Lakers guard Kobe Bryant passes the ball as San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan defends during the Lakers' 100-92 victory Thursday in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles ? Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the defending champions, and now they’re headed to the NBA finals for the first time in four years.

Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs, 100-92, on Thursday night and win the Western Conference finals in five games.

The Lakers are 12-3 in the playoffs, including 8-0 at Staples Center, where they haven’t lost in two months. They’ve won 14 straight home games and 21 of their last 24 postseason games at home.

They get a week off before opening the finals next Thursday at Boston or Detroit.

A foul shot by Tim Duncan drew the Spurs within three, but two more baskets by Bryant made it 89-82 with 1:47 to play, and the Spurs weren’t closer than five after that.

Lamar Odom added 13 points and eight rebounds, while Pau Gasol had 12 points, a career playoff-high 19 rebounds and five assists for the Lakers.

Tony Parker scored 23 points, and Tim Duncan had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for the Spurs. Michael Finley scored 13 points, Brent Barry and Kurt Thomas had 11 each, and Manu Ginobili was held to nine.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich pointed to his team’s offense – and the Lakers’ defense – as the keys to the series.

“I thought we did a fine job,” he said. “We just didn’t muster the offense, for a variety of reasons. The fact that we didn’t come through offensively is a disappointment, but part of that is a credit to the Lakers.

“(We) just played a team that was better. That’s why the Lakers won. The better team won. You get a seven-game series, you win four games, you’re the best team.”

Lakers coach Phil Jackson has won nine championships, tied for the NBA record with former Boston coach Red Auerbach.

“I like not to get involved personally in this and think of this as a team effort,” he said regarding what playing in the NBA finals means to him. “As much as I appreciate the league trying to emphasize the Western Conference trophy, that doesn’t mean too much when that big prize is still out there.”