"Kobe Bryant went this way in the third quarter Thursday night. Ronaldo Balkman of the New York Knicks went that way. Bryant then went that way but Balkman went this way.

By the time Bryant was done twisting his overmatched opponent into a pretzel, he had swished a pretty jump shot from along the baseline over him and the Lakers were well on their way to a 99-82 victory over the Knicks at Staples Center.

Minutes earlier, Bryant had drawn a foul on Balkman while launching a desperation 3-pointer that banked home from an estimated 31 feet.

Bryant sank the ensuing free throw for a 4-point play, part of his team-leading 28 points.

Bryant went into the Lakers' fourth game of the lockout-delayed season averaging 27.7 points. He seemed to be toying with the Knicks, however. It didn't have the look or feel of his Madison Square Garden-record 61 points Feb. 2, 2009. But he wasn't going to be denied on this night either.

Bryant made 10 of 17 shots and 7 of 10 free throws and also had four rebounds and six assists in 33 minutes, 43 seconds, propelling the Lakers to their second straight victory in their fourth and final game without suspended center Andrew Bynum."