It’s been a bit more than 24 hours since LeBron James made the three-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Orlando Magic and, without making any effort to search it out, I figure I have seen tape of the that final one second, oh, 200 times. By now, you are excused for considering it the most significant bit of American video since the Zapruder film.

Not that overkill was involved, or anything, but the sports shows seem to have considered it a miracle comparable to the Immaculate Conception, appropriate because LeBron apparently is allowed to drop the “demi” from “demigod” in the meantime. To the point that those commercials featuring puppets of LeBron and Kobe Bryant suddenly seem quaint. “Kobe is on the same level as LeBron? Really? Still? Surely you jest.”

Well, Kobe answered those questions fairly emphatically tonight by carrying the Lakers to a 103-97 victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

He even had the clutch “three” to compare to LeBron’s from the night before. It didn’t come in the final second, but it came late and was pretty damn significant.

The Lakers trailed 95-93 with 96 seconds to play, with Kobe just behind the arc and J.R. Smith nearly inside his jersey, when he rose up with the ball and fired up a cold-blooded three that put the Lakers ahead to stay, and then hit four consecutive free throws under more pressure.

Bryant scored 41 points and carried the Lakers, again. Just as he did in Game 1 of this series.

Pau Gasol had his moments,  scoring 20 points with 11 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom contributed, but the Lakers would have been dead without Kobe.

He played himself to exhaustion. His postgame interview with TNT’s sideline reporter was done with Kobe gasping for air as he bent, nearly doubled over, with his hands on his knees.

Denver, remember, is a mile above sea level. The air is thinner there.  The Nuggets carried a 16-game home winning streak into the game, and they outplayed the Lakers for most of the first three quarters.

Only Bryant’s steelly will kept them in it, scoring the points that kept them close early. Then hitting the big three and the clutch free throws down the stretch.

LeBron probably is the better player, but it’s not by much. Not yet. And Kobe may be more desperate about winning now than is LeBron, who is six years younger and figures to be playing in June lots of times in the future.

Bryant seems to understand he is running out of chances to add to those three rings he has, and he is playing with a fury and desperation that is almost frightening to watch … and almost palpable right through your TV screen.

No one will replay the Kobe 3 a thousand times in the next 24 hours, but it was as important as LeBron’s. Just not as dramatic. And Kobe’s team is two victories from the NBA Finals. LeBron’s is still three.

Don’t give up on Kobe yet.