No Andrew Bynum, no Pau Gasol and, really, no big deal.

There might have been issues had the Lakers played Boston or Orlando, but they caught a break in the schedule after catching none on the injury front, and were able to beat the hapless Memphis Grizzlies, 114-98, Friday at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant scored 41 points and Ron Artest had 19 as the short-staffed Lakers awoke in the second half to improve to 5-1.

Bynum didn't play because of a strained right elbow and Gasol was sidelined for a sixth consecutive game by a strained right hamstring, though they weren't missed against a Memphis team that fell to 1-5.

The Grizzlies actually led at halftime, 51-49, thanks primarily to the Lakers' shooting 37.7%. Then came the third quarter and the end of the Grizzlies' night.

Bryant had 15 points in the quarter, Artest had 11 and the Lakers outscored the Grizzlies, 38-24, while shooting 66.7%.

By that point, Lakers fans were in a good enough mood to cheer the scoreboard when it showed the final score of the Celtics' 110-103 home loss to Phoenix.

Yep, the rivalry still exists.

For the first time in a while, the Lakers' bench didn't founder, outscoring the Grizzlies' reserves, 35-23. Josh Powell had 13 points.

Bryant, for his part, hit a new level of symmetry, scoring 41 points in a game for the third time this week.