THIS TIME, LAKERS SEAL DEAL KOBE'S 40 ENDS SLIDE LAKERS 108, DALLAS 103.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

When they needed a victory more than at any time this season, when the prospect of a five-game losing streak was too much to bear, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers back from the brink Friday night at Staples Center.

Bryant scored 40 points in 43 minutes and hit two critical shots in the final 2 minutes, 15 seconds as the Lakers found the late-game poise that had eluded them and beat Dallas 108-103.

Whether his right ankle still was bothering him or not, whether the last-second 3-pointer he missed Wednesday in Boston still weighed on his mind, Bryant refused to let the Lakers lose.

His team avoided its first five-game losing streak since the end of the 1993-94 season as Bryant connected on an acrobatic shot between two defenders, then pulled up for an elbow jumper over Josh Howard.

Bryant also chased down a blocked shot headed out of bounds, saving it to Jumaine Jones and leading to two Bryant free throws at the other end. Bryant finished with 14 points in the fourth quarter.

It was enough for the Lakers to do what they couldn't against Toronto, New York and Boston - close out the game. Dirk Nowitzki missed his first four shots of the fourth quarter for the Mavericks, who have lost to the Clippers and Lakers in a three-day span.

The Lakers were in danger of falling out of the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot for the first time since the end of January. At 29-28, the Lakers lead Denver by a half-game with Minnesota 1 1/2 games back in 10th.

``It's going to be a dogfight, no question about it,'' interim coach Frank Hamblen said before the game.

Although he missed a number of short jumpers and layups early, Bryant found that Dallas had no defender who could stay with him. Not Howard, not Marquis Daniels and not Keith Van Horn.

Bryant took 16 shots in the first half, made six, and was at his best when the degree of difficulty was highest. He faded away on the baseline in the second quarter, then connected on a jumper over Van Horn that kissed the top of the backboard and dropped.

The Lakers barely could get through a minute with Bryant on the bench. Hamblen tried to get his superstar guard some rest at the start of the second quarter but had to send him back out 1:13 later after Alan Henderson and Howard each scored for Dallas.

Bryant took a seat again with 2:40 left in the third quarter and Caron Butler had a crosscourt pass picked off and an entry pass to Chris Mihm knocked away. In all, the Mavericks outscored the Lakers 9-4 when Bryant was on the bench.

But the Lakers pushed into a 89-85 lead with 7:17 left as Bryant started taking over. It was Bryant's ninth game back since he returned from the ankle injury, yet only the fourth the Lakers had won with him in the lineup.

Bryant stroked a pull-up jumper over Howard and followed that by rising for a shot, then rifling a pass to Odom underneath for a layup prompting a Dallas timeout.

It was a scene repeated four minutes later after Odom connected on a baseline jumper and the Lakers raced ahead on the fastbreak for a Jumaine Jones layup to go ahead 95-91.

After returning from an 0-3 East Coast road trip, the Lakers were in desperate need of a victory, especially with a stretch in which they will play eight of nine on the road later this month.

They struggled late in all three games earlier this week and didn't get home from Boston until 4 a.m. Thursday, but put away the Mavericks when it counted.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Center Chris Mihm grabs a rebound in front of Dallas guard Jason Terry during the Lakers' victory.

(2) Lakers forward Lamar Odom shoots over Mavericks center Shawn Bradley. Odom scored 18 points and 11 rebounds in the game.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box:

GAME RECAP