NOBODY’S ON GUARD

Don’t say it. Don’t even think it.

Mitch Richmond could have gone cold too. He could have flinched when the SuperSonics got so defensive in the fourth quarter Monday night that they were practically paranoid. The solution doesn’t have to be the trade that wasn’t made in November.

But there does have to be an answer. At least one of the Laker guards has to make some shots tonight in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at KeyArena or in the very near future, or else face the prospect of the SuperSonics continuing to sag off perimeter players to swarm Shaquille O’Neal inside.

“When they’re not making shots, a lot of people are more confident in going down and collapsing on Shaq,” Seattle’s Vin Baker said of the lack of air cover for O’Neal.

That explains why, with the opener of the Western Conference semifinals on the line and the chance for the Lakers to steal the home-court advantage, O’Neal didn’t get a shot in the final 5 minutes 24 seconds and they slide from two points down to a 14-point final deficit.

That’s why O’Neal managed only six shots in the second half.

Why he scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and still got frustrated.

“Does it bother me?” O’Neal said. “Of course it bothers me. But you’ve got to move on.”

But it’s not just the one game. It’s not even just one series.

It has become a trend. The playoffs are five games old and the Laker guards--starters Eddie Jones and Derek Fisher and backups Nick Van Exel and Kobe Bryant--have made 60 of 160 shots. That’s 37.5%.

That’s an issue.

“It’s like a pitcher,” said Coach Del Harris, the former semipro hurler. “He may throw shutout ball for nine innings. But if his teammates are not going to get him any runs, he’s not going to win games.

“It’s a team game. I can tell you right now, Shaq’s not going to score 101 points. We need everybody.”

Harris, and all the Lakers, have the memories of last week in Portland for encouragement. There, Bryant and Van Exel were non-factors in Game 3, then came back so strong two nights later in the clincher against the Trail Blazers. Problem is, that shining moment has really been the only moment.

Van Exel is shooting 18 of 56 in the playoffs, 32.1%.

Jones is 14 of 39, 35.9%.

Bryant is 17 of 43, 39.5%.

Fisher used his three-of-four shooting in Game 1 against the SuperSonics to climb to a commendable 50%, but has shot only 22 times, or about four times a game.

The guards missed seven of 10 three-point shots Monday, four of five in the decisive fourth quarter. Van Exel made one of four in that time, then took more than his share of the blame for the loss when there was plenty to go around.

Besides, it wasn’t just that game. The four guards--Bryant doubles as small forward--are shooting 25.9% from behind the arc in the playoffs. During the regular season, they made 37.8%.

“Maybe it’s their pressure,” Van Exel said of the SuperSonics’ defense. “Maybe the intensity they bring to the game. Maybe we got rattled.

“I know it’s like a little mini-season. It’s long. I know I can snap out of it any time. I’ve just got to do it.”

That’s all.

“I don’t think the guys are getting down,” Fisher said. “I think maybe we’re a little frustrated that so much of the emphasis is being put on the percentages and whether we’re knocking down shots. The only thing that matters is whether we win.

“We figured out ways to be effective against Portland, even though some of the guys were not shooting the ball really well. If this continues this series, we’ll just have to figure out other ways again.”

It doesn’t help that the Lakers are playing the league’s best three-point team, providing a contrast that makes their own shooting problems all the more obvious. Monday, the SuperSonics shot 44.6% from in front of the line--and 52.4% (11 of 21) from behind.

That hadn’t been forgotten Tuesday.

“During practice, Shaq joked a lot to me and Eddie and Nick, saying we should go to the hole, that our range shouldn’t be anything more than 10 feet,” Bryant said.

A joke? Yeah, had to be.

“I laughed,” Bryant said.