“Scoring 81 points is a truly amazing accomplishment,” Baylor, general manager of the Clippers, said in a statement. “Of course, the most important thing is that his effort contributed to a victory for his team.”

After the game was over, and before he met with reporters, Bryant’s cell phone rang. The caller was Lakers legend Magic Johnson.

“For him to just call me and tell me what a great game it was and how proud of me he is meant more to me than the 81 points,” Bryant said. “That meant more to me than even the game itself because I idolized him as a kid.”

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coached the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls to six championships in the 1990s, said Bryant’s single-game performance surpassed anything Jordan ever did on a given night.

“That was something to behold — it was another level,” Jackson said. “At halftime we were disturbed about the way we were playing. We came out and Kobe just found a way to do everything.

“It’s not exactly the way you want to have a team win a game, but when you have to win a game, it’s great to have that weapon to be able to do that.”

Tex Winter, a longtime assistant to Jackson and architect of the triangle offense, expressed respect and regret at the same time.

“That was one of the greatest exhibitions I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of exhibitions,” the 83-year-old Winter said. “That’s what the fans love. (But) I don’t think you can win a championship that way.”

Bryant is often compared to Jordan, whose career-high was 69 points.

Bryant said it’s time for such comparisons to stop.

“He’s one of the greatest players of all time,” Bryant said. “It’s not fair for us younger players to be compared to him. We can’t measure up to him. He’s Jordan, and I’m Kobe.”

Slideshow   Week in Sports Pictures A boxing champ celebrates, a kicker regrets, fans mourn a hero, and much more. more photos

Kobe certainly measured up on this night.

Bryant’s legal problems in Colorado, where he was accused of rape in the summer of 2003, are a distant memory. His case never went to trial because his accuser decided she wasn’t up to it, and an out-of-court settlement was reached before a civil trial took place.

Bryant seemed to be everywhere before that, appearing on numerous television ads as a pitchman for several prominent organizations including McDonald’s and Sprite.

Not so these days, although he began appearing in Nike ads last summer and recently introduced a new shoe bearing his name.

After going for 81, perhaps Bryant will become more visible again.

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