Kobe’s dunks help Lakers take 3-2 lead (AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Kobe Bryant(notes) scored 19 points and threw down two stirring dunks on a sprained left ankle, and the Los Angeles Lakers pushed the New Orleans Hornets to the brink of first-round playoff elimination with a 106-90 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday night, taking a 3-2 series lead.

Andrew Bynum(notes) had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Pau Gasol(notes) added 16 points as the two-time defending NBA champions roared back from a slow start in a pivotal game for their threepeat hopes with another dramatic playoff performance by Bryant, who injured his ankle in Game 4.

Trevor Ariza(notes) scored 22 points, Marco Belinelli(notes) added 21, and Chris Paul(notes) had 20 points and 12 assists for the seventh-seeded Hornets, who have lost three of four since their stunning Game 1 victory. Ariza hit five 3-pointers, but managed just six points in the second half as the Lakers took control of the game and perhaps the series.

Game 6 is Thursday in New Orleans.

Bryant left New Orleans on crutches two days earlier, but he refused an MRI exam extensive treatment when he got home, with coach Phil Jackson reluctantly agreeing. Postseason injuries are nothing new for the two-time NBA finals MVP, who has persevered through a slew of them during 67 playoff games in the previous three years.

After a slow start, Bryant erased worries about his fitness with a dunk that recalled the days when a younger Kobe wore a No. 8 jersey. Late in the second quarter, he drove the lane with a left-hand dribble, went up with two hands and threw down a right-handed slam over Emeka Okafor(notes), electrifying his Staples Center fans.

He added another crowd-riling slam with his left hand in the third quarter while Los Angeles jumped to an 11-point lead, and he headed back to the locker room early to get more treatment when he came out for good in the final minutes.

While Bryant took the emotional lead, the Lakers got another outstanding low-post game from Bynum, who moved exceptionally well on his own sore knee. Gasol also returned to nearly normal after an awful start to the series, while Derek Fisher(notes) and Lamar Odom(notes) added 13 points apiece.

The Hornets made 61 percent of their shots in the first half, but couldn’t maintain that pace when the Lakers got down to business. Last spring, the Lakers also faced an even first-round series heading into Game 5 against Oklahoma City, and they responded with eight consecutive wins.

Ariza breezed past Bryant for a layup on the Hornets’ opening possession as they came out with no fear of the big Hollywood stage, making 13 of their 16 shots in the first quarter and jumping to a nine-point lead. Paul racked up eight assists in the period, picking up right where he left off in New Orleans.

But Bryant added three more baskets after his dramatic dunk, staking Los Angeles to a 54-51 halftime advantage. Paul kept the Hornets right in it, scoring seven points in the final 2 minutes of the first half.

Paul’s triple-double allowed New Orleans to even the series in Game 4, but he struggled to make big plays after getting eight assists in the first quarter. His frustrating night was epitomized in the final minutes when Ron Artest’s(notes) defense forced him simply to drop the ball on the ground, unable to shoot or to pass after he jumped.

NOTES: Before the game, Artest received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, recognizing his tireless year of mental health advocacy. Artest, still best known for his role in the 2004 brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills, pronounced himself very grateful for the honor. Artest testified before Congress and raised money for the cause, even raffling off his 2010 championship ring. … Paul’s eight assists in the first quarter tied the franchise playoff record for a Lakers opponent. John Stockton and Steve Nash(notes) also did it. … Fans near courtside included Jon Hamm, David Beckham, Steven Spielberg, Ken Jeong, Reggie Bush, Jeremy Piven, Kaley Cuoco, Kevin Hart, Maria Shriver and baseball great Frank Robinson(notes).