KOBE COMES FOURTH BRYANT CLUTCH DOWN STRETCH FOR LAKERS LAKERS 99, SAN ANTONIO 89.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

SAN ANTONIO - Teetering on the edge of something wholly uncomfortable, suddenly hyperaware of their own mortality, the Lakers put the ball, their faith and their fate in Kobe Bryant's steady hands.

And, really, there was no place else to put it. No one else who could gather up the hopes, anxiety and nervous energy and make it all into something useful, something constructive. Something quietly spectacular.

It's what Bryant does. And when Shaquille O'Neal is limping, dragging and huffing, it's what Bryant does twice as well.

The Lakers handed over their season to Bryant on Friday and watched him restore order to a series on the verge of slipping away. He took 31 shots, scored 31 points and never took a break, leading the Lakers to a 99-89 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome.

After losing the home-court advantage Tuesday, the Lakers regained the edge and took a 2-1 lead in this seven-game conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Sunday at the Alamodome.

Bryant (15 for 31 from the field) made all five of his attempts in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points as the Lakers took control down the stretch.

Unable to match him, the Spurs faded. Shook their heads. This again? A year ago, it was the same story - Bryant scoring at will, the Spurs incapable of stopping what they knew was coming.

``Did everything we could do,'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

And Bryant, contained in Games 1 and 2, did everything he had to do. Injuries have sapped the dominance out of O'Neal, and though he scored 22 points on 10-for-20 shooting, he's clearly suffering.

Early on, O'Neal gave up the ball repeatedly, passing up chances to back down David Robinson. Bryant simply took control - four shots in the first two-and-a-half minutes, seven in the first quarter, 20 in the first half.

After being held to 26 or fewer points in the last four playoff games, Bryant was turned loose. But Bryant, who so often is vocal in the huddle and demonstrative on the floor, did his work with the quiet precision of a brain surgeon.

The dome was packed to the third deck, Tim Duncan was basking in the glow of his MVP award and the Spurs were charged by the much-anticipated return of Robinson from a back injury. The arena roared and rocked. It was a two-lozenge kind of night.

But Bryant was calm, methodical.

``Emotionally, I don't think he reveled in the game at all,'' coach Phil Jackson said. ``It was like a business quality to that game for him. And I was impressed that he was able to back off and allow himself to wait until the opportunities opened in the fourth quarter.''

For the postgame interview, Bryant wore a white cap turned backward and a Derek Jeter jersey - ``because he's a clutch player,'' said Bryant, who has an eye for such things.

The early stages of the Lakers' three-peat effort have been unsteady at best. By contrast, they controlled most of this game, and when they trailed, it was never by more than a couple of baskets. They outworked the Spurs on the boards 48-34, minimized the turnovers (nine) and made nearly half of their shots.

Never did they show the desperation that had crept in over the last few days.

``Just focus on the task at hand,'' Bryant said. ``Don't get wrapped up in the emotion of the game. It's a different series. When we played Portland, there was a lot of emotion involved. Now, when you go and play a team like San Antonio, emotion's not going to do you anything. Because they keep their control and they keep their poise and they execute. So if you get too high, too early, they're going to make you pay.''

The Lakers crowded Duncan often and he struggled, going 9 for 26 from the field for 28 points. Tony Parker added 24 points.

The Lakers won their 10th consecutive road playoff game, extending their NBA record.

O'Neal aggravated a left-ankle sprain in the middle of the second quarter but stayed in the game. He limped up and down the court the rest of the night.

But his energy seemed to pick up as the game wore on. He scored 10 consecutive points in the third quarter, hitting a trio of jumpers and two big dunks, one with Malik Rose clinging to his back for a flagrant foul. He finished the quarter with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Lakers guard Kobe Bryant swoops to the basket during his 31-point performance Friday.

D. Clarke Evans/Allsport Photos

(2) The Lakers' Derek Fisher, left, tries to get around San Antonio's David Robinson at the Alamodome on Friday.

Eric Gay/Associated Press

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GAME RECAP