Van Exel Moves Laker Campaign Out to Hot Start : Pro basketball: Point guard reneges a bit on promise, but blisters Pistons with career-high 35 points in 115-98 rout.

How appropriate. A broken campaign promise.

The pass-more, shoot-less platform from Nick Van Exel during training camp lasted all the way until opening night, the first half of opening night to be more specific, at which point it disappeared quicker than Anthony Peeler. The Detroit Pistons weren’t far behind.

Returning to the site of one of his biggest games as a rookie, Van Exel had more three-pointers than assists. Leading the offense instead of generating it, he made 11 of 15 shots and scored a career-high 35 points. And, of course, he has the Lakers’ endorsement to do this, as long as the results are similar to the 115-98 victory Friday night before 21,454 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

So much for truth in advertising.

“It’s hard when you’re on fire,” said Van Exel, whose six three-pointers in nine tries tied a franchise record for the third time. “When the fellas on the team tell you to keep shooting, you keep putting it up.”

Said Cedric Ceballos, who had 22 points and 14 rebounds in his Laker debut: “I don’t know what they (the Pistons) were thinking. They backed off him and let him play the three. That is like giving him a layup.”

On this night, anyway. Other times, letting him fire away is the best defense (see: three of 16 on three-pointers, April 24 in the final game last season), but the Pistons should have realized early this was not one of those times.

Van Exel, who also had four assists, made both three-pointers in the first quarter. He added two more in the second quarter to help the Lakers to a 57-54 lead at halftime. A fifth came before the end of the third quarter, by which time he had 28 points and the advantage was up to 90-78.

Detroit closed within 92-87 with 7:58 left, but the Lakers never relinquished the lead.

They pushed it back to eight, then got the last and biggest of Van Exel’s three-pointers for an 11-point cushion and some breathing room.

“It was a spectacular display,” Coach Del Harris said. “He was good. Not just the 35 points. He played a very, very good basketball game in addition to scoring 35 points.”

Said Piston Coach Don Chaney: “Van Exel took over the game and he made the difference.”

The reserves took over the offense from there. The strange part was which ones: Elden Campbell and Tony Smith combined to score the next 12 points down the stretch as the Lakers cruised to victory.

Peeler?

The deposed starter obviously has bigger problems now than merely outplaying rookie Eddie Jones to regain his starting spot at shooting guard. Arguably the best scoring threat off the bench, Peeler didn’t even play, and it had nothing to do with his sprained left wrist. It had everything to do with Harris.

“I told Anthony before the game that for now he’s not going to play much,” said Harris, who used both Smith and Sedale Threatt at that spot. “Other guys are playing well and Anthony is struggling. The wrist is a problem, and until he gets his game going he’s just going to have to keep working hard.

“He shot 33% in the preseason and he’s a shooter . . . . It’s a circle, though. It’ll come back to him as long as he works hard.”

Does Trevor Ruffin know something? With trade rumors swirling around Peeler, the rookie point guard has maintained his residence at a Los Angeles hotel despite being cut Thursday as the roster was trimmed to 12.

“Whatever it takes to win,” said Peeler, who started every game he played during an injury-riddled 1993-94. “I just have to wait for my time to come and get healthy. It’s all a mental thing.”

The Pistons got 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots in a spectacular rookie debut by Grant Hill and 20 points and 10 rebounds from Terry Mills. Those two combined to put George Lynch in foul trouble and give his new role as the starting power forward an aborted start. Lynch played only 17 minutes, an absence that was compensated by strong bench play from Campbell and Sam Bowie.

* END OF THE ROAD?

James Worthy is talking to the Lakers about retiring, but the team says that contrary to reports, the 12-year veteran has not reached a decision. C10

NBA Season Opener

The Times’ previews of the Western and Eastern conference races, published earlier this week, are still available on the TimesLink online service, along with more reports on the teams, players and coaches of the NBA.

Details on Times electronic services, A14.