COAST TO COAST

New Kobe quickly becomes Classic Kobe

Here’s the really amazing thing about Kobe Bryant’s 50-point streak.

It’s no biggie.

If he were the monument to selfishness some people think he is, even in a lower-scoring era (scoring has dropped 19 points a game since 1961-62), he could have passed Wilt Chamberlain’s seven 50-point games in a row long ago.

You may have noticed, as he once said matter-of-factly, “I can score the ball.”

Bryant is a lot of things, so many that 11 pro seasons later, no one knows who he is -- and he sometimes seems in doubt, reinventing himself periodically.

He was the boy next door, turned edgy, parted ways with Shaquille O’Neal so he could win a title all his own and learned he had limits. Now, in a happier place, he’s trying to lower his guard.

If he was self-obsessed, he was also a better team player than he ever got credit for (in this, his most restrained season, he’s at 5.5 assists; in his last three seasons playing alongside Shaq, he was also at 5.5.)

He was always pure gamer. There may be some post-suspension anger in his streak. There’s definitely some preening, but it started for the right reason -- the Lakers had to have it -- when he scored 33 of his 65 in the fourth quarter and overtime and all the points in the last 1:40 of regulation after Portland led, 96-89.

Happily for the Lakers, he shot 54% in the four games and they won them all. Nevertheless, they got off to their great start because he showed more restraint than he ever had.

With Bryant, the pendulum always swings too far, but that’s the most special thing he has done this season.

Round and round

Be careful what you ask for: Chicago Coach Scott Skiles after losing in Memphis: “We’re about to find out if this meant anything or if this hurts anybody or if we’re embarrassed by our performance.” They lost their next game at home to the Clippers.... Not what they had in mind: Portland’s Zach Randolph, granted a bereavement leave to go to a friend’s funeral in Indiana, was spotted at a strip club in Portland. The team said he stopped off on the way to the airport but issued a statement that didn’t mention Randolph but noted that character would be “a key measuring tool” for staying with the team.... If No. 8 comes down to a two-way tie between the Clippers and the Warriors or Hornets, or a three-way tie, the Clippers have the edge. The Clippers and Warriors tied their season series, 2-2, but the Warriors won theirs against the Hornets and the Clippers lead theirs, 2-0. In the next tiebreaker, division record, the Clippers are 4-7 to the Warriors’ 4-9.... The Lakers aren’t worrying about jockeying for No. 6 to play the Spurs or No. 7 to play the Suns. A year ago they didn’t mind playing Phoenix, but Phil Jackson notes with the return of Amare Stoudemire, “They have a little more armor.”

Famous last words

Golden State’s Stephen Jackson on teammate Baron Davis: “Baron is just as important as our uniforms. We can’t play without uniforms. We can play without Baron, but we’d rather not.”