Mavericks Acclimated

True enough, the Lakers have won 26 consecutive games against the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles, a streak that covers two dynasties, two buildings, Steve Nash’s lower lip and most of Mark Cuban’s adult life.

It is 13 years today, in fact, since the Mavericks last beat the Lakers in Los Angeles, in an overtime game in which Alex English played 37 minutes and Magic Johnson played 46.

On Dec. 12, 1990, Mychal Thompson was a Laker, not a Laker broadcaster; Vlade Divac was a second-year center and Cuban hadn’t yet reported his first referee.

But things change. And, as Phil Jackson pointed out, the Mavericks have been here since Tuesday. They lost to the Clippers at the buzzer on Wednesday night, practiced Thursday and, presumably, are still mulling Glen Rice’s shot today.

“They’ve been in town,” Jackson said after the Lakers had practiced Thursday. “They probably have a suntan by now. I know Nellie [Don Nelson] and Del Harris have probably got their golf games down and they’ve had a wonderful time at the restaurants they enjoy in L.A.

“Maybe they’re more acclimated than we are to the town.”

So, assuming the greens at Rancho Park weren’t just aerated, Nelson and the Mavericks perhaps have moved past the blowout loss to the Lakers last week in Dallas, the difficult loss to the Clippers two days ago, and can look at this as a fresh start.

Karl Malone can. He lost a game from his career when he was suspended for elbowing Nash in the mouth at Dallas, a punishment Cuban lobbied for. On Thursday afternoon, Malone smiled at the mention of the Maverick owner and said:

“I just think this about the game of basketball: Owners have their place, and a line they don’t cross over. And players have their place, and a line they don’t cross over. That’s what’s wrong with the game now, all the sideshows, instead of the game itself. Let the players play and the owners be owners.”

He added that he didn’t think Nash would buzz one of his rebounds again.

“I doubt it,” Malone said. “I seriously doubt it. But, if he does, who knows? That’s my space. I wouldn’t. But I’ve seen weird things before.

“That’s the way I play. I’m not going to let one game change the way I play.”

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Malone and his footwear company, Dada, will donate 1,000 pairs of shoes to victims of the recent Southern California fires and floods. A check will be presented to Goodwill at a halftime ceremony tonight.

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Jackson has asked Rick Fox to lose some weight before he returns. Fox is in the final stages of recovery from May foot surgery.... Shaquille O’Neal leads Yao Ming in the All-Star voting, but expects to be overtaken when the ballots from China arrive. “Once they open it up in his crib, I’m probably toast again,” O’Neal said. Yao started for the Western Conference last year.

TONIGHT

vs. Dallas, 7:30, Fox Sports Net

Site -- Staples Center

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

Records -- Lakers 18-3, Mavericks 13-8.

Record vs. Mavericks -- 2-0.

Update -- Since starting 10-4, the Mavericks have lost four of seven games. Forward Dirk Nowitzki played 27 minutes against the Clippers on Wednesday after sitting out five games because of a sprained right ankle. Nowitzki did not play in the Lakers’ 114-103 victory in Dallas on Dec. 4, a 30-point game for Steve Nash. Despite their glut of shooters, the Mavericks rank 20th in the league in three-point shooting, seven places behind the Lakers. Michael Finley, who scored 38 points against the Clippers, averages 17.3 points a game.