NBA'S OPENING NIGHT: LAKERS 114, PHOENIX 106 SHINGING (WITHOUT) STAR WITH BRYANT OUT, LAKERS RALLY TO DEFEAT THE SUNS.

Byline: ROSS SILER Staff Writer

The new lights were installed at Staples Center to make Kobe Bryant's game shine brighter, not to leave him sitting in the shadows behind the Lakers' bench, dressed in a gray suit and pink shirt and tie.

With his surgically repaired knee still not right, Bryant was unavailable for the Lakers' season opener. Not that the building lacked for electricity, as the Lakers overcame a disastrous first quarter for an uplifting 114-106 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

There was no lack for star power, either, with Lamar Odom finishing with 34 points and 16 rebounds, Andrew Bynum putting up 18 points and nine rebounds and Maurice Evans adding 17 points in 30 minutes off the bench.The Lakers outscored the Suns 88-65 in the final three quarters and shot 55.4 percent. Odom tied a career-high and had the crowd chanting his name throughout the fourth quarter.

It was enough for the Lakers to avenge their first-round playoff series loss to the Suns from last season. They will play at Golden State tonight in the second game of a back-to-back, also without Bryant.

The Lakers broke open the game with a 13-0 third-quarter run, the likes of which only Bryant could inspire in the past. It started with a Luke Walton basket inside and a steal by Smush Parker, who doubled-down on Amare Stoudemire in the post.

At the other end, Bynum sealed off Stoudemire, changed direction and scooped in a right-handed shot while moving to his left. Odom then whipped a behind-the-back pass to Maurice Evans cutting for a layup.

The crowd was on its feet when Odom buried a 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 79-73 lead. The Suns called timeout, Ronny Turiaf ran onto the court to chest-bump Odom, and Bryant pumped his fist with satisfaction.Odom struggled to start the game, missing four of his first five shots, including two as he tried to post up Shawn Marion. He came out for Vladimir Radmanovic with three minutes left in the first quarter and listened as Bryant talked to him on the bench.

But Odom came alive in the second quarter as the Lakers climbed back in the game. He attacked the basket and was fouled by Kurt Thomas as part of a three-point play. Odom followed that by scoring inside against Marion.He had nine points and five rebounds in the quarter and went on to hit 12 of 24 shots for the game. As Odom knocked down 3-pointers and drove to the basket in the fourth quarter, Bryant cheered behind the bench.

Bynum, meanwhile, started at center only four days after his 19th birthday. And with centers Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm both injured, Bynum will start for at least the next two weeks.

Bynum hit his hook shots, found his cutters and changed the game with his size.

Bryant said he debated playing in Tuesday's game but didn't want to risk suffering a setback with his knee.

"It was starting to get to me a little bit," Bryant said, "to the point where I was thinking about just pushing through it and saying, 'Well, I'll play tonight and we'll just kind of figure the rest out. That's just not the right decision to make."[e-mail]

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CAPTION(S):

4 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Phoenix guard Steve Nash, center, is pressured by the Lakers' Maurice Evans, left, and Smush Parker.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press

(2 -- color) The Lakers' Vladimir Radmanovic drives past Phoenix's Boris Diaw during Tuesday's game at Staples Center.

(3 -- color) Lakers rookie guard Jordan Farmar had six points in 14 minutes.

(4 -- color) A young fan dressed like an angel seemed to be enthralled by the action during the Lakers' game.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) CLIPPERS at PHOENIX

- Joe Stevens