Before Friday night?s game against the Dallas Mavericks, Kobe Bryant had played 603 games in the NBA without enduring a five-game losing streak.

Make it 604.

Bryant poured in 10 points in the final 2:15 as the Lakers held off the Mavs, 108-103. The Lakers snapped a four-game losing streak and reclaimed sole possession of the final Western Conference playoff spot, a half-game ahead of Denver and a full game ahead of Minnesota.

Bryant, who pumped in 40 points, came out focused and fired-up. After two sub-par efforts in close losses at New York and Boston, there were whispers that Kobe was tiring in the fourth quarter, that his sprained ankle was acting up, that the pressure of trying to do too much was wearing him down.

Tonight, it was the Mavericks who wore down trying to stop him. Bryant went to the foul line 16 times (making 14), had 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocked shots. Operating at times out of the triangle offense, Bryant created high-percentage shots for himself, found open teammates with adroit passes out of double-teams, and took over when the situation dictated, virtually willing the Lakers to a victory they badly needed.