Lakers Clang This One

SACRAMENTO — The rivalry, it appears, is alive and well.

Rick Fox and Doug Christie didn’t square off, Robert Horry didn’t pump life into a mini-dynasty with a three-pointer, and cowbells didn’t cause temporary hearing loss, but the Lakers and Sacramento Kings were once again entertaining combatants.

Arco Arena gleefully welcomed back one of its least favorite characters, Laker Coach Phil Jackson, and the home team carried it from there, beating the Lakers in overtime, 118-109, Thursday night.

King center Brad Miller hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc with 4.1 seconds left to send the game to overtime, and the Lakers couldn’t stop forward Kenny Thomas, of all people, once they got there.

Thomas had six points and an assist in overtime on the way to 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, his first career triple-double. Mike Bibby was a game-long problem for the Lakers, scoring 40 points to go with six assists.

Kobe Bryant had 51 points, and Lamar Odom had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Lakers before fouling out with 4:04 left in overtime.

Odom also had a hand in the Lakers’ frittering away a five-point lead in the final 35 seconds of regulation, fumbling a chance to win for the seventh time in eight games.

With the Lakers ahead, 102-98, Odom drove the lane instead of killing time on the clock and was called for charging with 22 seconds left, and 14 on the shot clock. Thomas took the charge.

“I take the blame for that one,” Odom said. “I should have run the clock down a little bit more. First time in a long time my aggressiveness beat me.”

Said Jackson: “We didn’t use the clock wisely down the stretch.”

In overtime, Bryant missed two quick three-point attempts and lost the ball out of bounds as the Kings distanced themselves with the help of Thomas. Bryant made only one of five three-point attempts in overtime.

“We got desperate,” Jackson said. “That’s a really poor offensive showing. Guys started just chucking up three-pointers.”

Years ago, Jackson called Sacramento a “cow town” and King fans “semi-civilized,” which only added to the intensity of their playoff meetings.

Bryant declared the rivalry dead last season and again this week, but reports of its demise were apparently overstated.

There was booing of Bryant and Jackson during pregame introductions, a variety of unflattering hand-painted signs that included the “Smash Smush” held up by a little girl, and even a sustained “Beat L.A.” chant during a fourth-quarter timeout.

There were some unpleasant on-court looks as well when Miller fouled Bryant across the arms with 5:35 left in the third quarter. Bryant glowered at Miller, who in turn rolled his eyes, not convinced the foul was really that hard.

The Lakers led, 89-81, and it looked like another road victory was possible. Then, almost as suddenly, they trailed, 91-89, after Bibby’s three-pointer with 6:01 to play.

Bryant guided the Lakers back to a 102-97 lead, making three shots from the right side in the final 2:49 and feeding Odom for an open three-pointer with 35.5 seconds left.

But Miller made a free throw, Thomas drew the charge on Odom, Bibby hit a three-pointer with 18.7 seconds left and, after Bryant made two free throws, Miller tied it.

“Even though [Odom] made a mistake, as a team, defense is what cost us the game down the stretch,” Bryant said.

Coming into the game, Jackson warned his players that the game was as symbolic now as it was in years past.

“This is still a rivalry that means something,” Jackson said. “You can tell by the 500 fans that were standing in the hotel lobby and outside the hotel today to see our bus off for the ballgame that it’s a meaningful game to the people locally here.”

Bryant had 21 points in the first quarter and also set a team record by making his 44th consecutive free throw, breaking the record he set last season. He made all 13 of his free-throw attempts in the game.