`24' STILL A BIG HIT WITH LAKERS BRYANT DEBUTS WITH NEW JERSEY, SCORES 23 LAKERS 118, SEATTLE 112.

Byline: ROSS SILER Staff Writer

The new number will take some getting used to for Lakers fans, who could look out on the court Friday night and find the only No. 8 belonging to Seattle's Luke Ridnour.

The right knee will take some getting used to for Kobe Bryant, who put aside the questions about scar tissue and soreness, and played for the first time all season.

Either way, it wasa new-look night at Staples Center. Bryant debuted his No. 24 jersey and the Lakers beat the Seattle SuperSonics 118-112 with the superstar guard scoring all of five points in the fourth quarter.

Bryant finished with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting with six assists in 41 minutes. The two biggest plays down the stretch, however, came from Smush Parker and Ronny Turiaf, though Bryant factored into both.

Bryant found Parker cutting off a screen for a layup that put the Lakers ahead for good 109-107. At the other end, Bryant hung with Seattle guard Ray Allen on defense, forcing Allen into a tough shot.

Turiaf, coming off a career-high 23-point game Thursday against Golden State, won the battle for the rebound with the Sonics' Chris Wilcox. Turiaf was fouled and stepped to the line with 55.6 seconds remaining.

One of the Lakers' worst foul shooters during the preseason, Turiaf shot them Friday with the crowd chanting his name. He drained both of them and Bryant imitated Turiaf in slapping hands with the second-year forward.Turiaf then followed with two forceful blocks of Wilcox and Rashard Lewis as the Lakers held on for the victory. He played the entire fourth quarter, finished with 13 points and even connected on a big 17-footer with 4 1/2 minutes to play.

The Lakers improved to 3-0 and will play Seattle again Sunday as part of a home-and-home set of games. Lamar Odom led the Lakers with 29 points in 42 minutes while Luke Walton added 20 points.

The Lakers went into the fourth quarter trailing 88-86, as the Sonics spent the second and third quarters coming back from 20 points down.

They struggled to stay with Seattle's shooters, in particular Allen, who had 30 points through three quarters.

Bryant sat for the final 2:03 of the third quarter but came back at the start of the fourth quarter. Lakers coach Phil Jackson wanted Bryant to stabilize the second unit while Odom got a breather on the bench.

It was the situation where Bryant normally tries to impose his will on the game. But he missed an early jumper and watched as Damien Wilkins blew past him for two dunks with little backline help.

The Sonics led 94-89, but the Lakers got three key plays from their reserves. Vladimir Radmanovic drilled a 3-pointer, Turiaf made a block in the lane and Jordan Farmar finished a fastbreak with a layup to tie the game.

Odom returned for the final eight minutes but the Lakers gave up a fastbreak dunk to Wilcox and an easy layup to Ridnour, who beat Farmar off the dribble. Jackson took a timeout with Seattle ahead 98-96.

Bryant played for the first time since undergoing surgery on his knee July 15. He was originally supposed to return within eight to 12 weeks, but his recovery stalled and Bryant wound up missing nearly 16 weeks.

He did not play in any of the Lakers' eight preseason games and had to sit out the first two regular-season games as well. But Bryant said before Friday's game that he thought he had turned the corner with his knee.

"I should be good," Bryant said. "That's one of the things. We didn't want to have to come back and be day to day. Hopefully, we're in the clear. It feels like we are."

Bryant brought an unmistakable energy to the floor in the first quarter, even if he was content to be a playmaker instead of scorer.

The Lakers made 13 of 18 shots (72 percent) and built a 20-point lead over the Sonics.

Bryant had three assists in the quarter as well as three turnovers.He drove the lane and twice kicked out passes to Odom for 3-pointers.

But Bryant's timing was notably off all game.

He also left a finger-roll layup short at the rim in the closing seconds of the second quarter and couldn't elevate for a dunk in the third quarter after spinning past Allen in the post.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti wrapped Bryant's right leg to keep it warm as Bryant sat on the bench at the start of the second quarter. Bryant played 19 minutes in the first half.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Lakers' Kobe Bryant throws down a dunk Friday against Seattle.

(2) The Lakers' Ronny Turiaf, left, and Lamar Odom go after a rebound during Friday's game. Turiaf had seven rebounds off the bench.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer