KOBE BRYANT scored 21 points and Roy Hibbert had 16 rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 126-83 exhibition rout of Israel’s Maccabi Haifa on Sunday night.

    Bryant, about to begin his 20th NBA season more than nine months after undergoing right shoulder surgery, played 19 minutes and made six of 10 shots while going 4 for 6 from 3-point range.

    Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell, the second overall pick in the draft and one of seven rookies on the preseason roster, had 11 assists and five points in 18 minutes off the bench after sitting out a game because of a bruised glute.

    Reserve Reggie Buckner had 20 points and seven rebounds for Maccabi Haifa.

    Only one of its players has NBA experience — reserve forward and Los Angeles native Dijon Thompson, who played a combined 16 games with Phoenix and Atlanta between November 2005 and January 2007. Thompson is back with Maccabi Haifa after spending last season with Hapoel Tel Aviv.

    The Lakers, playing their first preseason game at Staples Center following back-to-back losses to the Utah in Hawaii and another against Toronto at Ontario, California, opened with a 17-2 run while Maccabi Haifa missed nine of its first 10 shots.

    Thompson, the second player off the bench, missed his first six shots before hitting a 3-pointer with 9:16 left in the third quarter.

    Maccabi Haifa begins its regular-season schedule Oct. 16, hosting Ironi Nahariya. The Lakers take on Sacramento tonight.  (SD-Agencies)