"Pau Gasol was back. Maybe.

His confounding on-court absence ended Friday against New Orleans with enough flair to send reporters into a rare foray around his career stats.

Yes, that was a three-pointer he drilled, pushing the Lakers to a game-turning run early in the fourth quarter in their 100-86 victory in Game 3.

It was only his second this season and second in his playoff career.

A three-pointer? In a playoff game? Where did that come from?

"The corner," he said, smiling. "It was a low shot clock, Steve [Blake] got the ball there and I was open. So I caught it, looked at the rim and made the shot."

He had 17 points and 10 rebounds and wasn't done fooling people, leading the media on a mild chase after the game. He was supposed to be talking in a room reserved for postgame news conferences but was found speaking to a small group in front of his locker.

"That was good misdirection there," he said, again with mischief in his eyes, a welcome emotion for Lakers followers who had witnessed only dour sound bites from him the previous two games."