Lakers Rediscover the Killer Instinct

The fog has lifted and been replaced by dust, a difference in haze that’s anything but slight around Laker parts. It’s the kind that comes from turning opponents to rubble.

The Minnesota Timberwolves offered little more of a challenge Tuesday night than the Dallas Mavericks two days before and the Houston Rockets, armed with a nine-game winning streak, two days before that. They also barely lasted to the fourth quarter before being dismissed, this time resulting in a 109-96 victory for the Lakers before 16,874 at the Target Center in the opener of a five-game trip.

A third consecutive victory, behind 32 points from Eddie Jones and a season-high 14 assists by Nick Van Exel, came with a third consecutive rout, none of the victims having been closer than 10 points in the final period. It came, likewise, with the ability to erase the memories of the three-game losing streak that came immediately before with uninspired play.

“I can’t even name the teams we lost to,” Jones said.

Cleveland. Portland. Golden State.

In their place have come:

* Houston. The hottest team in the Western Conference hung on until late in the third quarter, trailed by 13 heading into the fourth and then had its winning streak demolished more than broken, finally losing by 17.

* Dallas. The Lakers appreciated the Mavericks’ not trying to play in first gear all night, gratitude much easier to muster considering it was their game plan of choice and led to a 15-point advantage midway through the second period and a 21-pointer by late in the third. It ended as a 30-point game.

* Minnesota. The Timberwolves came in having lost six of nine since a 6-3 start but remained a legitimate concern because they go three-deep in the weapons department: Kevin Garnett, Stephon Marbury and Tom Gugliotta. Then Marbury went eight of 18 from the field and had as many turnovers as assists (four), Garnett was mostly shut down in the second half, and the hosts trailed by double digits for all of the final 20:58.

So where were the Lakers before being so rudely interrupted?

Right here.

“The first game on the road is always the key one,” Coach Del Harris said. “And when you’re facing a monster trip, as we are, it’s especially important. We wanted to come out and assert ourselves at both ends, and I thought we did that.

“We’re in a nice rhythm again. We’re pushing the ball, active on defense, distributing, not locking up on offense, getting good ball and player movement. When we do that, we’re a good team.”

They’ve been doing that.

“Just getting back to playing like we played,” Elden Campbell said after contributing 22 points despite early foul trouble that limited him to 29 minutes.

Added Kobe Bryant: “We’ve already forgotten about that, the three-game losing streak. We have just basically moved on.”

To the past. The team that claimed scalps, not only victories, easily leading the league in point differential even after the stretch of five losses in nine games. The team that had an attitude.

“I think we have it,” said Bryant, who had 19 points off the bench after getting 30 and 27 in the previous two games. “We’re playing pretty well. We’re moving the ball, getting out in transition, playing defense. Those things are the key during the winning streak.”

Tuesday, those things got the Lakers an 18-point lead with 4:55 left in the third quarter and the idea that the starters would get big rest for the third game in a row heading into tonight’s matchup with the Chicago Bulls that still has considerable marquee value despite the absence of Shaquille O’Neal and Scottie Pippen.

But the Timberwolves put up at least enough of a fight to get within 10 at the end of the period and keep the Lakers on the hook a little longer.

But not a lot longer. The lead was back to 17 with 6 1/2 minutes remaining and never to be threatened again as Garnett, who had 18 rebounds, was held to seven of his 21 points in the second half. Gugliotta added 18 points and 11 rebounds.