Lakers get makeup win

PHILADELPHIA -- Kobe Bryant was the Lakers’ fourth-leading scorer, and it wasn’t even a problem.

He can thank Andrew Bynum.

What a difference six months makes, the relationship between the current and future foundation of the Lakers no longer shredded at the seams, the telltale signs of repair and restoration playing out publicly night after night.

The latest sample came after Bynum’s career-high 24-point effort in the Lakers’ 106-101 victory Friday over the Philadelphia 76ers at Wachovia Center.

Bynum made 10 of 11 shots, took 11 rebounds and picked up another dose of flattery from Bryant.

“I thought Andrew played exceptional for us,” Bryant said. “I think [his] poise comes from good work ethic and having the confidence to be able to do something and be able to perform. He’s been working extremely hard. The key for him is to keep it up.”

Bryant also smiled when asked about the infamous amateur parking-lot video in which he said Bynum should have been shipped out of town for All-Star guard Jason Kidd.

“It seemed to have lit a fire under [him],” Bryant said without a trace of rancor. “It’s awesome.”

Bryant needed help on a night where he scored 19 points on six-for-20 shooting that can be attributed partly to a strained left groin.

Lamar Odom picked up a share of the slack with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Derek Fisher had 21 points and seven assists.

With Odom and Bynum, the Lakers had two players with 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game for the first time since Shaquille O’Neal and Gary Payton did it in a March 2004 game against Atlanta.

It was a victory the Lakers needed after a serious collapse Thursday in Cleveland, where an 11-point lead somehow became a 94-90 loss.

They are now 16-10 overall and 2-1 on their current trek through the Eastern Conference, which ends Sunday against the hapless New York Knicks.

Bynum looked as if he were playing on eight-foot baskets in the first half, scoring 18 points on eight-for-nine shooting and pulling down seven rebounds. But the Lakers led only 56-53 at halftime, after letting an 11-point lead slip away.

They held fast in the second half despite an unusual third quarter in which they missed 12 consecutive shots over a period of 7 minutes 31 seconds.

The Lakers fell behind, but unlike the previous night in Cleveland, they never stressed.

Bynum’s tip-in off Bryant’s missed jumper provided a 103-94 comfort zone with 1:24 to play, all but ending the game.

“He’s such a long, lanky guy that if you show off with him, he’s got the ability to go get the ball at any height,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “It was a really good game for him.”

Bynum even found time to deliver a hook shot . . . left-handed, no less.

Did he learn it from his mentor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Not quite.

“That was just from feeling it,” Bynum said, smiling.

Bynum, who turned 20 two months ago, said he considered the amateur-video case to be closed when he and Bryant talked the first day of training camp. Of course, winning and playing well tend to ease any lingering tension.

“I think it’s just that he respects more how I worked this summer, and during the season, he sees me going into the weight room,” he said. “He just doesn’t like if he doesn’t see people working hard.”

Without naming names, Jackson said he thought Bryant was indeed grasping the Lakers’ potential. “I think Kobe sees that there’s a big upside to this team,” he said.

All the kind words seemed to push Thursday’s negative plot line to the back of the book.

Bryant hasn’t had the typical spring in his step since sustaining a strained left groin Dec. 14 against Golden State. In the last three games, he has averaged 23 points and shot only 39.3%.

He underwent treatment on the plane from Cleveland to Philadelphia and had two more sessions on game day.

“We’re trying to patch him together without having to extend the injury,” Jackson said.

The night couldn’t end without cautious words from Jackson, who said the Knicks (8-18) might not be pushovers.

“We’ve never been able to stop Zach Randolph when he was in Portland, so I don’t know what guys are crowing about if they think this is going to be an easy game,” Jackson said. “This is not going to be easy for us.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com