 The Lakers were playing their first game without injured center Andrew Bynum.Bryant returned to being an offensively-focused scorer, taking 44 shots and scoring the Lakers last six points of overtime, as Los Angeles won its seventh straight and moved into a tie with Phoenix atop the Pacific Division.
Before the game, Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said he wouldn't mind it if Bryant went off just as long as he was forced to take a lot of shots. Carlesimo just didn't count on Bryant making nearly half of his 44 attempts, finishing with 21 field goals made. It was Bryant's 87th career 40-point game and the fourth in his last five games in Seattle.
Nick Collison led Seattle with 24 points and 18 rebounds and rookie Kevin Durant finished with 19 points, but missed 20 shots.
Seattle jumped out to a 121-117 lead, but Kurt Thomas missed a pair of free throws with 2:23 left and Bryant hit consecutive jumpers to again pull the teams even.
After a Durant miss, Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom missed open 3s, but Durant again failed to give the Sonics the lead, missing an 18-footer over Kwame Brown. Odom grabbed the rebound, giving the Lakers one final chance and Bryant capitalized, making up for missing an open jumper and getting stripped at the end of regulation.
Seattle had one final chance to force a second overtime, but Collison missed an 18-footer at the buzzer. The Sonics have lost seven straight.
Lakers' coach Phil Jackson passed Bill Fitch for sixth place on the all-time wins list with 945. But he was more concerned about how the Lakers would respond without Bynum, who will miss at least the next eight weeks after suffering a left knee injury in Sunday night's win over Memphis.
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The 20-year-old Bynum was averaging 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Lakers and will now sit and watch if his teammates can continue their surprising start. The Lakers have now won 17 of their last 20.
But their interior was exposed by the Sonics, who lost their seventh straight. Seattle outscored the Lakers 56-46 in the paint and the inside combo of Collison and Thomas outscored Bynum's replacements
-- Ronny Turiaf and Kwame Brown -- 40-24.
Thomas finished with 16 points, while Wally Szczerbiak added 18 off the bench for the Sonics. Turiaf finished with 14, and Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar both added 12 for the Lakers.
The frantic fourth quarter and overtime capped an entertaining matchup that featured 22 lead changes and 11 ties.
Seattle had chances to win in regulation after Durant had pulled Seattle even at 115-all on a 3-pointer with 46 seconds left. Bryant rimmed out a 3 of his own, but Durant couldn't connect on a 23-footer with 6 seconds left. Bryant was then stripped by Earl Watson as he went up for a potential game-winning shot, sending the game to overtime.
Notes: Seattle is now 1-1 in overtime this season. It was the Lakers first overtime game. ... Jackson said injured F Vladimir Radmanovic could start practicing later this week. Radmanovic has been out with a sprained right ankle. ... Seattle F Chris Wilcox returned and scored 12 points and had nine rebounds. Wilcox had missed the last four games after dislocating his right pinky finger. Ridnour had been out with a lingering quadriceps strain.
[Associated Press; By TIM BOOTH]
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