Lakers star Kobe Bryant sprained his surgically repaired right shoulder Monday night and sat out the second half of an 89-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James (R) waits to re-enter the game with Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant during the second quarter of NBA action in Los Angeles, January 12, 2004. [Reuters]

The Lakers were already short-handed, playing their fifth game without Shaquille O'Neal (strained right calf) and ninth without Karl Malone (sprained knee ligament).

O'Neal said before the game he was getting better and close to playing again — perhaps Wednesday night against Denver. Malone is eligible to come off the injured list for that game, but isn't expected to do so.

Bryant's injury put a damper on his first game against rookie sensation LeBron James. Bryant went directly from high school to the NBA in 1996 and James did the same this season.

Gary Payton and rookie Brian Cook scored 13 points each, Devean George had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Slava Medvedenko added 11 points for the Lakers (23-11), who won their second straight after a season-high four-game losing streak.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas led Cleveland with 19 points and eight rebounds. James had 16 points and seven assists, but committed six turnovers. Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers (11-26), who lost for the seventh time in nine games.

The Lakers won by outscoring the Cavaliers 29-14 in the final period.

Lakers spokesman John Black called Bryant's injury a sprained acromio clavicular joint and said the star guard will have an MRI exam Tuesday.

Bryant was injured with 5.7 seconds left in the first quarter when he faked Cleveland's Kedrick Brown into the air outside the 3-point line and Brown landed on Bryant's shoulder.

In obvious pain, Bryant made three free throws, but left the game after the first quarter ended and went to the locker room for X-rays, which were negative.

Bryant returned to the game with 7:33 remaining in the second period, but was clearly not himself.

His only shot was a left-handed jumper from outside the foul line that didn't come close, and he left the game for good shortly thereafter, with 2:27 left before halftime.

Bryant was again taken to the locker room and didn't return. He finished with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes.

Bryant had surgery on his shoulder June 12 — four weeks after the Lakers were eliminated from the second round of the playoffs by San Antonio.

He had an inflamed bursa removed and a frayed labrum trimmed in his shoulder during the operation.

Payton's jumper with 6:01 triggered a 6-0 run that gave the Lakers a 77-72 lead, and they were on top the rest of the way.

The Cavaliers outscored the Lakers 23-10 to finish the third quarter for a 65-60 lead.

James had seven points and three assists to help the Cavaliers take a 19-8 lead in the first eight minutes.

The Lakers scored the last nine points of the first quarter — eight by Bryant — to cut Cleveland's lead to 21-19. The Lakers led 40-38 at halftime.

Notes:@ The Cavaliers have an NBA-worst 2-18 road record. ... The Lakers have a 17-2 home record — the league's second-best behind Sacramento's 19-2 mark at Arco Arena. ... The Lakers have won eight of their last nine games against the Cavaliers, including all five at Staples Center since the facility opened in 1999. ... O'Neal said he's at about 65 percent, and wants to wait until he's at 80 percent before returning. "I'll be back very, very soon," he said. If he doesn't play against Denver, O'Neal hopes to return Friday night at Sacramento when the Lakers and Kings play for the first time this season. ... James shot 2-of-13 in scoring a season-low four points in Cleveland's 90-80 loss to the Clippers at Staples Center on Dec. 3.

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