LAKERS TWO-TIME NUGGETS BRYANT GETS HELP FROM MIHM IN EASY VICTORY OVER DENVER LAKERS 112, DENVER 92.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

There are the workers and the stars in Phil Jackson's NBA world, and it's not hard to tell into which category Chris Mihm and Kobe Bryant fall.

The stars are the ones who carry a team four out of every five nights. The workers are the ones with something to prove whenever they can.

Then there are nights like Sunday, when the Lakers had a worker play like a star and a star who continued to play out of this world.

With Mihm delivering early and Bryant picking himself up off the court late, the Lakers blasted the Denver Nuggets 112-92 at Staples Center. Mihm finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds while Bryant posted his third consecutive 30-point game to start the season.

It was the Lakers' second victory over Denver in the season's first week; the Nuggets lost only four games total after the All-Star break last season.

The Lakers (2-1) will leave today on a four-game trip that begins Tuesday night in Atlanta.

The Lakers led from early in the first quarter all the way to the final horn, bouncing back from a 122-112 loss to Phoenix. Bryant finished with 37 points, eight rebounds and five assists on 16 for 31 shooting and now is averaging a league-leading 36.3 points per game.

Bryant took a spill with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, banging his neck as forward Kwame Brown tripped over him. The concern ended quickly, however, as Bryant spun past Andre Miller on the next possession for an alley-oop basket.

Bryant went on to hit two free throws and finish a second alley-oop from Parker. With Miller crashing to the floor at the other end, Bryant raced down court and Parker found him. It was as if the injury only seemed to inspire Bryant more.

The Lakers had to get something more out of Mihm and Brown than the seven points and six rebounds for which they combined in 35 minutes against Phoenix. By the first timeout Sunday, the two had totaled 12 points, four rebounds and seven shots.

Mihm was in the right place early, following up a Parker miss that glanced off the rim as the shot clock expired. At practice the day before, Jackson had joked to Mihm about the high post being a ``lovely'' place to be, and Mihm made his living there.

As Mihm went in the first half, so did the Lakers, jumping out to a 34-20 lead after one quarter. Mihm had 12 points and seven rebounds in the first 12 minutes, reminiscent of his 23-point, 12-rebound effort against Denver in last season's opener.

By getting involved early, Mihm also managed to stay out of foul trouble and on the floor. Mihm didn't pick up his first foul until the second quarter, even though he was pressing 94 feet on defense with Marcus Camby inbounding the ball.

The Lakers also were able to protect the lead when Bryant went to the bench for the last two minutes of the third quarter, a concern after giving up big runs to Phoenix while Bryant was out.

Immediately after checking in for Bryant, second-year guard Sasha Vujacic fought his way in front of Earl Boykins to steal an inbounds pass and fed Lamar Odom for a dunk and three-point play. Vujacic also hit a big 3-pointer with 9:48 left to make it 85-74.

There were no excuses Sunday for Denver, which was coming off a 39-point victory Friday against Portland and had George Karl back coaching after serving a two-game suspension for attending an illegal workout involving college players.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) CENTER OF ATTENTION

The Lakers get a 20-point, 13-rebound effort from Chris Mihm to go along with Kobe Bryant's 37 points in win over Denver

(2) Kobe Bryant (game-high 37 points) drives past Denver's Greg Buckner in the second quarter of the Lakers' victory over the Nuggets at Staples Center.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer