Bryant, Mihm carry load for L.A.

LOS ANGELES — In their first game as Kobe Bryant’s team, the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t need Bryant to dominate.

Bryant had 25 points, seven assists and three blocked shots, and Chris Mihm added a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds as the Lakers never trailed in beating the Denver Nuggets 89-78 Tuesday night.

The game was the Lakers’ first in eight years without Shaquille O’Neal on their roster and Rudy Tomjanovich’s first as their coach. He succeeded Phil Jackson, who coached the Lakers to three championships and another berth in the NBA Finals in five years.

Caron Butler added 11 points, Brian Cook scored 10 and Lamar Odom had 13 rebounds for the Lakers. Butler and Odom were acquired from Miami along with Brian Grant for O’Neal during the offseason.

Bryant shot just 5 of 14 but made 14 of 15 foul shots. He scored 17 points after halftime.

Voshon Lenard scored 13 points for the Nuggets before tearing his left Achilles’ tendon with 4:42 left in the third quarter. He will undergo surgery and probably be sidelined for the season, a team spokeswoman said.

Carmelo Anthony led Denver with 20 points. Kenyon Martin, playing his first game for the Nuggets, had 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Marcus Camby had 16 rebounds and six blocked shots to go with eight points.

The Nuggets, one of the NBA’s most improved teams last season, shot just 34.1 percent (30 of 88).

A 3-pointer by Jumaine Jones and baskets by Bryant and Cook extended the Lakers’ lead to 79-59 with 10 minutes remaining. The Nuggets weren’t closer than seven points after that.

Baskets by Bryant and Butler in the opening minute of the third quarter put the Lakers on top 54-31. Bryant scored eight points in the final five minutes of the quarter, helping the Lakers extend their lead to 72-57.

Bryant spoke briefly before the opening tipoff, thanking fans for their support. Then he deferred to Mihm, who had 19 points and nine rebounds in the first half.