When Kobe Bryant was limited in training camp because of offseason knee surgery, the Los Angeles Lakers didn't know how long it would take for their star to find his usual form.

Apparently, five games was enough.

Bryant had 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to help the Lakers win their fifth straight game to open the season, 112-100 over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

"I thought he might start off struggling to find some rhythm and he would build some rhythm as things went," teammate Derek Fisher said. "To see him play this well this early, he's on my team, so that's good for me. But that's not good for everyone else when he's playing this good this early."

Pau Gasol added 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Lamar Odom scored 18 for the Lakers, who have won seven straight against their Northern California rivals.

But Bryant was the star. He had his 17th career triple-double and first since Jan 21, 2009, against the Clippers. He had just two triple-doubles the past five seasons but needed only five games after offseason knee surgery to get one this season.

"I just feel better. I feel fine," Bryant said. "I'm 100 percent."

The Kings wouldn't argue.

They had won three of four to begin the season for their best start in seven years. That brought hope among Sacramento fans that a rivalry that had grown stale in recent years could be rekindled to what it was a decade ago, when these teams were annually among the top contenders for a title.

But the Lakers dealt the young Kings a dose of reality that beating Cleveland, Toronto and Minnesota is a little different than going up against the two-time defending NBA champions.

"The Lakers don't even know who we are right now," coach Paul Westphal said. "We would like to build a rivalry with the best team in the world. ... We've got to win some games before there's a rivalry. They're where we want to be."

A 3-pointer by rookie DeMarcus Cousins and a basket by reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans helped Sacramento get within six early in the third quarter. The Lakers responded with a 13-1 run that gave them a 79-61 lead and essentially put the game away early. Ron Artest hit a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 20 points.

The Lakers have scored at least 107 points every game this season and turned the ball over only six times against the Kings as the offense looked in midseason form.

"It's just picking up where we left off," coach Phil Jackson said. "Kind of generating energy from the championship season, going out with a lot of knowledge of what we want to do."

The Lakers got a scare late in the third quarter when Odom was hunched over in pain holding his left hand. He was tended to by the training staff and quickly returned to the game and made a 3-pointer, showing no ill effects.

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