LOS ANGELES, 15 April 2004 — Kobe Bryant collected a season-high 45 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to rally the Los Angeles Lakers to a 109-104 triumph over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

“He came out aggressive and shot the ball,” Lakers forward Shaquille O’Neal said of Bryant.

O’Neal contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds and several big plays down the stretch for the Lakers (55-26), who moved into a tie with the Kings atop the National Basketball Association’s Pacific Division standings with one game remaining.

If Los Angeles wins at Portland and Sacramento is somehow is upset at home by lowly Golden State, the Lakers win the division and secure the second seed in the Western Conference.

Bryant scored just eight points Sunday as the Lakers were blown out at Sacramento 102-85.

At least one of Bryant’s teammates complained to the Los Angeles media on Tuesday that Bryant had intentionally not given his best performance in response to criticism that he had taken too many shots in previous games.

“People who believe in me know I wouldn’t do that, point-blank,” Bryant said after Tuesday’s game.

Asked if the charge hurt him, Bryant, who is facing a rape charge in Colorado, responded, “Absolutely.”

But the embattled All-Star came out firing, taking 11 shots in the first quarter after attempting just one in the first half Sunday.

Bryant finished 14-of-29 from the floor and 17-of-18 from the line.

“It’s a bad night to run into the Lakers after Kobe Bryant’s going to come out and play like he did tonight,” Warriors coach Eric Musselman said. “Superstar player. He played great.”

O’Neal said they are looking forward to the challenge of the playoffs. “We have one more game tomorrow and then we will find out who our opponent is, and then we will take a couple days to focus on them,” O’Neal said.

Clifford Robinson scored 22 points and rookie Mickael Pietrus, of France, and reserve Brian Cardinal had 20 apiece for Golden State, which scored 17 of the game’s first 22 points.

In Dallas, the Mavericks played as if they didn’t care their playoff opponent could be the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Mavericks locked up the fifth seed in the Western Conference — and a potential first-round date with the Lakers — by rolling to a 110-103 victory Tuesday over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Rookie Marquis Daniels had another big game with 30 points for the Mavericks (51-30), who came in tied for fifth with the Grizzlies.

They evened the season series at 2-2 and hold the tiebreaker with a better conference record. By finishing fifth, Dallas’ first-round opponent likely will be Los Angeles, which won three straight titles from 2000-02 and reloaded this season, adding future Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Karl Malone to a lineup that includes superstars O’Neal and Bryant.

The Mavericks split four games with the Lakers this season.