Progress Comes Under Harris

Their true spot in history will not be determined until the weeks ahead, such are the standards of being a Laker that a 60-win season can mean nothing in the greater context, but this team and Del Harris have secured a spot in the record books, in fact accomplishing something few other coaches have matched.

Saturday’s victory at Golden State gave them a 57-21 record with four games remaining, bettering the 1996-97 win total and marking the fourth consecutive season in which the Lakers will improve. Not only has that never happened before in franchise history, but makes Harris just the ninth coach in NBA history with such an achievement.

Harris has also done it the hard way, twice improving on teams that had already topped the 50-win plateau, regularly dealing with injuries and while playing in a very competitive division. It also means the increases have come every year he has been with the Lakers.

“We did want to improve off last year,” he said. “You want to do better every year if you can. I want to compliment my assistant coaches [Bill Bertka, Larry Drew and Kurt Rambis] for a great job. It’s a nice thing to be one of the few coaching staffs ever to do that.”

Red Auerbach once did it six years in a row with the Celtics, the record, and Dick Motta got to four with two teams, the Bulls and the Mavericks. The list also includes Hubie Brown (Hawks), Tom Heinsohn (Celtics), Chuck Daly (Pistons), Gene Shue (76ers), John MacLeod (Suns) and Frank Layden (Jazz). And now Harris.

There’s the other historical perspective, of course.

“If we don’t take another step in the playoffs,” Eddie Jones said, “it doesn’t matter.”

*

Robert Horry on Sunday went back on the court for the first time in a week--joining Sean Rooks, Shea Seals and Rambis for two-on-twos--and will probably play tonight against the Spurs after missing the last three games because of a strained Achilles’ tendon.

TONIGHT

at San Antonio

* 5:30

* Channel 9

(delayed 6:30)

Site--Alamodome.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 57-21, Spurs 53-25.

Record vs. Spurs--3-0.

* Update--Of greater concern for David Robinson than the elbow from Karl Malone that caused a concussion is tendinitis in the left knee. But Robinson will likely play as the Lakers try to sweep the Spurs for the first time in 10 years.