Lakers have the upper hand

Then the Lakers emerged with a victory over the Phoenix Suns, 130-124, riding 41 points from Kobe Bryant and showing Wednesday at US Airways Center that their recent acquisition might hold a little more juice than the Suns' newest toy.

When it finally ended, and Suns fans began trickling out quietly, the Lakers had clinched a head-to-head playoff tiebreaker with the Suns by taking the season series for the first time since 2003-04. They also matched the Suns' record, 37-17, atop the Pacific Division.

Pau Gasol scored 29 points to outpace Shaquille O'Neal's 15 and seemed to understand this lively little rivalry with the Suns (see: Bryant vs. Raja Bell, Phil Jackson vs. Mike D'Antoni, Lakers vs. Suns the last two postseasons).

Only a few weeks ago, Gasol was counting down the days left in the season from the southwest corner of Tennessee, but he stood in front of his locker Wednesday and proudly displayed a pair of foot-long scratches on his shoulder, courtesy of O'Neal.

"I've got a new tattoo," he said, smiling.

That the Lakers are holding a needle to the Suns seems more and more relevant as the season unfolds.

They have won twice in Phoenix and have more reserves on the way at some point, with the injured Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza watching the game back in Los Angeles.

Maybe these were reasons, among many, for their brimming optimism.

"The energy in the building was familiar. It felt like a playoff-type of environment," Bryant said.

"Our confidence is naturally pretty high."

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, fully cognizant of a 3-1 record against the Suns this season, was effusive in his own way.

"We now have the advantage if this is going to be as tight a race as it's been," he said.

The pregame environment had all the energy and hope of the NBA in June, right down to the scoreboard decree of "Welcome to Planet Orange," complete with O'Neal roaring into the camera, much to the delight of Suns fans.

The crowd predictably went wild when O'Neal was introduced as a Sun for the first time, a scene reminiscent of Gasol's introduction before his home debut a day earlier at Staples Center.

Gasol made 13 of 19 shots against the Suns, but it was Bryant's 16-for-25 effort that was the difference-maker, injured pinkie and all.