Los Angeles ? Kobe Bryant arrived home just in time to lead the Los Angeles Lakers into the dream matchup of the NBA playoffs.

After spending most of the last three days in a Colorado courtroom, Bryant had 31 points, six rebounds and 10 assists Wednesday night, and the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets, 97-78, to win their first-round series 4-1.

The Lakers put the Rockets away with a 33-7 run to finish the third quarter and start the fourth for an 82-59 lead. Bryant had 11 points and four assists during the spurt.

The Lakers and Spurs — winners of the last five NBA championships — meet in the second round starting Sunday in San Antonio.

Karl Malone had 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Shaquille O’Neal added 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots for the Lakers. Slava Medvedenko also scored 12 points, showing no ill effects from his strained right Achilles’ tendon.

Jim Jackson led Houston with 17 points. Steve Francis had 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Cuttino Mobley had 16 points for the Rockets.

Looking worn and surrounded by bodyguards, Bryant showed up at Staples Center 26 minutes before the opening tipoff following the third and final day of pretrial hearings in his sexual-assault case in Eagle, Colo.

Bryant definitely didn’t appear tired during his best game of the postseason, playing all but one minute of the first three quarters.

He played 41 minutes and shot 12-of-21, along with 6-of-6 from the foul line. He shot 33.8 percent in the first four games of the series.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant complains to a referee for not calling a foul against Houston. The Lakers beat the Rockets, 97-78, Wednesday in Los Angeles.