Ron Artest finally got to experience what it's like to be on the same team when Kobe Bryant finishes off a win.

Bryant scored 31 points including the go-ahead jumper in overtime as the Los Angeles Lakers got tested in their first road game of the season, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 101-98 on Tuesday night.

Bryant connected on a turnaround jumper from the left side with 2:29 to play to give the defending NBA champions a 99-97 lead and then hit two free throws with 18 seconds remaining to push the lead to three.

"When Kobe's out there, he wants it," said Artest, who signed with the Lakers in the offseason. "That's the great thing. He wants it. It's not like I have to really go get it."

Bryant had been fighting through flulike symptoms earlier in the day but his fever went down before the game started. He finished 9 for 22 and had seven turnovers, but came through when it counted.

"I've been through a lot worse than this," Bryant said. He felt fortunate that he was able to play, considering the concerns over swine flu, and expected to sleep and get fluids on the Lakers' trip to Houston for their first back-to-back of the season.

The Thunder had two chances to tie it late, but Thabo Sefolosha and Russell Westbrook each missed 3-pointers surrounding a pair of missed free throws by Lamar Odom.

Bryant grabbed the ball after Westbrook's miss and tossed it toward the opposite end of the court to allow the final seconds to run off the clock.

"I liked him sometimes and sometimes I didn't like him," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. "I think he was a little dehydrated when he ran off at the end and let Sefolosha have a wide-open 3. He made plays that he makes in ballgames. He got to the free-throw line and made some free throws. He was able to control the game at the end."