LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Without Shaquille O'Neal on the floor, Kobe Bryant wasn't shy about taking over the offense.
Bryant scored 17 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers overcame the loss of O'Neal and rallied for a 101-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
O'Neal went to the locker room in the third quarter with a calf injury and did not return. Los Angeles struggled to adjust without its supersized center until Bryant took matters into his own hands.
"Shaquille asked out of the game in the third quarter," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. "I'm really not unduly concerned. We finally got our momentum. Kobe had one of his fourth-quarter opportunities."
Bryant made 6-of-11 shots and 5-of-7 free throws in the final 12 minutes as the Lakers secured their 21st consecutive regular-season home win - the team's longest run since moving to Los Angeles in 1960.
"I can still score and play through injuries," said Bryant, who still isn't at full stretch following offseason knee surgery. "We were kind of stuck in neutral and they were talking trash. I just turned it up a little bit."
"I started giving him opportunities in the offensive sequences," Jackson said. "We were able to win the ballgame because of his efforts."
The Bulls had an 80-75 edge with less than nine minutes left before the Lakers reeled off 17 of the next 21 points, highlighted by nine from Bryant.
The four-time All-Star gave the Lakers the lead for good at 81-80 on a three-point play with 9:06 left and added a pair of free throws 22 seconds later.
After Bryon Russell made a 3-pointer for Los Angeles, Chicago pulled within 86-84 on consecutive baskets by Jamal Crawford and Scottie Pippen.
Bryant responded with back-to-back jumpers to extend the lead and sealed the win with 69 seconds to go, burying a runner for a 96-89 cushion.
"Kobe hurt us in the end with some shots, and they were tough shots," Bulls coach Bill Cartwright said. "We allowed some penetration and let them get a little momentum."
O'Neal and Gary Payton scored 15 points apiece and Karl Malone collected 14 and 18 rebounds for the Lakers, who outscored the Bulls from the free-throw line, 27-9.
Crawford scored 23 points off the bench to lead the Bulls, who have lost the first two games on a season-high five-game road trip.
"A couple of plays here or there and the game is ours," Crawford said. "It would have been a nice one to win. If we take the same effort that we had tonight and keep playing hard, I think we'll come up with wins."
