Kobe Bryant had that look tonight.

Kobe Bryant scored 41 points in leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a Game 3 win at Denver tonight against the Nuggets.

Ya’ll know the one. Denver saw it much to its dismay.

Bryant’s 3-pointer over J.R. Smith with 1:08 remaining gave Los Angeles the lead for good as the Lakers took Game 3, 103-97, in the Western Conference finals Saturday night at Denver.

Looking exhausted after the game, Bryant finished with 41 points, including two clutch free throws to give Los Angeles a 101-97 lead with 22.2 seconds left.

As big as Bryant was tonight, Trevor Ariza, as he did in a Game 1 win for the Lakers, came up with big steal with Los Angeles up two, 97-95, with 36 seconds left. The play took on greater meaning because Carmelo Anthony fouled out on it as he grabbed Ariza in trying to prevent him from scoring an uncontested lay up.

Ariza came back from an injury to score 16 points.

In contrast, Anthony didn’t come up with the big game Denver needed from him. After dueling it out with Bryant in Game 1 and Game 2, Anthony scored just 21 on 4-of-13 shooting tonight. Now he did attempt 14 free throws, made 12 of them, but he was just 1-of-7 from 3-point range.

Game 4 is Monday at Denver.

Oh yeah.

Kobe Bryant scored 40 points in leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a Game 1 win against Denver.

The Denver Nuggets came to play tonight. So did the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the end, the Lakers pulled out a 105-103 victory against the Nuggets in Game 1 of their best-of-7 Western Conference finals series.

Carmelo Anthony (39 points) was butter. Kobe Bryant (40 points) did his thing, but Trevor Ariza made the play.

With Los Angeles up, 101-99, with 30.5 ticks left, Ariza stole an inbound pass intended for Chauncey Billups. Give Lamar Odom props for forcing Anthony Carter to throw a bad pass.

Denver didn’t help itself by making mistakes. Kenyon Martin unnecessarily fouled Bryant and the Carter turnover was huge.

You’ve got to love the way the Nuggets responded to being down late, though. Billups hit a step-back 3 from the dead corner over Ariza to pull the Nuggets within one, 103-102.

That’s how he earned the nickname, ‘Mr. Big Shot.’

However, Bryant sealed the deal by making free throws for the Lakers. He was 12-of-13 from the line for the entire game.

Can it get any better in Game 2 Thursday night?

Oh yeah.

Trevor Ariza and the Los Angeles finally got rid of the Houston Rockets by winning Game 7 Sunday.

As expected, the Los Angeles Lakers easily took care of the Houston Rockets, 89-70, to win Game 7 and wrap up the Western Conference semifinal series Sunday.

The Rockets played valiantly to force a Game 7, but in the end, the Lakers were just the better team. Without star center, Yao Ming, the Rockets just didn’t have enough to beat the Lakers.

What the L.A. Lakers showed Sunday in Game 7 was the defensively intensity they’ll need do derail the Denver Nuggets, who are on fire.

That should be a great series.

As for tonight’s Game 7 (8 p.m., TNT) in the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics, I look for the home team to take that game as well.

Although I picked the Magic to win the series in six games, again, I just don’t see how they can win in Boston in a Game 7.