This Title May Be First Step

This isn’t what they came for, but what the heck. The Lakers happen to be in the neighborhood.

“I think the guys are really focused in on trying to win the championship,” Coach Del Harris said. “And by that I mean the championship, not a championship.”

This preliminary one, to be determined today against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden, is on the Pacific Division title. Only. After three major knee injuries to starters--Cedric Ceballos, Shaquille O’Neal and Robert Horry--and a flood of other health problems and an off-season roster overhaul and a major in-season trade and being counted out by many.

Only.

“It would be a great accomplishment,” Byron Scott said. “Due to the fact that we had seven or eight new guys, and you compound that with the injuries we had. And then to sustain and get to this point, close to a division title, it’s great.”

This great:

“I think it would have to be one of the best [division] championships I’ve ever been involved in,” said Scott, part of seven during his first stint as a Laker. “I’ve been involved in a few. But all those others were, ‘Just don’t disappoint people.’ They were expected.

“But this, from Day 1, everyone was talking how two or three years down the line this team can be something special maybe. But we surpassed the expectations.”

The scenarios heading into the regular-season finale are simple.

If the Lakers win today, they become Pacific champions and will play the No. 7 team, the Phoenix Suns.

If the Lakers lose today, they finish second in the Pacific and fourth in the Western Conference and open against the No. 5 team, the Trail Blazers. That’s no matter what Houston does today at San Antonio because the Rockets have the tiebreaker.

If the Lakers and Rockets win today, both will be 57-25. The Lakers will get the No. 2 spot in the West because that must go to a division champion and the Utah Jazz has already won the Midwest, but the Rockets will get home-court advantage should the teams meet. Again, the tiebreaker technically gives Houston the better record.

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He was drafted by the Trail Blazers, then spent the first 11 seasons of his career there. He still lives in Portland during the off-season.

And now Jerome Kersey may have to face the Trail Blazers in a major battle. Not today. Maybe in the first round of the playoffs.

“No personal deal,” he said, dismissing the presence of any emotional ties. “Nothing like that.”

There may be something, though.

“It might be better to play someone else,” Kersey said. “All my friends will be begging me for tickets.”