Bryant’s Rebounding Starting to Look Good

Del Harris isn’t asked the question any more, mostly because, as the statistics and defensive performances pile up, Kobe Bryant is making it moot.

Bryant has started the Lakers’ first three games at small forward, and although the Laker coach probably won’t make anything official as long as Rick Fox remains sidelined because of bone spurs in his right foot, 20 points and 10.6 rebounds a game probably will cement the 20-year-old into the starting lineup.

“I’ve added a lot of dimensions to my game,” said Bryant, who averaged 3.1 rebounds last season as a backup at guard and forward but added at least 10 pounds in the off-season.

“My mind-set coming into this season was to try to be a better rebounder, and be better defensively, try to cause some havoc on the defensive side. . . . Obviously I didn’t know I was going to be a starter--so that gives me more chances to get rebounds.”

Bryant, whose career high before this season was eight rebounds, has gotten at least 10 rebounds every game, and grabbed his ninth and 10th on Monday night in San Antonio in the last 25 seconds of the 80-75 Laker victory.

In Sunday’s loss to the Jazz, Bryant had as many rebounds, 12, as he took shots, which probably is the first time that has happened in his career.

“I’ll tell you what, he really is showing that he really may not be just an accidental rebounder,” Harris said. “He’s such a smart guy, he knows where the ball is. And he knows that rebounding is important to us at that particular position.”

So, Kobe, can we go ahead and pencil in 10 boards a night for you from here on out for maybe the next 15 years?

“There you go,” Bryant said with a smile, “raising expectations for me again.”

Tonight at Denver

6 p.m., Channel 9

* Site--McNichols Sports Arena.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 2-1, Nuggets 0-3.

* Record vs. Nuggets (1997-98)--4-0.

* Update--This is an upbeat February in Denver: The Broncos just won their second consecutive Super Bowl, the Avalanche is red hot, and the Nuggets are not yet mathematically eliminated from the postseason. Monday night’s 19-point loss in Houston, however, looked ominously like last season’s spiral. Despite the compressed schedule, the Lakers have pretty much been going with an iron eight, but expect the return of Travis Knight, who rejoined the team Tuesday after a bout of flu.