SHOWDOWN AT STAPLES BRYANT WHACKS SAC LAKERS GUARD BACK IN TIME TO SCORE 36 LAKERS 115, SACRAMENTO 91.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

They are not yet entirely healthy, nor entirely in synch, nor free of perpetual drama, and might not be for many more months, if ever. But the Lakers staged some sort of revival Wednesday night at Staples Center, restoring some dignity to their flagging image while putting a needed spike in their rivalry with the Sacramento Kings.

Somewhere in the midst of all that, Kobe Bryant staged another improbable court-to-court journey, leaving his legal troubles behind to score 36 points in a 115-91 victory.

Bryant moved easily from his court date in Colorado to his usual duties on the court, playing 36 determined minutes and pacing the Lakers to a 30-point lead. He also finished with six rebounds and six assists.

Shaquille O'Neal added 17 points, 16 rebounds and six assists. Karl Malone and Gary Payton also scored in double figures as the Lakers put all four of their superstars on the court for the first time against the Kings and, perhaps not coincidentally, beat Sacramento for the first time in three tries.

``Big enough,'' coach Phil Jackson had said of the game before tipoff. ``This is the one that will kind of be a landmark game for us.''

When the final buzzer sounded, the Lakers had regained a little of their swagger and cut the gap between themselves and the first-place Kings to 2 1/2 games. They'll meet once more, April 11 at Arco Arena and, incredibly, that game could determine the West's top seed.

``We have to stay relatively perfect for the rest of the season,'' Jackson said. ``It's still a miraculous finish if we do it. But there's still an opportunity, and we're going to try and make it work.''

A few weeks back, that seemed an absurd scenario. But the Kings have been off-kilter ever since Chris Webber returned to the lineup earlier this month, and the Lakers, while far from steady in their play, have at least been steadily winning games.

The Lakers are just two games behind the Kings in the loss column and have moved within a half-game of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who visit Staples on Friday.

Whatever thoughts the Kings had of a comeback were quashed in the opening minutes of the second half. A quick scoring burst by Stojakovic cut the deficit to 14, but the Lakers answered with a 17-1 run, and suddenly it was a 30-point game.

Bryant was hitting left-handed bank shots, Malone was physically abusing Webber and Fox even got the better of Stojakovic for a few minutes. Webber and Kings coach Rick Adelman got lost in their frustration and received technical fouls along the way.

The Kings had lost four of their previous seven games, and the Lakers' play of late was far worse than their five-game winning streak would suggest. It was debatable which team was in more dire need of a momentum-changing victory.

There was nothing in Bryant's demeanor or gait to hint at the emotional and mental strain he must surely have endured during a long day in Eagle, Colo. His day began with an early-morning flight, a routine he will repeat before sunrise this morning to attend a second day of proceedings.

``Fatigue is often not a factor,'' Jackson said of Bryant's rough schedule. ``That's the one thing I can guarantee - he'll have energy for the game. Maybe a little bit more than usual, a little hyperkinetic energy, perhaps. He likes to make a statement in the course of the game.''

Bryant arrived at 6:47 p.m., with a personal security guard on one side and a Staples Center redcoat trailing. He burst into a smile at the sight of a local TV sportscaster, chatted briefly and headed for the locker room.

Fifty minutes later, Bryant was on the court - without his compression shirt and shoulder pad - and buzzing with energy. He took the first shot of the game, hitting a 20-footer on a kickout from O'Neal. He had eight points in the first 4 1/2 minutes, his teammates accommodating his every move.

Bryant reciprocated, sending a nifty behind-the-back bounce pass to Malone for a fast-break layup and three-point play.

Sacramento's last appearance here ended with Mike Bibby hitting two decisive 3-pointers, then dancing downcourt, to Jackson's consternation and to Payton's discontent. Two days later, Jackson called Bibby an unprintable name, and Payton complained that he wasn't given enough minutes or offensive opportunities to properly challenge Bibby.

Problems solved.

Given the chance to consistently challenge Bibby, Payton charged hard and took advantage of frequent postup chances.

He scored 10 points in the first half and held Bibby to 1-for-10 shooting, relieving Jackson of any concern that Bibby might resurrect his little victory shimmy.

Howard Beck, [phone]

howard.beck(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) Kobe Bryant, left, and Karl Malone celebrate the Lakers' big lead in the fourth quarter en route to their 115-91 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

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