The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant wore a look of exhaustion Wednesday, some 15 hours after a most amazing performance.

"I'm looking forward to sleeping all day," he told reporters with a smile.

After flying back from a Colorado courtroom, Bryant scored 42 points to help the Lakers beat the Spurs 98-90 Tuesday and even their Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2.

"I love to compete." Bryant said. "I love to play at the highest level."

The Lakers will play Game 5 of their series with the Spurs today at San Antonio.

For some reason, Bryant has played at his highest level each time he has had to shuttle between the courtroom, where he faces a rape charge, and Los Angeles for a game the same night. It has happened four times - most recently Tuesday, when Bryant shot 15-of-27 and didn't commit a turnover.

Bryant pleaded not guilty to his sexual assault charge in Eagle, Colo., about 6 1/2 hours before the opening tipoff. He said he got about three hours sleep Monday night.

"I don't know - I really don't know," he said when asked why excels in such situations.

There was Dec. 19, when he arrived during the first quarter of a game against Denver and made a 20-foot jumper as time expired to give the Lakers a 101-99 victory.

There was March 24, when he scored 36 points in a 115-92 win over Sacramento.

And there was April 28, when he had 31 points and 10 assists in a 97-78 triumph over Houston in the final game of the Lakers' first-round playoff series.

He acknowledged his performance against the Spurs was his best in a playoff game. And that's saying something, considering his effort as a 21-year-old in the Lakers' 120-118 overtime victory at Indiana in Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals.

Bryant was playing on a bum ankle that caused him to miss the previous game, and Shaquille O'Neal had fouled out early in overtime. But Bryant scored eight points in OT and finished with 28.

"That was like a coming-out party for me," Bryant said with a smile.

O'Neal ranked Bryant's performance against the Spurs as one of the best he has ever seen and No. 3 on the Kobe-meter - behind the Pacers game and a 45-point effort against Seattle in 2003 when Bryant made an NBA-record 12 3-pointers.