Suns fans began trickling out quietly, the Lakers had clinched a head-to-head playoff tiebreaker with the Suns by taking the season series for the first time since 2003-04. They also matched the Suns’ record, 37-17, atop the Pacific Division.

Pau Gasol scored 29 points to outpace Shaquille O’Neal’s 15 and seemed to understand this lively little rivalry with the Suns (see: Bryant vs. Raja Bell, Phil Jackson vs. Mike D’Antoni, Lakers vs. Suns the last two postseasons).

Only a few weeks ago, Gasol was counting down the days left in the season from the southwest corner of Tennessee, but he stood in front of his locker Wednesday and proudly displayed a pair of foot-long scratches on his shoulder, courtesy of O’Neal.

“I’ve got a new tattoo,” he said, smiling.

That the Lakers are holding a needle to the Suns seems more and more relevant as the season unfolds.

They have won twice in Phoenix and have more reserves on the way at some point, with the injured Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza watching the game back in Los Angeles.

Maybe these were reasons, among many, for their brimming optimism.

“The energy in the building was familiar. It felt like a playoff-type of environment,” Bryant said.

“Our confidence is naturally pretty high.”

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, fully cognizant of a 3-1 record against the Suns this season, was effusive in his own way.

“We now have the advantage if this is going to be as tight a race as it’s been,” he said.

The pregame environment had all the energy and hope of the NBA in June, right down to the scoreboard decree of “Welcome to Planet Orange,” complete with O’Neal roaring into the camera, much to the delight of Suns fans.

The crowd predictably went wild when O’Neal was introduced as a Sun for the first time, a scene reminiscent of Gasol’s introduction before his home debut a day earlier at Staples Center.

Gasol made 13 of 19 shots against the Suns, but it was Bryant’s 16-for-25 effort that was the difference-maker, injured pinkie and all.

Bryant had 13 points in the fourth quarter, pushing the Lakers in a game that never seemed to slow down.

He also picked up a handful of compliments from his former teammate and foe.

“He’s the best player in the league,” O’Neal said. “He really is. I’ve been saying that since I’ve played with him. Fabulous player.”

O’Neal might have created a tad of revisionist history -- he and Bryant really weren’t that close at the end of their run as Lakers teammates -- but the compliment was notable nonetheless.

Bryant even lobbed a few kinds words back at O’Neal, who made six of nine shots and took nine rebounds in nearly 29 minutes. O’Neal had not played since Jan. 21 because of inflammation in his left hip and thigh.

“I thought he looked very good,” Bryant said. “All in all, I think it went very well.”

It actually only went sort of well for the Suns.

They managed to keep up their frenetic offense, but they weren’t seamless enough to win, allowing Bryant room to operate and letting Gasol slip free for numerous shots around the basket.

They also seemed to forget about Lamar Odom, who was active and assertive with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lakers also arose in key situations, be it Bryant’s forceful dunk with 1.8 seconds left at the end of the first quarter or Gasol’s hook shot with 0.4 seconds left at the end of the third quarter.

Then there was the fourth quarter, in which Bryant extended one-point leads on three occasions -- with a 16-footer, a three-pointer, and finally with a seven-foot bank shot.

In the end, the Lakers took their sixth consecutive game, their ninth victory in the last 10 games, and left the home of their deepest present-day rivals with a host of smiles.

To be continued, perhaps in the playoffs.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Shaq by the numbers

2

The length in feet of his first shot. He missed.

9:57

Time of his first basket, a dunk.

5

Number of free throws missed, in eight attempts.

28:45

The amount of time he played.

9

His number of rebounds.

6

His points through three quarters.

9

His points in the fourth quarter.

29

Points for Lakers center Pau Gasol.

3-1

Shaq’s record in debuts with his four NBA teams.