LOS ANGELES: Kobe Bryant played after a full day in a Colorado court and once again showed no ill-effects on Wednesday, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 97-78 win over the Houston Rockets to reach the second round of the National Basketball Association playoffs.

　　Bryant had 31 points and 10 assists and the Lakers advanced for the eighth straight year to the Western Conference semi-finals.

　　The second-seeded Lakers closed out the seventh-seeded Rockets in five games to set up an epic rematch with the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, who ended Los Angeles' three-year title reign in last year's conference semi-finals.

　　"This time we're ready for them," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, although he added: "They're playing as good as anybody in the NBA right now. We're going to have to elevate our game."

　　That series starts on Sunday, which certainly should benefit Bryant. Since Sunday's overtime win in Houston, he has flown to Colorado and back to Los Angeles for three straight days of pre-trial hearings. The Lakers star is facing a rape charge in Colorado.

　　Bryant arrived less than a half-hour before tip-off and appeared fatigued early in the game. But he got a second wind in the second quarter, scoring 14 points, then matched Houston's total - nine - in the third period.

　　"It took me a while to gt my legs underneath me," Bryant said. "Once I got up and down the court a couple of times I was able to find my rhythm."

　　Jimmy Jackson scored 17 points and Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis added 16 each for the Rockets, who committed 22 turnovers.

　　All-Star centre Yao Ming managed just 10 points.