KOBE AT EASE AND EFFECTIVE IN LAKERS LOSS SUPPORTIVE CROWD CHEERS EMBATTLED STAR'S 15 POINTS CLIPPERS 107, LAKERS 101.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Kobe Bryant made his most anticipated public appearance in months Thursday evening, and for once, the event was not televised live by CNN or CourtTV.

TNT Sports handled the proceedings, a Lakers-Clippers exhibition game that in any normal October would merit little more than a 10-second highlight. But, for better and for worse, there is nothing normal anymore about anything the Lakers do, or will do for some time.

They have four potential Hall of Famers where they once had only two, and expectations are sky high. One of those four is facing unprecedented turmoil in his personal life, but that well-documented story line hardly seemed relevant as 18,298 cheered wildly for Bryant and his teammates in a 107-101 loss at the Pond.

Playing his first game in five months, Bryant was preternaturally at ease and surprisingly effective. He turned in an energetic 32 minutes, finishing with 15 points, five assists and many, many smiles.

``If coming back, if I could feel any more comfortable, it feels comfortable playing here,'' Bryant said, 45 minutes before tipoff. ``This is like five minutes away from my house (in Newport Beach). So it feels good. This is the area where I roam around all the time.''

Bryant had not played before an audience since May 15, when the San Antonio Spurs eliminated the Lakers from the playoffs. He left the court in tears that night.

Despite everything he has been through since, Bryant returned to the court looking not anxious or plaintive, but joyful. Despite shoulder and knee surgeries this summer, and little time to get his body in order, he returned with the same competitive zeal he's always shown.

``I think Kobe has chosen a great time to come back,'' said Doug Collins, the former Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons coach, who provided commentary for Thursday's TNT broadcast. ``I think this is going to be a therapeutic night for him. You've got the crowd, I think they're going to welcome him back, I think it's going to be an energizer for the team.''

With Bryant at last in the lineup, seven games into the exhibition season, the Lakers finally had their Fab Four together - Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, flanked by Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

The foursome have played together only in All-Star Games, and in a handful of practices this week, but they looked perfectly comfortable as a unit.

``They're obviously curious, too,'' Jackson said. ``They want to see how well we perform as a group, and I think they're excited about playing a couple games here before we ... start the season for real on Tuesday.''

The Lakers close out the exhibition season tonight in Las Vegas, against the Sacramento Kings.

The night began with the most anticipated pregame introductions since perhaps 1996, when O'Neal and Bryant first slipped on gold jerseys. Devean George was first, greeted with polite applause. Malone and Payton followed, to a steady crescendo. Then came Bryant, and the roar was so intense, it drowned out public-address announcer Lawrence Tanter's introduction of O'Neal.

Whatever the public at large might now think of Bryant's character, there wasn't a hint of animosity in the building Thursday.

Barely two minutes had gone by before the ``Ko-be!'' chants began, and he reciprocated by immediately nailing a jumper from the top of the key. He followed with a pair of free throws, then missed a 19-footer.

Bryant played the first eight minutes of the game, scoring seven points. Vanessa Bryant arrived at her seat, flanked by security guards, around the same time her husband went to the bench for the first time.

By halftime, Bryant had a team-high 13 points to go with five assists, a steal and one nasty blocked shot - rejecting an Eddie House jumper from behind.

Bryant was also at his playmaking best, deftly feeding his three Hall of Fame teammates. He hit O'Neal for a nice lob-dunk, dished to Malone for a flying jam on the fast break and zipped a long pass downcourt to Payton for a runner at the halftime buzzer.

If anyone in gold was anxious about the big debut, it didn't show.

Jackson, even more serene than usual, coached the entire game in leather sandals and socks.

``We're prepared for a barrage, actually,'' Jackson said before tipoff. ``I think it'll be an emotional, energetic game for (Bryant).''

--Also: The Lakers reduced their roster to 15 players by waiving Eric Chenowith, Stephane Pelle and Ime Udoka. ... Slava Medvedenko has shown minimal progress in his bruised left heel and did not dress for the game. Jamal Sampson (back spasms) also sat out. ... Watching the game from three rows back, at midcourt, was boxer Mike Tyson. Tyson, the last high-profile athlete to be convicted of rape, spoke in support of Bryant in an interview this summer. ... Jackson, on O'Neal's recovery from a sore heel: ``The Manhattan phone book is now in his shoes.''

Howard Beck, [phone]

howard.beck(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) The introduction of Kobe Bryant, second from right, before the Lakers-Clippers game drew the loudest ovation of the night.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer