Superstar after superstar have paved the way for the Los Angeles Lakers to remain as one of the best teams in the league since the franchise originated in 1947.

The superstars who have led the Lakers to championships and late runs in the playoffs are in the Hall of Fame: George Mikan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and as soon as they wait the required time after retirement, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Bryant, 33-years old, is slowing down after 16 NBA regular seasons and long playoff runs year in and year out. His 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists against the Houston Rockets in a 108-99 Lakers’ victory on Tuesday is a demonstration he isn’t done yet.

Unfortunately for Bryant and the Lakers, it’s only a matter of time before he is. Each season Bryant plays, his body breaks down a little more and he tore a ligament in his wrist during a preseason game.

The question of who is next has to be ringing in the ears of the Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss and the General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

If the current Lakers team is examined, there seems to be only one legit possibility: center Andrew Bynum.

Power forward Pau Gasol, 31 years old, is a great number two option but he proved he couldn’t be the best player on a team and win games when he was with the Memphis Grizzlies for the first seven seasons of his NBA career. In his time with the Grizzlies, he went to the playoffs in three consecutive seasons but never won a postseason game.

The rest of the Lakers’ roster consists of role players and aging personnel such as Metta World Peace.

Then there is the 24-year old center who has already been in the NBA for six seasons and has won two championships. He is young, he has experience and he has the ability to beast almost every other center in the league. The Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard is probably the only exception.

While Bryant scored 37 points against the Rockets, Bynum recorded a huge double-double with 21 points and 22 rebounds. When the big man was fed the ball in the paint, no one could stop him.

He is the only player the Lakers have that show signs of being a franchise player or the superstar to lead the team after Bryant is gone.

Bynum is already a star, but he’ll never reach the next level if he can’t stay healthy. He has only played in more than 65 games a season once in his career.

If he is going to be the face of the franchise, which usually means the face of the NBA, he absolutely has to stay healthy and put up 20 plus points and 20 plus rebounds on a nightly basis. A double-double here and there is impressive, but it doesn’t scream, “I’m a franchise player”.

I don’t think he is the right guy for Los Angeles to rely on to keep the team at an elite level. The Lakers should keep Gasol and Bynum together to package their team as a powerful one-two punch.

But, neither one of them can do it on their own. Honestly, without a young point guard, they might not be able to do it together.

The Lakers might have to make some trade negotiations.

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(Reuters) – Kobe Bryant rediscovered his scoring touch to tally 37 points and lead the Los Angeles Lakers to top spot in the Pacific division with a 108-99 win over the visiting Houston Rockets on Tuesday.

Bryant, who had connected on just 26 percent of his shots over his previous two games, finally caught fire against the Rockets while team mate Andrew Bynum had 21 points and 22 rebounds as the Lakers got their fourth win in five games.

“I just had to make some adjustments,” Bryant told reporters as he continues to play with an injured right wrist. “Some shots (it) hurts, some it doesn’t, so it’s inconsistent. But you have to find a rhythm.”

Los Angeles held an 82-81 lead with about 10 minutes remaining of a previously tight contest but outscored the Rockets 18-8 over the next eight minutes, led by nine points from Bryant during the stretch.

Bryant made 14-of-29 shots and also had eight rebounds and six assists.

The win moved the Lakers (4-3) a half-game in front of the cross-town Clippers in the division. The Rockets (2-3), meanwhile, have lost all three of their road games this season.

Houston’s Kyle Lowry just missed a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists while Luis Scola added 20 points.

The visitors stayed in touch with the Lakers throughout the game, trailing by four at halftime and just one after three quarters, but they were pounded on the inside.

Los Angeles grabbed a 53-38 advantage in rebounds led by 7-footer Bynum.

After being suspended the first four games of the season because of a flagrant foul during the last post-season contest, Bynum has exploded back onto the scene with three straight double-figure games in points and rebounds.

“Rebounding the basketball is big. It’s important to us and it’s something I’ve been working on,” Bynum said. “I’ve been doing a lot of work before practice. I’m super confident right now.”

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O’Brien)

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 4 (UPI) — Kobe Bryant scored 37 points and Andrew Bynum dominated in the paint Tuesday in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 108-99 win over Houston.

Bryant had six assists and eight rebounds, while Bynum scored 21 points and grabbed 22 rebounds. Pau Gasol added 14 points and Steve Blake scored 11 for the Lakers, who improved to 4-3.

The Lakers outscored the Rockers 32-24 in the fourth quarter.

Kyle Lowry scored 22 points and Luis Scola added 20 for the Rockets.

Houston kept it close until the final 4 minutes when Bryant hit three field goals and a free throw to put Los Angeles ahead 100-89 with 1:59 to play.