KOBE PLAYS HOCUS-FOCUS MAGICALLY, LAKERS GUARD EXCELS DESPITE WEARINESS, LEGAL WORRIES.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - After navigating an awkward day of tension and triumph that bordered on the impossible, Kobe Bryant at last gave in to the inevitable: exhaustion.

The Lakers filtered back into their Staples Center locker room late Tuesday night, energized by a 98-90 victory that tied their series with the San Antonio Spurs at 2-2. Waiting for coach Phil Jackson to deliver his usual postscript, players settled into the padded chairs that line the room.

All except Bryant, who was so thoroughly drained by the day's events - a long court appearance, followed by a 42-point masterpiece - that he simply lay sprawled across the floor in front of his locker.

Fifteen hours later, Bryant's eyes still showed the strain, his voice sometimes bordering on a low whisper, as he recounted one of the most extraordinary performances in sports history. (It will have to rank near the top, at least, until someone else enters a plea in a felony case and delivers a season-saving performance in the same day.)

In his usual brand of nonspecific hoops-speak, Bryant said he was simply ``efficient'' in his game, and he repeated once more that his passion for the game carried him through 45 minutes of determined play, despite everything he had endured.

``I love to play at the highest level,'' he said softly, after the Lakers concluded a brief practice and prepared to board a flight back to San Antonio for tonight's Game 5. ``I'm looking forward to sleeping all day today.''

Bryant has had other great games, and even other great games on court days, but context is everything, and so this one will stand apart for the details: two consecutive days of pretrial hearings in his sexual-assault case, concluded by a not-guilty plea in a Colorado court room Tuesday afternoon.

When he returned to Los Angeles, all that was at stake was the Lakers' season. They trailed the conference semifinal series 2-1, and only six teams have ever come back from 3-1.

``We like to categorize things a lot of times, but you can't measure unless you know the circumstances it's been done under,'' coach Phil Jackson said, ``and I think the circumstances were extremely difficult that Kobe had to perform under. And he did probably one of the best jobs I've ever seen of anybody getting his mind focused right back on the action and going to work.''

While coaching the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, Jackson watched Michael Jordan lead his team to championships through grief (after his father's death) and illness. But nothing like this.

``I've obviously seen some performances similar to that, from Kobe and from other players that are great performers that we have in the NBA,'' Jackson said. ``The amazing thing always that makes them stand out ... is the fact that they have the kind of energy that they have. And Kobe's two days of ordeal that he had to go through, to be able to perform at that level, really says something about the reserve and the resolve people have, and the God-given energy that he's been given and the perseverance that he has.''

For the series, which will now be court-appearance-free for the duration, Bryant is averaging a team-high 27.5 points on .470 shooting, plus 6.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.

Teammates who only weeks ago were dismayed and frustrated with Bryant's single-mindedness are now praising it. Bryant is playing smarter and steadier now than he was in the final weeks of the season, and significantly, his shots are falling more often and his playmaking has been superb.

O'Neal, who was moved to call Bryant ``my idol'' three years ago, in another playoff series against San Antonio, this time called him ``the best player ever'' and ranked Tuesday's performance No. 3 in Bryant's greatest hits collection.

``I appreciate it. I appreciate it,'' Bryant said. ``For me, it's just about contributing and trying to help us win every game, you know? But it's fun to hear (him) talk like that. ... I always said I was too small to be his 'idol.' ''

O'Neal placed two Bryant performances ahead of this one: Jan. 7, 2003, the night he drained an NBA-record 12 3-pointers against Seattle; and June 14, 2000, when Bryant, playing on a badly sprained ankle, scored six of the Lakers' final eight points in overtime in a Game 4 Finals victory at Indiana.

The next question is what does Bryant have left, 48 hours later? After taking a plane to Colorado and back Monday, Bryant slept only three hours, then made the round trip again. He napped in the car, then in the players' lounge, shook off the grogginess in time for tipoff. He had yet to recover fully Wednesday, after getting up for an 11 a.m. practice.

The Lakers need whatever Bryant can muster tonight, and hope to lean hard again on O'Neal, who is averaging 26.8 points and 14.3 rebounds. The Spurs have won 17 consecutive home games, a streak that dates back to March 1. The Lakers - who must win on the road either tonight or in Game 7 next Wednesday to take the series - are 0-5 in playoff games at SBC Center.

Jackson said the momentum of two commanding victories at home will last for maybe the first six minutes of Game 5, but not beyond that.

``We've been a great road team over the duration I've been here as a coach,'' he said, ``so we expect things, and we expect miracles on the road.''

Howard Beck, [phone]

Howard.beck(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Despite two consecutive days of pretrial hearings in his sexual-assault case, capped by a not-guilty plea in Colorado on Tuesday afternoon, Kobe Bryant scored 42 points in the Lakers' victory.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Kobe Bryant, May 12, 2001.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(3) The play of Kobe Bryant, right, has given teammates such as Karl Malone, left, inspiration as the Lakers try to get past Tim Duncan and the Spurs.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) POSTSEASON HEROICS

(2) LAKERS vs. SPURS: Best-of-seven series tied 2-2