Kobe Bryant scored 48 points and capped his season-best offensive outburst by swishing an 18-footer with 4.3 seconds left in overtime to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Seattle SuperSonics 123-121 on Monday night.

The Lakers were playing their first game without injured center Andrew Bynum.

Bryant returned to being an offensively-focused scorer, taking 44 shots and scoring the Lakers' last six points of overtime, as Los Angeles won its seventh straight and moved into a tie with Phoenix atop the Pacific Division.

Before the game, Seattle Coach P.J. Carlesimo said he wouldn't mind it if Bryant went off just as long as he was forced to take a lot of shots. Carlesimo just didn't count on Bryant making nearly half of his 44 attempts, finishing with 21 field goals made. It was Bryant's 87th career 40-point game and the fourth in his last five games in Seattle.