Bryant scored 26 of his 38 points in the second half, Andrew Bynum had a career-high 28 points to go with 12 rebounds and a season-high four assists, and the Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns 122-115 on Tuesday for their ninth win in 11 games.
The victory lifted the Lakers (18-10) to a season-high eight games over .500 and within one game of the Pacific Division-leading Suns (19-9), who lost for the fifth time in eight games.
Bryant, who complained about a lack of talent around him, has gotten plenty of help recently, especially from the 20-year-old Bynum, who shot 11-of-13 in outplaying Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire.
Bynum left to a roar of approval from the Staples Center crowd of 18,997 and a hand-slap from Bryant with 11.5 seconds to play.
Derek Fisher added 19 points, Lamar Odom had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza scored 14 points in his first start since being acquired from Orlando last month.
Steve Nash led the Suns with 24 points and 14 assists. Six of his teammates scored in double figures including Stoudemire, who had 19 points but only six rebounds, Shawn Marion, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Raja Bell, who also scored 15, and Grant Hill, who added 14.
The game was the first between the teams since the Lakers stunned the Suns 119-98 in Phoenix on Nov. 2. Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson angered Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni when he called a timeout right after the Suns called one, with 4:55 to play and the outcome already decided.
Jackson said after that game that he was just getting a mandatory timeout out of the way.
"It's not a big deal," D'Antoni said before this game, citing his team's poor play as the main reason for his short fuse.
"That's the whole crux of it," D'Antoni said before adding: "I can live without being in his good graces. I'm sure he can live with not being in mine."
The Suns eliminated the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs the past two years.
