Trip Crucial to the Future

Just sated at the company Christmas party and through a cool rain, the Lakers left Monday afternoon for the stretch of games that could change everything, from the way they play to the makeup of their roster.

Coach Phil Jackson has promised to wait through the holidays before considering changes, and General Manager Mitch Kupchak has chosen to evaluate his underachieving team only after it became whole.

It is mid-December, Shaquille O’Neal, Samaki Walker and Devean George are healthy again, and by the time they’ve all been through Minnesota, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Toronto, Los Angeles (vs. Sacramento) and Denver over the next six games, the new year will be only days away.

By Christmas night, they could be .500 and gaining on their dismal start to the regular season. Or, Kupchak could be on the telephone, hunting for a shooter or a power forward or both.

“Teams aren’t going to lay down for us,” Derek Fisher said. “They’re tired of what we’ve been doing the last three years. So, it’s gotten tougher every year.”

A few minutes before Sunday’s game against Orlando, which would become a 23-point victory, Robert Horry gathered his teammates and, in the theme of the season, told them there was nothing left to lose.

“Basically, we have no [trade] value,” Horry said, “so let’s go out here and have some fun.”

Not exactly Rockne.

“I feel like by New Year’s we’re going to know, pretty much, and barring injuries, what this team is capable of,” said Jackson, who told the players he hoped to win at least two of the next four.

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Three of the Lakers’ worst losses have come in the first game of trips -- by 19 in Cleveland, 26 in Dallas and 12 in Miami. That would seem to make tonight’s game against the Timberwolves the most critical of the coming four, but Jackson thought Thursday’s game at New Jersey was essential.

Among other things, the Lakers swept the Nets in the NBA Finals, so they should know how to play them, and it is the first in a back-to-back series; they play the 76ers on Friday night.

The Lakers are 1-4 in the first games of back-to-backs, 0-5 in the second.

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The Lakers are 22nd in the league in shooting the three-pointer and 29th in defending it, having made 19 fewer than they have allowed, 57 points they couldn’t afford to give away.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Lakers shooting 30% or worse from the arc included Kobe Bryant (29.0%), Rick Fox (28.1%), Devean George (24.1%), Tracy Murray (30.0%) and Kareem Rush (16.7%).

The rookie Rush made 42.2% of his three-pointers in three years at Missouri.

Inside the arc, Rush is shooting 44.4%, better than the team’s 42.7%.

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TONIGHT

vs. Minnesota, 5 (6 p.m., Ch. 9)

Site -- Target Center

Radio -- KLAC-AM (570), KWKW-AM (1330)

Records -- Lakers 10-15, Timberwolves 13-11.

Record vs. Timberwolves -- 0-1.

Update -- The Timberwolves beat the Lakers, 110-107, Dec. 1 in Los Angeles. O’Neal had 31 points and 13 rebounds. Bryant missed a late free throw -- after making the first two -- that would have tied the score. The Timberwolves have won three of their last four games against the Lakers after winning three of the previous 23. Guard Wally Szczerbiak (sprained toe) has been on the injured list since Nov. 19. Only Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Boston’s Antoine Walker and Sacramento’s Chris Webber are in the league’s top 30 in points, rebounds and assists.