LAKERS KNICKED AGAIN L.A. LOSS GIVES N.Y. A SWEEP NEW YORK 107, LAKERS 106.

Byline: ROSS SILER

Staff Writer

So much for the Lakers returning to Staples Center and the comforts of home after their two-week road trip. So much for things being different against the New York Knicks with Kobe Bryant on the court instead of serving a suspension.

The end result was all the same Tuesday night, another crushing late-game loss for the Lakers. They returned home only to fall 107-106 to the Knicks, extending their season-long losing streak to four games.

It was a victory that had Knicks fan Spike Lee running down the courtside seats to celebrate in front of Lakers fan Denzel Washington. The difference was an Eddy Curry alley-oop dunk and a Lamar Odom missed jumper in the last 10 seconds.

Bryant finished with 31 points while the Knicks got 24 from Curry and 19 each from Quentin Richardson and Jamal Crawford. They made the plays late and the Lakers dropped another game to a team with a losing record.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson had warned his players that they couldn't fall back on their 19-6 home record. The Lakers, however, now have lost three consecutive home games, going back to games against Charlotte and San Antonio before the long trip.

The Lakers had a chance to win on the final possession but couldn't get the ball to Bryant. Odom inbounded to Ronny Turiaf and got the ball back but wound up changing directions and missing an 18-footer over David Lee on the move to his left.

Prior to that, Curry finished an alley-oop dunk with 7.1 seconds left off a Crawford pass. The Knicks were able to keep the possession after Richardson missed a 3-pointer as Lee grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it back outside to Crawford.

Odom went scoreless in the first half and finished with 12points, 10 rebounds and four assists. He finally caught a break with 1:58 left, putting back a missed shot that was tipped to him, but was searching for answers all game.

Turiaf came to the Lakers saying he wanted to do all the dirty work that didn't show up in the box score. He finished with 11points Tuesday but the charge he took with 1:08 left was one of the plays of the game.

Stephon Marbury drove the lane and tossed up a shot trying to beat the 24-second clock.

He went crashing into Turiaf, however, who had position a step outside of the restricted area.

The Lakers took a 104-103 lead at the other end as Bryant drove into a crowd of Knicks and was fouled by Richardson. Bryant made both free throws with 59.5 seconds remaining.

Curry bowled over Smush Parker for a basket at the other end but Bryant drilled a jumper to push the Lakers in front 106-105 with 29.9 seconds to play. That set up the game's fateful possession, the alley-oop from Crawford to Curry.

The Lakers were back at Staples Center for the first time since Jan. 28, with a new video for player introductions that prominently mentioned Bryant's suspension and featured highlights from his return the next night against Boston.

Bryant unloaded 43 points on the Celtics and talked before Tuesday's game about the frustration of having to pace around his hotel room watching the Lakers lose 99-94 to the Knicks without him.

But Bryant added that he was more concerned about the Lakers snapping their three-game losing streak than any kind of payback. Jackson agreed, with an aside that nobody in the league office in New York was staying up to watch.

"They see all the games," Jackson said. "This one's not any more important to them than any other."

Bryant couldn't contain his excitement about being home after the Lakers' longest road trip in 17 years: "We feel like we're in Shangri-La. ... I felt like kissing the ground when we got here."

Jackson was most concerned about the Lakers suffering the inevitable "lag" of coming home and ordered his players to report early to Staples Center to get reacquainted with shooting on their home floor.

Bryant didn't return until the 7:46 mark of the fourth quarter, with the Knicks already in the bonus and leading 91-88. The Lakers were called for five fouls in the first 3:07 of the quarter.

Evans hit a corner 3-pointer in the face of a zone defense but the Lakers gave up a quick 3 to Francis at the other end. Jackson called timeout and spiked a balled-up piece of paper in frustration with the Lakers down 95-91.

The Lakers tied the score as Parker hit a 3-pointer and then was taken down by Steve Francis on the fastbreak. Francis was called for a flagrant foul, but the Lakers couldn't fully capitalize as Parker missed the first of two free throws.

They retained possession after the flagrant foul only to watch as Odom was called for an illegal screen. But Bryant hit two free throws and Evans converted another two after Curry was called for a loose ball foul.

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Lakers' Kobe Bryant, right, loses the ball while trying to get past New York's Quentin Richardson.

(2) Smush Parker is fouled by New York's Steve Francis, who was called for a flagrant foul.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer