A LESSON FOR KOBE: THERE'S NO I IN TEAM.

Byline: KAREN CROUSE

The North Carolina shorts that Michael Jordan wears under his Chicago uniform for good luck are nearly as old as Kobe Bryant, the latest in a long line of players anointed to fill Jordan's shorts, if you will, once the Bulls' peerless player decides to hang his up.

Bryant's 19-year-old exuberance banged elbows with Jordan's 13-year NBA experience on Sunday and the old guard held its ground even if the turf admittedly got a little spongy over the final 24 minutes.

Jordan scored 22 of his game-high 31 points in the first half and as he faded, so, too, did the Bulls, who were playing their third game in four days. They fell behind by as many as 28 points in the second half on their way to a 112-87 loss to the Lakers that, if anything, simply reinforced the very thing Lakers coach Del Harris has been trying to drill into the head of the strong-willed Bryant:

One superstar does not a superlative team make.

The faster Harris can convince Bryant to take his teammates along on his magic-carpet rides, the higher both Bryant and the Lakers will soar.

They were able to outscore the Bulls in front of a national television audience and a star-studded sellout crowd of 17,505 because while Jordan shot a decent-enough 42 percent from the floor, his so-called supporting cast converted just 36.7 percent of its attempts.

How bad were the Bulls? Scottie Pippen didn't score in the third quarter and Dennis Rodman was benched in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers, meanwhile, got monster performances from role players Rick Fox (25 points), Corie Blount (13 rebounds) and Derek Fisher (seven assists) in addition to solid outings from All-Stars Shaquille O'Neal (24 points), Eddie Jones (20 points) and Bryant (20 points).

Bryant started slowly because his heart was racing. Cognizant that this season could be Jordan's last, Bryant wanted desperately to make a good final impression in the second of two regular-season games between the teams in case they don't meet in the playoffs.

``That was a big reason I was so impatient, knowing this might be his last go-around,'' Bryant said. ``I just wanted to come out and do so well and . . . get a few shots off him. I let my emotions dictate my play. I was kind of rushing it.''

Bryant continued to rely on his instincts instead of his teammates in the third quarter. He missed four of six shots, repeatedly eschewing the extra pass for an errant shot, and promptly found himself with plenty of time to re-think his strategy. Harris sat Bryant for the first 4 minutes, 28 seconds of the final quarter to drive home the point that when it comes to scoring, Bryant's teammates can be used as effectively as a backboard.

``That's part of the reason he didn't play at the start of the fourth quarter,'' Harris said. ``I had to tell him about trying to do too much. Kobe's not a selfish guy. Kobe is just so competitive that at times he thinks the only way to win is if he does something.''

That may have been the case at Lower Merion High, but Bryant isn't in Philadelphia anymore. Lest he forgot it, Pippen and Jordan were there everywhere Bryant turned Sunday to provide a hands-on reminder.

That the Laker's precocious presence drew those two defenders is as fine a compliment as any that has been paid to Bryant, who last week became the youngest player to be voted an All-Star starter.

As Bryant's shadow lengthens over the NBA, his dependency on his teammates will also grow.

``In the NBA, you must trust in your teammates,'' Harris said. ``That means giving the ball up. He has to develop that.''

It takes longer to develop a reproduction than it does a photographic image. It's definitely not an overnight process. When Jordan was 19, he was learning the ropes under North Carolina coach Dean Smith, who wasn't inclined to give any single player much slack.

``When I was 19, I was still learning,'' Jordan said.

As time went on, ``I think the way I grew as a player was mentally,'' Jordan said. ``I started to learn who I was and that's what (Kobe is) starting to do.''

So what more does Bryant need to know to become Jordan's successor and not merely his heir apparent?

``Not to think like that,'' Jordan said with a laugh. ```He needs to be his own individual. He has a lot of talent, a lot of excitement. He certainly has the potential (to be the next Jordan). What he has to learn is how to apply his physical skills so he's operating within the framework of the team.''

Jordan won't get an argument from Bryant, who knows what he has to do even if he sometimes forgets when the ball is in his hands and the basket is beckoning him like a beacon.

``There are a lot of things I can learn from this game,'' Bryant said. ``I'm trying to learn as fast as I can.''

With that, talk of learning curve gave way to a beatific smile. ``As you can see,'' Bryant said, ``I'm very impatient.''

`AIR' TO THE THRONE

A look at how Kobe Bryant matched up with his Airness, Michael Jordan, on Sunday:

Bryant Jordan

Minutes 26 37

FG-FGA 7-16 11-26

Points 20 31

Rebounds4 5

Assists 1 2

Turnovers 1 1

Steals 2 1

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) ``I think the way I grew as a player was mentally. I started to learn who I was and that's what (Kobe is) starting to do.''

-- Michael Jordan, on the progress of Kobe Bryant

Evan Yee / Daily News

(2) Michael Jordan defends against Kobe Bryant during Sunday's game.

Associated Press

(3) BRYANT

(4) JORDAN

BOX: `AIR' TO THE THRONE (see text)