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In a year full of Lakers injuries and suspensions, Kobe Bryant centers his attention on the team’s past fun times, as well as possible future feats.

While fielding questions from reporters after practice on Monday, Kobe Bryant squinted and blinked when speaking into microphones and tape recorders.

Apparently, a light from a TV camera was too bright for his eyes.

"That light is bright as hell," Bryant said. "Do you have a filter on that thing?"

Throughout his topsy-turvy career, the light has always seemed to shine on Bryant, who lives in Newport Coast. Sometimes he has basked in it. Other times, he has shunned it.

This year, while the Los Angeles Lakers cling to a playoff spot, Bryant has had to control that light, making sure it shines on others, too. Many games throughout the season, he’s in demand.

Yes that light was shining brightly recently when he scored 50 or more points during a four-game stretch. That led many to question if he’s the best ever to play the game.

That speaks volumes considering he’s yet to win an NBA MVP award. But, he continues to take on the spotlight.

From scoring 81 points in a game (Jan. 22, 2006) to netting 19 points with 13 assists (in a 126-103 win over Sacramento on Sunday), he’s had to answer a plethora of questions.

On Monday, after speaking with reporters — Bryant called Coach Phil Jackson’s selection into the NBA Hall of Fame "a no-brainer," — he took time out to answer a few more questions from the Daily Pilot sports staff:

Question: How would you describe this season?

Answer: It’s been a fun season. It’s been a roller-coaster season because we’ve had so many injuries. We’ve had to battle through a lot. But it’s been a fun season. Now that we have the guys back healthy, now it’s just about building that rhythm again.

Q: How does it feel to be one of the top players in the NBA and to play for a team that’s struggling to make the playoffs?

A: I don’t think we’re struggling to make the playoffs. We’re pretty much a lock to make the playoffs. But it feels good. I feel like we’re a young team, but we’re not far away.

Q: Do you get frustrated at times?

A: Not really. It’s been frustrating this year because we’ve had so many injuries, but without the injuries, we got guys like Luke [Walton], Lamar [Odom] and Kwame [Brown], we got guys who have been together for a while. You add a couple of pieces here and there and then you got a championship contender.

Q: You think you have a 100-point game in you?

A: No, I don’t think so. The game is so different now than it was when Wilt [Chamberlain] scored 100 points. I just don’t see it being possible.

Q: What’s your opinion of the NBA rule that says high school graduates must play at least one year of college ball?

A: You can make the argument both ways. Personally, it worked well for me and worked well for [Tracy] McGrady and LeBron [James] and a bunch of others, but there are also cases where it didn’t.

I think it’s good that kids are going to college. I think it makes the college game exciting. The education part is something you can always have. You don’t have to go to college as soon as you come out of high school, some kids travel to Europe.

Q: Why did you pick Newport Coast to live?

A: I really don’t know. It’s a great area. It’s peaceful. People don’t seem to bother you too much. It’s a great area. You’re in the middle of everything. You got Disneyland down the street, you have Knott’s [Berry Farm] and you got the beach. You got pretty much everything you want.

Q: What was your lowest moment in the NBA?

A: Losing is always tough. Not making the playoffs for the first time in my career a couple years ago was tough. But you have to bounce back from that.

Q: What was your highest moment in the NBA?

A: You have to go back to winning championships. That’s the most fun.

Q: How do you want to be remembered?

A: As a champion. Plain and simple. A champion.

Q: Who’s your vote for MVP? (asked with reporters)

A: I would probably give it to Dirk [Nowitzki] just because his team is having such a magnificent year. They could win 70 games depending on how they finish out. He’s having a terrific season. I know he has worked extremely hard from where his career started to where he is now. I would vote for him.

Q: Don’t you think you deserve it?

A: That’s not how it’s being voted. You have to have the best record in the league or one of the best records in the league. Maybe that time will come for us in the near future.

Kobe Bryant again hit the big shots. But this victory belonged to the Lakers bench.

Amid a mix of "M-V-P" chants and passionate boos, Bryant scored 46 points, 31 in the second half, and the Los Angeles bench added 33 points in the Lakers’ 112-109 win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night.

Bryant made 13 of 27 shots, including a 19-footer with 1:41 left that gave the Lakers a 105-103 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It was Bryant’s 16th game this season of 40 points or more, and the Lakers picked up a crucial victory in their ongoing fight with Denver and the Clippers for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles had lost four of five.

Chris Wilcox scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. Seattle led for much of the game, despite an off-shooting performance from Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridnour going down late in the first quarter with a left ankle injury.

Seattle has lost four straight.

After scoring 20 in the third quarter, Bryant was quiet until midway through the fourth. His first basket came with 6:37 left and gave the Lakers a 94-93 lead. Wilcox converted a three-point play to put Seattle up 96-94, but Bryant spun through the lane and found Maurice Evans open for a 3-pointer that gave the Lakers the lead at 97-96 with 6 minutes left.

Seattle would tie the score twice more, but could never get the lead back.

Two Earl Watson free throws pulled Seattle even at 103-all with 1:55 left. Bryant then caught the ball near the top of the key, dribbled once to his left and hit a 19-footer with Damien Wilkins and Watson in his face for a 105-103 lead.

Jordan Farmar and Ronny Turiaf then came up with steals on Seattle’s next two possessions and when the Sonics finally got a shot off, Nick Collison missed on the baseline against tough defense from Luke Walton and Turiaf. Walton was fouled and made both free throws.

Turiaf was part of the Lakers crucial bench effort, with 10 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots. Brian Cook added 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and Farmar scored seven points with three rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes.

Lamar Odom scored 20, making 9 of 11 shots for Los Angeles, who trailed by 12 midway through the third quarter. The Lakers were outrebounded 50-31, playing their second straight game without center Kwame Brown, out with a sprained left ankle.

Wilkins scored 25 for Seattle, and Watson finished with 16, but Lewis was harassed by Odom all night and scored just nine points, missing 10 of his 14 shots.

Even for most of the first half, Seattle sprinted to a 12-point advantage late in the first half behind a 18-4 run. The spurt was highlighted by Wilcox and Watson, and some carelessness by Odom.

With the Lakers about to call timeout, Odom became lax with the ball near midcourt. Watson jarred the ball loose, as coach Phil Jackson walked on the court assuming the timeout was about to be called.

Wilcox grabbed the loose ball, passed to Watson, who drove and passed off the backboard to a trailing Wilcox for a two-handed slam.

Four of Wilcox’s seven first-half field goals came on dunks.

Notes: Before the game Jackson tried to diffuse any controversy over the benching of Smush Parker on Wednesday night against the Clippers saying he was a Parker supporter. Parker did little to back Jackson’s support with just 3 points in 24 minutes. … Seattle All-Star Ray Allen is scheduled to have surgery in Los Angeles on Saturday to remove bone spurs from his left ankle.

Bryant has another big game, but Rockets win in overtime, 107-104

It wasn’t an embarrassing loss, the type that would make Phil Jackson light into his players again at their next practice.

Instead, it was a deeper defeat, the type that didn’t quite set in until it had ended — another loss at home, this time to a more polished team that simply outlasted the Lakers.

The Lakers came back from a 12-point deficit in the final few minutes of regulation to force overtime, but eventually lost to the Houston Rockets, 107-104, Friday at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant did what he could after an icy 3 1/2 quarters and finished with 53 points. It wasn’t enough.

Afterward, down the hall from a quiet locker room, Jackson was more pleased with the effort in losing to a Rockets team that has won 11 of its last 13 games.

"They can go in the showers and know they did what they had to do," he said. "Sometimes it doesn’t work out."

The Lakers (38-34) couldn’t capitalize on a loss by the Denver Nuggets and remained 2 1/2 games ahead of them for sixth place in the Western Conference.

The Lakers trailed, 75-67, going into the fourth quarter, and didn’t show much fire until Bryant began heating up in the final four minutes.

He was 11 for 30 until turning around his night, almost bringing the Lakers with him.

He made a three-pointer to bring them within 88-79 with 4:04 left in the fourth quarter. Then he looped a shot over Yao Ming. Then he made two free throws. A 14-foot fadeaway. Another three-pointer. Two more free throws.

Then came the apparent game-saver for the Lakers.

With the Lakers trailing by three, Yao fouled Kwame Brown as soon as he touched the ball on an inbounds play, sending a 41.7% free-throw shooter to the line with 15.5 seconds left in regulation.

Brown missed the first free throw, and then the second, but Bryant took the long rebound and, with barely a look at the basket, made a three-pointer from the side with 11.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 95-95.

An exuberant Bryant chest-thumped Lamar Odom at midcourt.

"Just got a lucky bounce," Bryant said. "Kwame should get an assist on the play."

The Lakers looked like they would topple the Rockets in overtime, taking a four-point lead. It didn’t last.

The Rockets took a one-point lead when Yao hit a layup with 22.3 seconds to play.

Then Bryant was called for traveling after he changed pivot feet just past half court with 16.6 seconds left in overtime. Bryant was apparently bothered by Shane Battier and Yao Ming trapping him.

"I think he did travel," Jackson said. "They made the correct call. But a lot of times they don’t make that call in that situation.’

Said Bryant: "They can make that call any time of the day."

Rafer Alston made two free throws with 14.4 seconds left in overtime for a 107-104 Houston lead, and Bryant missed an off-balance 28-foot three-pointer with 2.9 seconds left.

"They deserved to win in regulation," Bryant said. "They won in overtime."

Bryant made 19 of 44 shots. Odom had 16 points, 17 rebounds and four assists before fouling out in overtime.

Yao finished with 39 points, making 17 of 21 free throws, and Tracy McGrady had 30 points and 10 assists despite making seven of 24 shots, including a miss in the final second of regulation.

KEYS TO THE GAME

•  The Rockets lost a 12-point lead toward the end of regulation, then overcame a four-point deficit to win in overtime.

•  Yao Ming was an all-around force for Houston. He had 39 points, made 17 of 21 free throws, took 11 rebounds and had four blocked shots.

•  Tracy McGrady didn’t shoot very effectively — seven for 24 on the night — but he had 30 points thanks primarily to making 15 of 16 free throws. He also had 10 assists.