Kobe Bryant didn't need 81 points. Only 34.
Two years and two months ago, he torched the Toronto Raptors for the second-highest point total in NBA history, but all he needed against them Tuesday night was a well-rounded display in the Lakers' 117-108 victory at Staples Center.
Following through on a promise to be more aggressive after a one-point fourth quarter Sunday against Sacramento, Bryant made 12 of 20 shots, collected seven assists and seven rebounds, and drove the Lakers past the short-handed but surprisingly frisky Raptors.
Derek Fisher hit a key three-pointer from the right corner with 41 seconds left -- assist, Bryant -- and the Lakers (45-19) moved half a game ahead of San Antonio (44-19) for first place in the Western Conference.
Tougher tests will come quickly, specifically on a four-game trip to New Orleans, Houston, Dallas and Utah that begins Friday. For now, the Lakers are back on a winning streak, one in a row, although it remains a tenuous thing.
"I told them, basically, we're not going to beat any of those teams if we play like we played the last two or three games," Coach Phil Jackson said.
It took almost an entire game for the Lakers to pry themselves from the Raptors, who were without All-Star Chris Bosh, their leading scorer and rebounder, because of a sore knee.
The Lakers were again shaky on defense, allowing more than 100 points for the fifth time in six games. They were blitzed by point guard T.J. Ford for 28 points and four assists, a bad sign of things to come for the upcoming trip. (Hint: Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Deron Williams.)
Ford has been coming off the bench for the Raptors since returning from a neck injury that sidelined him for the better part of two months.
"We have to do a better job, not only on Ford, but the fact that we gave up 42 points in the paint on a team that really is an outside-shooting team is I think one of the remarkable things tonight," Jackson said. "But Ford's penetration hurt us."
Bryant was less concerned, saying the Lakers had to do "nothing" about their suddenly questionable penetration defense.
"You just let him go ahead and get 28," he said. "If that's what the guards want to do, that's fine. You just let him go in there and contest his shot. That's fine by us as long he's not getting other guys involved."
Jackson was also unhappy with the Lakers' taking 32 three-point shots, saying he preferred the team to shoot only 15 or 16 a game.
