The Credits: "The Man in the Iron Mask"

In the Lakers' 104-85 win last night against the Timberwolves, a new player emerged from the Lakers tunnel. Sporting a mask forged from the fires of Mount Doom and worthy of Vulcan's hammer, the #MaskedMamba appeared ready to razzle and dazzle the enemy and strike fear in the hearts of Rubio and Non.

Kobe Bryant nearly had a triple-double as he dropped 31 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists to lead the Lakers to victory. Pau Gasol added 15 points with 5 rebounds while Andrew Bynum contributed a cool 13 points and 13 rebound game. Nice contribution from the bench, particularly Blake's shooting and Barnes' energy effectively sealed the win as the Lakers improve to 21-14, just a half game back of the Clippers in the Pacific.

After the game, Kobe was asked what it was like playing with a mask:

It was fine. I just felt like I started sweating immediately inside of it, it was kind of like a sauna on my face. I was drinking my own sweat, or something, and it was totally disgusting.

Awesome stuff, everyone.

Elsewhere Around the League, Linsanity continues, the Derrick Rose and the Bulls put down the Spurs, Rondo is on the trading block and the Magic want Monta Ellis.

↓ Much more after the jump ↓

Lakers News

• Masked Kobe leads Lakers' blowout of Timberwolves | Lakers.com
• Kobe Bryant Symptom Free | Lakers Blog
• Kobe Bryant unhindered by mask in win over Wolves | ESPN LA
• Lakers' Kobe Bryant cleared to play Wednesday by team | ESPN LA
• Source: Lakers reject Timberwolves' trade offer of Michael Beasley | ESPN LA
• Report: Lakers reject offer for Michael Beasley | ESPN LA
• Rapid Reaction: Lakers 104, Timberwolves 85 | ESPN LA
• Kobe Bryant's facemask has its own twitter handle | LA Times
• Lakers' midseason report card: Front office dropped the ball | LA Times
• Lakers defeat Timberwolves, 104-85 | LA Times
• Kobe Bryant's injury was neck trauma, neurologist says | LA Times
• Lakers 104, Timberwolves 85 | OC Register
• Mike Brown to watch son Elijah play Saturday | OC Register
• Andrew Bynum’s knee injection paying off | OC Register
• Masked Kobe leads Lakers' blowout of Timberwolves

NBA.com

• Cavaliers vs. Knicks
• Bulls vs. Spurs
• Thunder vs. Sixers
• Clippers slowly blurring lines of L.A. basketball allegiance

ESPN

• Sources: Boston Celtics aggressively trying to trade guard Rajon Rondo
• Derrick Rose pours in 29 points as Bulls beat Spurs
• Darrell Bailey says Clippers asked him to refrain from using "Clipper Darrell" name

Yahoo! Sports

• Knicks storm back, beat Cavs 120-103 behind bench
• Gasol, Conley lead Grizzlies past Mavericks 96-85
• Linternet boom: Jeremy Lin’s rise means big online business for Knicks

ProBasketball Talk

• NBA owners not going to make profit this season, league says
• Jackson: Curry will not play in tonight’s game against the Hawks
• Broussard: Lakers turned down Michael Beasley offer
• Charles Barkley thinks that 20% of NBA fans "should be shot." Oh, Charles.
• Twitter’s iconic bird logo is named "Larry" after you know who
• Don’t bet on Raptors moving Calderon, at least until summer
• Other teams covet Nicolas Batum but Blazers unlikely to trade
• You can have Jordan’s Chicago home for a cool $29 million
• Stoudemire promises to return to old self, Knicks to contend
• Report: Howard won’t sign extension with Lakers, but they are not out of it

Dime Mag / SLAM Online

• The adidas NBA All-Star VIP Experience | Dime Magazine
• Paul Pierce, Larry Bird & The Lies Nostalgia Told You | Dime Magazine
• Derrick Rose Is Officially Back; Kobe Bryant Is A Sith Lord | Dime Magazine
• The Best Dunk Contest During NBA All-Star Weekend | Dime Magazine
• Videos: Tuesday’s Top 25 Plays | SLAM Online
• Video: Metta World Peace, Shannon Brown in ‘Think Like a Man’ | SLAM Online
• Kobe Bryant Day-to-Day With Concussion | SLAM Online
• Video: Landry Fields Sings, Iman Shumpert Raps | SLAM Online

Blogs and Other Links

• An oral history of the Malice at the Palace | Grantland
• Kobe’s Revenge: Win Tickets to See the Lakers Beat the Heat | Lakers Nation
• Kobe Bryant Post Game: Talks Concussion, Saunas & DWade | Lakers Nation
• The Clippers "Twist" Action | NBA Playbook
• Does Jim Buss Dream of Electric Sheep? | Searching for Slava
• Reading Between The Lines Midseason Update - Eastern Conference | Hardwood Hype
• Reading Between The Lines Midseason Update - Western Conference | Hardwood Hype
• Boo the Clippers | HoopSpeak.com
• Report Card 2.29.12: Rose takes over | Eye On Basketball
• Bulls, Rose take something away from San Antonio | Eye On Basketball
• Report: Mavs shopping Odom for Nash | Eye On Basketball
• Clippers statement regarding 'Clipper Darrell' | Eye On Basketball
• Barkley on Rome: LeBron defers too much | Eye On Basketball
• Essay: Shining A Light On Jason Terry’s Greatness | Shaky Ankles
• Recommended Reading: Looking Back On The All-Star Game | Shaky Ankles

The Basketball Jones

• Derrick Rose’s 10 times for dancing
• Boris Diaw is now a fashion photographer
• Gilbert Arenas and DeShawn Stevenson broke Nick Young’s glasses
• Finally, a scene from ‘Think Like a Man,’ starring NBA players and Kevin Hart
• Ep. 768: Leap Day Babies

Multimedia

• Practice Video: Andrew Bynum | Lakers.com
• Practice Video: Pau Gasol | Lakers.com
• Practice Video: Mike Brown | Lakers.com
• Laker Rimshots 2/29/12 | OC Register
• Video: Metta World Peace in Kevin Hart movie clip
• Video: Kobe Bryant’s turn as 70′s Italian exploitation film star
• Timberwolves at Lakers - HD Highlights | JD2K