HEROICS ON DISPLAY IN WIN KOBE'S 21-POINT 4TH SINKS BOBCATS LAKERS 117, BOBCATS 116.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The rest of the Lakers knew of it only from television and the games they stayed up late to watch from the West Coast. That made what Kobe Bryant did in the fourth quarter Saturday night all the more unforgettable.

Sixty-one games into their season, the Lakers finally got the chance to see what Bryant does best. They stormed the court in celebration after his shot gave the Lakers a 117-116 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, then shook their heads in the locker room afterward.

``That was crazy,'' point guard Chucky Atkins said. ``I ain't never seen nothing like that.''

What Bryant did was score 21 points in the fourth quarter, throwing in impossible shots from the far reaches of Charlotte Coliseum, before pump- faking Bobcats guard Keith Bogans in the air and connecting on a 20-footer with 0.9 seconds remaining for the win.

``He's back to rare form,'' forward Caron Butler said. ``He was doing some amazing things, making amazing shots. That's what he does.''

Bryant went to the bench shaking his head with 7 1/2 minutes left and the expansion Bobcats leading by 10 points, the first-year team with a 12-48 record on the brink of the most stunning victory in its short history.

But Bryant dashed those dreams by lifting the Lakers back into the game, then delivering when they needed it most. He was engulfed by his teammates after hitting the shot over Bogans and ran off the court pounding on his chest.

``Everybody's excited because they'd seen this stuff on TV before,'' Bryant said. ``But to be a part of it, it's rejuvenating for myself as well as them.''

Never mind that Bryant needed to play 45 minutes against a Charlotte team that lost by 32 points one night earlier to the Philadelphia 76ers. Or that Bryant had made just 4 of 12 shots entering the fourth quarter.

The Lakers (32-29) won consecutive road games for the first time all season and Bryant found an unlikely setting to hit his biggest shot since Game 2 of the 2004 NBA Finals. Bryant had missed several buzzer-beaters earlier this season, most notably on Christmas Day.

``This is the sixth year I've been with him and it doesn't surprise me anymore,'' interim coach Frank Hamblen said of Bryant. ``I was with another guy very similar in Chicago.''

Hamblen was asked for the name of that player.

``Steve Kerr,'' Hamblen said, making light of the Michael Jordan comparison.

In the timeout before the Lakers set up for the last sequence, Bryant said his teammates already were talking like he had hit the shot. Bryant finished with 32 points and nine assists, taking over after moving to the wing midway through the fourth quarter.

``Pretty much all of them came up to me and said, 'All right man. Do what you do. Do what you do,' '' Bryant said. ``I said, 'I've got you.' ''

Butler said he had seen Bryant work miracles in the closing seconds before. He told the story of tuning in to Lakers games during his first two seasons in the NBA with the Miami Heat and watching Bryant almost in awe.

``I'm like, 'I'm over here now. I want to see some of that,' '' Butler said. ``I want to be a part of some of that so I can run on the court and dance a little bit. Man, he made it happen. That was a big shot.''

There wasn't even a second option as Luke Walton inbounded the ball to Bryant with 6.8 seconds remaining. Bryant set his feet knowing Bogans would jump on the fake, then rose for the shot.

``He set me up good,'' Bogans said. ``He turned it up in the fourth quarter. He was playing well throughout the whole game but he took it to another level coming down the stretch.''

Brevin Knight (21 points, 17 assists) missed a 3-pointer at the other end as time expired, and Bryant got in a parting shot at the Bobcats point guard. The two exchanged words in the third quarter, each receiving a technical foul, after Bryant flattened Knight in an earlier collision.

``I couldn't hear him,'' Bryant answered when asked what the 5-foot-10 Knight said. ``He's too little.''

Whether Hamblen called out the Lakers for their defense afterward, whether Emeka Okafor played like the Rookie of the Year by finishing with a career-high 30 points, the only story afterward was Bryant.

``When he came to the side, I gave him a little (slap) on the hand,'' Butler said.

``He was like, 'That's what I do.' I was like, 'I already know, homey.'

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Guard Kobe Bryant reacts after hitting a late 3-pointer in the Lakers' 117-116 win Saturday night in Charlotte.

(2) Bryant, right, is congratulated by his Lakers teammates after his game-winning basket on Saturday.

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Box:

(1) STANDINGS

(2) GAME RECAP