LOS ANGELES: Given a fresh start, Nate Robinson began the New Year with a big finish.

Robinson made a dramatic return to the lineup, scoring 11 of his season-high 41 points in overtime, and the visiting New York Knicks clipped the Atlanta Hawks 112-108 on Friday night.

After being benched the last 14 games by Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, Robinson showed no signs of rust in his first action since Dec. 1. The 5-foot-9 mighty mite guard came off the bench to hit 18-of 24 shots along, hand out eight assists and grab six rebounds in 38 minutes.

Frustrated over being in D’Antoni’s doghouse, Robinson asked his agent Aaron Goodwin to seek a trade last week. When Goodwin told reporters, Robinson was promptly fined $25,000 by the league, because players are not permitted to make trade requests publicly.

However, playing time can change things, and Robinson made his point of wanting to stay in the Big Apple.

“This is where I want to be, I just want to stay and help this team win,” Robinson said. “Everything is in the past. It’s 2010, a new year and a fresh start.”

D’Antoni was impressed with the way Robinson responded.

“Nate played great, pent up emotions came out, I guess,” he said.

“He showed a lot of character. He hung in there; he took the medicine and did a helluva of job. He won the game for us.

“Thank goodness the new year brought a new solution for us.”

The Knicks trailed by 14 with 8:10 left before Robinson rallied them. He scored the final eight points, including a driving layup with 11 seconds left, to cap a 24-10 closing run that sent the game into overtime squared at 99-apiece.

“He started breaking us down and making plays, and we couldn’t stop him once he got going,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said.

Robinson continued to light up the Hawks in the extra five-minute session, scoring 11 of the team’s 13 points. Tied at 105, he converted the go-ahead three-point play with 2:09 remaining, buried a three-pointer and a free throw to complete the Herculean effort.

“That was pretty unbelievable,” said Knicks David Lee after a sub-par 11-point, seven rebound effort. “Nate single-handedly carried us. He made the right plays every time down the floor.”

Wilson Chandler added 24 points with 17 rebounds for the Knicks (13-20) who were happy to have Robinson back.

“Nate played a great game, I’m glad to see him back,” Chandler said. “Not playing in a while, a lot of players wouldn’t have come back like that. I’m just proud of him.”

Joe Johnson scored 26 points, Josh Smith had 24 while Al Horford added 22 and 19 rebounds for the Hawks (21-11) losers of three straight for the first time this season following a pair of fourth-quarter collapses to Cleveland earlier this week.

“You don’t want three losses in a row to turn into 10 losses,” Hawks guard Jamal Crawford said. “You have to shake it off and move forward.”

Lakers 109, Kings 108: Kobe Bryant buried another three-point buzzer-beater to cap a 39-point performance, and rally the Lakers from 20 down to a dramatic victory over the visiting Kings.

It was the third in the last 29 days Bryant delivered the game-winner as the clock hit zero following victories over Miami and Milwaukee.

Bryant was given the opportunity after Ime Udoka missed a pair of free throws with 4.7 seconds left that would have put the Kings ahead by four.

Pau Gasol took the inbound pass following a timeout and found Bryant, who shed Sergio Rodriguez before launching his wide-open difference-maker from deep on the left wing, sending the sellout Staples Center crowd into delirium.

“I got open, had a wide-open look and had to knock it down,” Bryant said.

Lamar Odom had a season-high 20 points with 10 rebounds, while Spanish-native Gasol added 17 with 16 boards for the league-best Lakers (26-6) who overcame a 20-point deficit for the first time since Dec. 15, 2006.

Spencer Hawes had a career-high 30 points with 11 rebounds for the Kings (14-18) who dropped a double overtime decision to the defending NBA Champions a week ago.

Israeli rookie Omri Casspi scored 23 while Slovenian Beno Udrih finished with 19 and a career-best 13 assists.

Orlando Magic 106, Minnesota Timberwolves 94: Rashard Lewis scored 21 points with five of Orlando’s 15 triples, Matt Barnes had 17 and 11 rebounds, carrying the visiting Magic (24-8) to their fifth win in the last six games.

Jonny Flynn netted 23 points while Kevin Love collected 17 and 10 rebounds for Minnesota (7-27) losers of three in a row.