`UNBELIEVABLE' BRYANT SCORES CAREER-HIGH 62 IN LAKERS' ROUT LAKERS 112, DALLAS 90.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

There are still four shopping days left until the second-annual Christmas showdown, but Kobe Bryant just might have sent a message Tuesday night that could be heard all the way in South Beach.

Once Santa Claus is done with his work, Bryant is coming to town. And Shaquille O'Neal can only hope what Bryant did to the Dallas Mavericks wasn't a warm-up act.

They chanted Bryant's name long and loud at Staples Center as the superstar guard delivered a signature performance, finishing with a career-high 62 points in only three quarters as Lakers demolished the Mavericks 112-90 on an unforgettable night.

``It's a great feeling to do it here at Staples Center, in front of our fans,'' Bryant said. ``They've been extremely supportive of us and patient, and to be able to give them this show, and before Christmas, it's kind of an early Christmas present for them.''

To put Bryant's night in perspective, consider that Wilt Chamberlain had 69 points through three quarters when he scored 100 in a game on March 2, 1962.

It was the kind of game when all Lakers coach Phil Jackson could do was write Kobe 62, Dallas 61, on the board he would normally use to diagram plays. Bryant outscored the Mavericks all by himself through three quarters, something Jackson never before had seen.

It was the kind of game when Bryant could predict beforehand he would score 50 points, according to guard Smush Parker, and somehow deliver an even bigger number. Bryant's previous career high was 56 points - also in three quarters - against Memphis on Jan. 14, 2002.

It was the kind of game that might have been summed up best by Dallas coach Avery Johnson, who was ejected and didn't even stick around long enough to watch Bryant set a Lakers franchise record by scoring 30 points in the third quarter.

``It was like he was in a gym all by himself working on all his moves,'' Johnson said.

No other Lakers player finished in double figures. Bryant was within striking range of Elgin Baylor's franchise record of 71 points, and Jackson gave Bryant the option of going back in with nine minutes left if he wanted the milestone.

But Bryant passed on the chance at history. The Lakers led by 34 points after three quarters and Bryant figured he had taken care of business after Sunday's disappointing loss to Houston, a game in which he scored 24 points and took just 13 shots.

Even in only 33 minutes, Bryant managed to eclipse O'Neal's previous Staples Center record of 61 points. Bryant finished with 62 points on 18 of 31 shooting, hitting 4 of 10 3-pointers and going 22 of 25 from the foul line.

``I just felt like I could continue to attack those guys,'' Bryant said. ``It wasn't one of those games where I felt like everything was flowing, the basket was really big. It was just determination, just take it to them.''

Bryant had 15 points in the first quarter, 17 in the second and 30 in the third. The Mavericks tried four different defenders on him - Josh Howard, Marquis Daniels, Devin Harris and Adrian Griffin - and did everything from employing a zone to double-teaming him.

Nothing worked. Bryant somehow topped the 43-point game he had against the Mavericks just eight days earlier. He even managed to somehow push in a shot over Dirk Nowitzki from the wrong side of the backboard in the second quarter.

On his way to the 30-point third quarter - the fourth highest-scoring quarter for a player in NBA history - Bryant was collared across the neck by Howard on one drive. Howard was hit with a flagrant foul and Bryant got in his face.

Bryant capped his night by burying a 3-pointer over DeSagana Diop with 4.4 seconds left in the third. As the crowd roared, he cocked one hand to his ear and pounded his chest five times in all. Bryant was mobbed by his teammates coming off the court.

``That was quite an exhibition for three quarters that Kobe put on tonight,'' Jackson said, later adding, ``So you know, in three quarters, 62 points, not a bad night.''

On his way out after the game, Lakers owner Jerry Buss had just one word - ``Unbelievable'' - to describe what he had seen.

Few would have disagreed.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kobe Bryant goes for two of his 62 points during the Lakers' rout of the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

(2) Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic takes a charge from the Mavericks' Devin Harris during Tuesday's game at Staples Center.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

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