Forthcoming Win for Lakers

The Lakers played into the middle of April, played a day closer to the playoffs, played for nothing but to get there resembling something like themselves, for another night on the backs of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

The Sacramento Kings came Thursday night and brought all of the usual faces and emotions, having achieved most of their regular-season desires, the Lakers still somewhat short in that regard.

So, in a game played between playoff possibilities and interpersonal subplots, the Lakers defeated the Kings, 117-104, at Staples Center, a win that split the season series and maintained their course toward the upper bracket in the Western Conference playoffs.

O’Neal had 32 points and 16 rebounds, 19 points in the first half. Bryant, whose jumper has been spotty for weeks, attacked the basket and made some jumpers in the second half, when he scored 22 of his 34 points.

The Lakers, who have won six in a row, are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fifth in the conference. They have three games remaining, and can overtake the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth position with three wins, which would give them home-court advantage in the first round, minimally. The Kings have clinched the Pacific Division title and probably will start the postseason with the second seed.

For that reason, Laker Coach Phil Jackson said, “I’m not going to make too much out of this ballgame.”

And yet, he added, “We’re starting to play with a little bit of passion. I asked them to play with passion and it makes the game meaningful for us.... We were pretty precise. We had the pace and the tempo I liked. All in all, I liked this game. I liked this game a lot.”

They played close to even with the Kings for a half, took a 10-point lead on the strength of three Derek Fisher three-point baskets and Bryant’s crossovers in the third quarter, then led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter. The Kings did not exactly roll over -- Chris Webber and Mike Bibby had 24 points each and Peja Stojakovic scored 20 -- but for them there was not nearly as much at stake.

O’Neal was different. Spurred by his car trouble or his general dislike for the Kings or because he smells the coming playoffs, O’Neal was all that Sacramento fears. Not just the basketball team. The town.

He played with a scowl. He snapped at Bibby, whose game he once likened to a Cub Scout’s, they both got technicals, he shouted at the crowd, he made four of six free throws.

“I stand by what I said,” O’Neal said of the Bibby matter. “He’s probably ticked off, but so what? Do something about it.”

It’s April. O’Neal has scored at least 30 points in 10 of 14 games. He has taken at least 13 rebounds in four of five. He missed Wednesday’s practice for no good reason, was fined, might have joined the Auto Club, and played angry, good enough for everybody.

“I’m the general,” O’Neal said with a grin. “I run my army my way. If the president doesn’t like it, court-martial me.”

So, on they went, the Kings apparently unbowed, the Lakers again looking out over the Kings.

“Everyone is so caught up in the past history, but it is all about how we play and how they play,” King Coach Rick Adelman said. “If we have to play them [in the playoffs], we have to play them harder than we played today, but I don’t think there is any doubt that we can’t beat anyone we play.”

On the subject of the Laker four-peat, Webber sounded unconvinced, daring the Lakers to advance as far as he expects the Kings to go.

“We don’t know if we will face them again and they have to worry about us,” he said. “In the series it’s much different than the game. They have to make it to us first. Let’s not jump the gun. They have to get there first.”

Just to get here, the Lakers have won nine of their last 10 and 37 of 49 since the Kings beat them at Staples on Christmas Day. The Lakers have played well and fallen back, but they’re in a position to defend what they’ve done for the past three years.

“I certainly see it in a lot of our players,” Jackson said. “They can hardly wait for the playoffs, because they’ve been playing all season for the playoffs. That’s really the mark of this season, is can we go through and find another way to find a championship in this group. Anything less is not a success. It’s a failure.”

Buoyed perhaps by Tuesday’s balance against Dallas, when four Lakers outscored O’Neal and Bryant, the Laker bench and role players again were a factor.

Robert Horry scored 11 points in 26 minutes despite suffering a bruised hip, and Devean George, who made 12 of 14 shots in wins against Dallas and Phoenix, scored nine points against the Kings.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Royal Treatment

How the Lakers have fared against Sacramento the last four seasons:

2002-03

Regular Season

Dec. 25: Sacramento 105, at Lakers 99

*--* March 20: at Sacramento 107, Lakers 99 Jan. 31: Lakers 124, at Sacramento 113 April 10: at Lakers 117, Sacramento 104 2001-02 Regular Season * Lakers won series, 3-1 Playoffs (Conf. Finals) * Lakers won series, 4-3 2000-01 Regular Season * Lakers won series, 3-1 Playoffs (Conf. Semifinals) * Lakers won series, 4-0 1999-2000 Regular Season * Lakers won series, 3-1 Playoffs (First Round) * Lakers won series, 3-2

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