Lakers Ease Pain With Key Victory

Two big men were already on the injured list. Two more, their starting center and their rejuvenated backup power forward, were lost for almost the entire second half. The big lead went next, then their coach. The Lakers were in deep, down to their last component of any size.

Their heart.

In other words, the Seattle SuperSonics, bound for a 99-97 loss, never had a chance. Relying on fortitude and the small lineup saved for certain situations that suddenly had to become the lineup, the Lakers overcame another set of obstacles and another opponent Tuesday night, cutting Seattle’s lead in the Pacific Division to half a game before 17,072 at KeyArena.

In the process, the Lakers also won the season series, 3-1, to clinch the tiebreaker against the SuperSonics, just in case. But even if this does not become the swing game for the division title, what with Seattle having a much easier schedule down the stretch, it can’t minimize the importance of the victory.

A big win?

From an emotion standpoint, maybe the biggest of the season.

“Terrific,” said assistant coach Bill Bertka, who took over after Del Harris was ejected with 3:52 remaining. “Their will was obvious. You could sense their will.”

Said Harris: “We played without everything but our uniforms tonight, and we still found a way to win.”

The Lakers were at least bolstered by the return of Eddie Jones, who sat out the previous two games because of a bruised calf. On the other hand, counting a four-day layoff that preceded this game, it was his first outing in a week and a defensive assignment against Gary Payton was part of the welcome-back committee.

That turned out to be the least of the Lakers’ troubles. On the last play of the first quarter, Travis Knight, having made an impressive recovery of late from an extended tailspin, appeared to land awkwardly after an attempted tip-in, hit the court clutching his right knee, and then got up long enough to hobble into the locker room. The preliminary diagnosis of a sprain kept him out the rest of the night.

Now down to 10 players, and facing a team that had just received an emotional lift with the activation of forward Detlef Schrempf after 17 games on the sideline because of a foot injury, the Lakers still had a seven-point lead with 3:43 left in the second quarter. That’s when Elden Campbell drove to the basket, took flight to finish the pick-and-roll and was hit across the chest by a forearm from Shawn Kemp, sending Campbell crashing.

He was in obvious pain on the ground, but soon got up, attempted two free throws as part of the flagrant foul, then left for the locker room. He returned for the start of the third quarter, but, obviously struggling to get up and down the court, left for good with 8:05 left in the period because of bruised buttocks.

Now down to nine players . . .

The Laker lead was 13 when Campbell went out the last time. It went to 15 only 30 seconds later, but then straight down. Then 4 1/2 minutes later, they were up by only three. When Harris got rapid-fire technicals for arguing a non-call when Nick Van Exel had been hit on the arm by Kemp during a shot attempt, the two free throws helped turn the momentum and get the SuperSonics within 90-89.

But Seattle got no closer. With Corie Blount and Jerome Kersey playing the big positions the entire fourth quarter, Byron Scott going the last 12 minutes in the backcourt and Van Exel and Jones joining him for all but two, the Lakers used a small lineup out of necessity and not choice, then began a 6-1 rally that built an insurmountable 96-90 cushion with 1:36 remaining.

“A big win,” Blount said after getting 12 points and 11 rebounds. “We came in here intent on winning, and it feels good to win even with all the guys going down.”

* SHAQ PROGRESSES: Laker center Shaquille O’Neal has been cleared to join full workouts beginning Monday. C10

* WILLIAMS TO BULLS? Ex-Clipper Brian Williams says he’ll sign with Chicago. C10