LAKERS GRIN AND BRYANT ALL PLEASED WITH HIS DEBUT LAKERS 103, PHOENIX 99.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

PHOENIX - Kobe Bryant faced down the inevitable boos and soaked in the surprising cheers, pushed his legs and lungs through the rough spots and, at the conclusion of the most anticipated season debut of his career, he exhaled and smiled.

Everything, it seemed, had gone better than expected - the crowd reaction, the responsiveness in his surgically repaired knee, the challenge of blending in with a trio of Hall of Fame teammates. All of it.

``You know what, I feel pretty good,'' Bryant, wearing a baseball cap turned askew, said afterward.

He had scored 15 points, made 4 of 12 shots in a mostly bouncy 37 minutes Saturday, and the Lakers had muscled out a 103-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

The strain of an offseason in which his life was thrown into turmoil, and the stress of a week in which he publicly feuded with Shaquille O'Neal, seemed to dissipate with every jump shot.

And the Lakers, with their Fab Four lineup together at last, folded Bryant's game into the offense rather neatly. Bryant played a ``hesitant'' game, in coach Phil Jackson's estimation, but an effective one.

``He played a fabulous game. He distributed the ball very well,'' said O'Neal, who six days earlier had ripped Bryant for not being ``a team player.''

For the second consecutive game, six Lakers scored in double figures, with Derek Fisher joining all five starters. O'Neal led the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Devean George and Karl Malone also posted double-doubles as the Lakers improved to 2-0.

``It's pretty awesome,'' Malone said, ``because teams don't know who to lock in on. Different guys do different things. You get guys in double figures like that, it's got to let the wind out of the team that you're playing.''

That's what the Lakers had in mind, anyway, when they signed Malone and Gary Payton this summer, giving them four All-Star talents in the starting five. The last time the Lakers had at least six players score in double figures in consecutive games was six years ago, before they became so Shaq-and-Kobe-centric.

On Dec. 20, 1997, Bryant was joined in double figures by Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Rick Fox, Elden Campbell, Corie Blount and Sean Rooks. Two days later, it was Bryant, Van Exel, Jones, Fox, Campbell and Robert Horry.

``Love it,'' O'Neal said of the balanced attack. ``Love it.''

The Lakers led by as many as 15 points in the first half. Phoenix used a 14-4 run to tie the game midway through the third quarter and kept it close thereafter.

The Suns took their first lead, 94-93, on a Joe Johnson 3-pointer, and he hit another to tie the game 97-97 with 1:19 to play. Bryant hit two free throws to restore the Lakers' lead, and they never trailed again.

Bryant reported no problems with his surgically repaired right knee despite chasing Stephon Marbury for much of the game. Marbury led the Suns with 26 points.

Malone said Bryant looked pretty close to full strength, and added, ``When he gets 100 percent healthy, it could be pretty exciting to watch.''

This was Bryant's first game since being arrested and charged with rape in July, and America West Arena represented the first hostile atmosphere he would face in this unpredictable season. Jackson had some concerns about fan behavior, but in mild-mannered Phoenix, it did not appear to be an issue. No tasteless signs were evident, no off-color taunts were heard courtside.

There were cheers mixed with the boos during pregame introductions - owing to the large contingent of Lakers fans in the building - but little goodwill toward Bryant after that. He was booed loudly every time he touched the ball.

``I expected the worst,'' he said, ``so to hear anybody cheering felt good.''

The loudest boos came with Bryant at the line and the Lakers leading 101-99 with 10.9 seconds to go. He made the first free throw and missed the second, giving the Suns a chance to tie. Amare Stoudemire missed a straightaway 3-pointer, Shawn Marion missed on the follow shot and Malone gathered the rebound to seal the game.

The 37 minutes Bryant played were ``12 more ... than we anticipated,'' Jackson said, and the real test will come tonight, when Bryant makes his home debut against the Golden State Warriors.

``It was about the easiest 37 minutes I ever played,'' Bryant said. ``I mean, when you're out there playing with so many great players, it makes the game so much easier.''

Howard Beck, [phone]

howard.beck(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Kobe Bryant, right, got on fine with his new teammates, including Karl Malone.

Matt York/Associated Press

Box:

GAME RECAP