Lakers bat around to win trip crown

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Lakers heard what was going on in Dallas, yawned, and reiterated the fact that they’re also a player in the wild Western Conference.

On a day they had every reason to be tired, and fatigued, and sick of collecting daily per diem, the Lakers blew out the Minnesota Timberwolves, 117-92, carving out a piece of NBA history Wednesday at the Target Center.

The Lakers finished 7-2 on their trip and assembled the league’s best record in nine or more continuous road games since neutral-site games were eliminated in 1974-75. (The San Antonio Spurs were 8-1 in a 2003 trip but came home before it ended.)

While the rest of the NBA fixated on the Jason Kidd trade -- or, perhaps, non-trade -- the Lakers won their fourth consecutive game to move to 35-17, their best record at the All-Star break since 2002.

Of equal importance, their monstrous trek was over, finally. Fifteen days had come and gone, with more games to savor than not for them.

“We’re on pace with the rest of the teams that are ahead of us. We didn’t lose any ground,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “We can still compete for what we want to do and that’s finish in that top group and have home-court advantage in the playoffs.”

The Lakers, however, did not get away unmarked.

Kobe Bryant had 29 points but aggravated his dislocated right pinkie after being hit by Timberwolves guard Rashad McCants while going for a rebound in the second quarter. Bryant did not play in the fourth quarter and had compression pads wrapped around his right hand after the game.

X-rays were negative, and Bryant will see a hand specialist today in Los Angeles.

He was noncommittal when asked if he would play in Sunday’s All-Star Game in New Orleans -- “We’ll see what the doc has to say,” he said -- but he told some teammates he would not play.

The three-point contest Saturday is highly doubtful for him.

“It doesn’t look like I’m going to be out there shooting threes,” he said.

The Lakers, knowing momentum when they see it, are fine with Bryant going to New Orleans, which he said he would do regardless. They just don’t want him touching a basketball when he’s there.

“We’d like him not to play,” Jackson said. “But that has to be a determination that’ll probably be medical more than anything else.”

Against the Timberwolves, Bryant was active and assertive, if a little off on his shot (seven for 18). He made all 13 of his free-throw attempts and had five rebounds and five assists in 35 minutes.

He also connected on an NBA rarity, a four-point play, after being fouled by Sebastian Telfair on a three-pointer with 6:54 left in the third quarter. Bryant’s free throw gave the Lakers a 75-54 lead.

Lamar Odom had 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth triple-double with the Lakers, tying him with Vlade Divac for third place in team history. (Magic Johnson had 138 and Bryant has 14 since that stat became official in 1979-80).

Odom was stuck on seven points when he sensed he might get pulled at the end of the third quarter.

He grabbed an offensive rebound in the final seconds, dribbled out to the three-point line, faked a pass to Jordan Farmar and drilled a three-pointer as the quarter expired.

He went back to the bench with a big smile, joined by Bryant, who stuck out his hand. The score: 99-68, Lakers.

“I knew I needed three points,” Odom said. “I used Jordan as a decoy. That’s what I get a kick out of -- triple-double basketball.”

The Lakers could afford to smile. Winning seven of nine has a way of easing the mind.

“It’s an accomplishment for us,” Bryant said. “We’re playing with high confidence right now.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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Happy trails

A final look at the Lakers’ two-week, nine-game trip, which ended with four wins:

*--* Jan. 31 at Detroit L, 90-89 Feb. 1 at Toronto W, 121-101 Feb. 3 at Washington W, 103-91 Feb. 5 at New Jersey W, 105-90 Feb. 6 at Atlanta L, 98-95 Feb. 8 at Orlando W, 117-113 Feb. 10 at Miami W, 104-94 Feb. 11 at Charlotte W, 106-97 Feb. 13 at Minnesota W, 117-92 *--*