In the fourth quarter, Bryant atoned for his errors in overtime of Game 4. How many shot attempts did the most dangerous scorer in the NBA, the Mamba, attempt in his team’s most important game of the season? Zero.

Instead, Bryant played the point. He drove the lane, spun, weaved and sailed until he drew a double team. Then he dished. There was no better example of this than with just over 90 seconds remaining and Los Angeles clinging to a 101-100 lead. No. 24 drove to the hoop, leaped, and then at the last moment dished to a lonely Lamar Odom who slammed it home.

Only Bryant really knows how badly he hurts. There were no grimaces in Staples Center on Wednesday evening, no dramatic stations-of-the-cross-like falls to his knees as occurred on Sunday in Salt Lake City. Bryant played as if he were impervious to pain, though it is obvious David Blaine has better levitation than he does now. Early in the second half, Bryant spun past Williams on the left block and, with no defender in front of him, simply laid it in off the backboard. It was a jam moment, but Bryant understands his limitations.

Hollywood, a town famous for backlots and back scratchers, has a back problem at the moment. And it is not going away before the Jazz do. If the Jazz do. Utah fell meekly in Games 1 and 2, but suddenly they are fearless. And that brings up an intriguing quandary for Lakers coach Phil Jackson: Whether or not to sit Kobe on Friday night at Energy Solutions Arena.

If you could sit Kobe for Game 6 and have him at near full-strength for a Game 7 at home, why not do it? The Jazz, facing a closer-to-mortal Kobe in Game 5, were within one point of the Lakers with a minute to go. If Mehmet Okur had not missed a wide-open 3-pointer with 45 seconds to play, the score would have been tied. All of which is to say that the Lakers will be hard-pressed to win at Utah on Friday evening with a Kobe who, unlike in Game 5, did not have 72 hours of recuperation between games.

Rest Kobe on Friday and return to Staples Center for a Game 7 in which he will be healthy. Or at least healthier. Chances are Game 7 is going to happen, anyway. If you are Jackson, you don’t worry about your players facing Utah with their backs against the wall. You worry about those backs being pain-free.

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