ORLANDO - Kobe Bryant couldn't repeat his 40-point performance of game one, but then he didn't have to as he got all the help he needed from a balanced attack in game two of the NBA finals.

Bryant had 29 points, eight assists to go with seven turnovers as the Lakers survived a scare in game two of the best-of-seven series for a 101-96 triumph and a 2-0 lead.

By his own admission, Bryant said he didn't play well and could have done a better job of figuring out the Magic's game plan.

"I didn't read the coverages well but we still managed to win the game," Bryant said. "It is up to me to make those adjustments. It is like when the quarterback throws an interception once in a while."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said the Magic did a better job of guarding Bryant and preventing him from getting to the basket.

"I didn't think Kobe had a good game at all as far as his standards go," Jackson said. "They double-teamed him and they trapped him. They came on all his drives and we didn't adjust to it immediately.

"We were able to find other guys that did things for us. Lamar (Odom) had an outstanding game, Pau (Gasol) was there again."

Gasol and Odom combined to shoot 15-of-23 from the field for the Lakers, registering 24 and 19 points. Four Lakers hit double figures as they forced Orlando into 20 turnovers and matched Orlando's normally potent three-point attack (33.3 percent).

"I don't think we had a drop off, our engine was higher," Bryant said of game two. "We have a great coach and we made great adjustments."

Asked if they got lucky, Bryant said, "I don't think we dodged a bullet. I think they (Orlando) played well enough to win. They bounced back like we knew they would."

Bryant said his teammates have done everything he has asked of them.

"We did our job defending home court," Bryant said. "The last two series we didn't do that. We put ourselves in jeopardy having to go on the road and win a game three and here we managed to do it. Now it is time to go to Orlando and see if we can't get one."

Under the 2-3-2 format, the Magic host the next three games, including game three on Tuesday.

The Magic, who are zero-of-six in franchise finals games, are up against long odds.

The 2006 Miami Heat are the only team since 1985 to win a NBA championship after losing the first two games.

"I've seen series turn," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. Right now it is frustrating not to have gotten (a win). We had chances to win."

Jackson, who once described Bryant as headstrong and "uncoachable" in a book he authored several years ago, said Bryant has matured as an individual and a teammate on the court.

"That was a contentious point for us when I first got here because I felt that there were a lot of times Kobe was trying to commandeer games. With the team and the talent we had, we didn't have that kind of an activity or a presence on the floor because you always had the equalizer to be able to throw the ball into a post player and take control of the game through that.

"So over the years he's kind of learned how the game feels, what it feels like and the difference between taking on a challenge of an individual to the challenge of the team."