CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- This was more like the Kobe Bryant the Los Angeles Lakers are accustomed to seeing. Bryant, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and still learning to trust his legs, was back to making big shots down the stretch and helping his team win Saturday night -- although in a somewhat tentative manner. "I dont know what I can and cant do," Bryant said. "Im just trying to measure it. I didnt know if I could drive to the basket. Every game has been like that." Bryant took a big step in the right direction, scoring a season-high 21 points to help the Lakers defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 88-85 for their first win since Bryant returned four games ago. Bryant was 8 of 15 from the field and hit two free throws with 37 seconds left in the game to put the Lakers ahead for good. Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill had 15 points apiece for the Lakers and Nick Young had 13 points off the bench. Kemba Walker had 24 points and eight assists for the slumping Bobcats, who have lost three straight and five of their last seven. "I knew it was coming eventually, its not a big deal," Bryant said of getting his first win of the season. "We know its a marathon not a sprint. We have to do the right things game in, game out. Some games youre going to lose." Bryant averaged 11 points in his first three games. He eclipsed that by halftime. Bryant showed his touch when he banked in a 15-footer over Gerald Henderson and his range when he stepped out to knock down a 3-pointer from 26 feet. But there were some struggles as well. Bryant committed seven turnovers and air-balled a 3-pointer. But he did enough to help the Lakers win. "I think he improved a little bit," Lakers coach Mike DAntoni said. "I think he got his legs under his shot a little bit and that looked better. He got tired. He got tired toward the end and it was his first back-to-back. Theres a lot of things that he has to work through. "We have to somehow find some wins and gut it out. Its not pretty right now. We dont have a playmaker and weve got to get guys healthy and get Kobe well." The Lakers trailed most of the game, but cut the lead to 85-84 when Bryant drove the lane and scored a left-handed layup with 1:22 remaining. Al Jefferson and Walker would both miss on the other end and Bryant went to work looking to take the lead. He drew a foul on a jump shot with 37 seconds left and hit both free throws with some of the crowd chanting "M-V-P" while others booed. Henderson missed a jumper for Charlotte, but Jefferson corralled the rebound and the Bobcats took a timeout to set up the last shot. Jefferson backed down Pau Gasol but couldnt convert a baby hook and the Gasol grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Gasol hit both free throws to push the lead to three with 6.2 seconds left. Ben Gordons 3-pointer fell short as time expired. "It was one of those games that came down to the last play at the end, but we have to try to do a better job of taking care of some of the minor mistakes we made earlier in the game so it doesnt come down to the last second," Gordon said. The Bobcats (10-14) came into the week looking to improve their spot in the playoff picture in the East, but dropped all three games. Coach Steve Clifford, who worked as an assistant last year with the Lakers, said having a player like Bryant to go to in the fourth quarter -- even if not completely healthy -- is just a huge advantage. "When it comes down fourth quarter in this league if you have a perimeter player who can draw help and a second defender, its a huge advantage," Clifford said. "Were going to have to be really good at getting the ball to Al in spots. Again, its not easy. The easier thing is to have Kobe. "You can just him the ball and he just makes plays. But thats all right, that is the way our team is made and we have to learn how to do that. But it is more difficult? Its infinitely more difficult, yes it is." The highlight of the game came in the third quarter when Josh McRoberts cut down the lane, took a pass from Walker and skied over Pau Gasol for a one-handed slam dunk that brought the crowd to its feet. NOTES: Welterweight boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. was courtside. ... Henderson has scored in double figures in 22 games this season, including 15 straight. ... The Lakers have won five straight against the Bobcats. Wholesale Yeezy 350 White . -- The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Brandon Lyon that includes an invitation to their big league camp for spring training. Fake Yeezy 350 White .com) - The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to get back on track Monday night when they welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to Chesapeake Energy Arena. http://www.yeezys350cheap.com/. The 12th-ranked Haas served well throughout the match at the Ibirapuera arena, allowing only one break point to the 152nd-ranked Italian. Both players held serve until the first-set tiebreak, when Haas stepped up his game to easily clinch the set. Cheap Yeezy 350 v2 Mens .com) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will sit out Thursdays game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with left knee soreness. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Supreme Black/Red . -- Peyton Manning is the only player in this Super Bowl who has won the big game.GLENDALE, Ariz. - Headed for a last-place finish in the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers are enjoying the chance to play spoilers. Sam Gagner got the tying goal with 40.4 seconds to play in regulation, then scored the winner in the fourth round of the shootout to lift the Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday night. "Its nice to get rewarded there," Gagner said of the tying goal. "You have to learn to find ways to win, especially for us down the stretch here." It was a tough loss for the Coyotes, who are vying for the last wild-card spot in the West. Phoenix moved one point ahead of ninth-place Dallas, but the Stars have two games in hand. "Its not about being so much the spoiler. Its fun to be a part of a game that means something," Oilers coach Dallas Eakins said. "Were playing teams that these games are huge for them and we understand. Its fun and its challenging to be in games that really mean something to the other team and I was very interested in how our guys were going to respond." Coyotes coach Dave Tippett compared the loss to an overtime playoff defeat. "The way we gave up the second goal, thats demoralizing, but its no time to hang your head," he said. Oilers defenceman Justin Schultz also scored and Ben Scrivens stopped 24 shots through overtime. Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored the tying goal for the Coyotes in the second period, and Kyle Chipchura put them ahead with 7:18 left in the third. Thomas Greiss also stopped 24 shots for Phoenix. Gagner scored on a deflection, backhanding the puck into the net after a shot from behind the goal by teammate Jordan Eberle to force overtime. Eberle had two assists. Schultz gave his team the early lead in the final minute of the first period. He took a centring pass from Eberle and fired a wrist shot that bounced on the ice and over Greisss outstretched glove hand.dddddddddddd The offensive struggles continued for the Coyotes, who have three goals in the past four games, all losses with two overtime shootout defeats. "First period, I thought out execution was poor. Just couldnt get a handle on anything. Didnt pass the puck well," Tippett said. "Our intentions were good, we just couldnt get anything done. Right now we dont have a lot of that in our lineup, the pure execution at high speed." Just 13 seconds into the Coyotes first power play of the game, Ekman-Larsson held the puck for a bit, then shot high to the far corner and found the net with 5:28 left in the second period to even the score at 1-all. The goal ended the Coyotes scoring drought of more than 139 minutes. Greiss kept the Oilers from taking another lead, knocking away a quality shot from Eberle with 2:44 to play in the second. The Coyotes had a chance to add to their lead on a late third-period power play, but Mike Ribeiros shot hit the post. Scrivens went to the bench with a little over a minute to play to give the Oilers an extra attacker, and Edmonton took advantage with the late goal. "An unfortunate mixup, and we let a point slip away again," Chipchura said. The Coyotes lost in a shootout Tuesday to Winnipeg, another non-playoff team. NOTES: Phoenix G Mike Smith (knee injury) took part in the teams morning skate on Friday but is still not ready to play. The Coyotes are expected to update his status in the coming days. ... C Martin Hanzal suffered a lower-body injury early in the third period and did not return. ... RW David Moss returned to action for the Coyotes after missing the past three games with a lower-body injury. ... D David Schlemko was a scratch and has not played since March 6 due to a foot injury. ... Oilers C Tyler Pitlick missed his third straight game with a knee injury. ' ' '