[0] FOX TAMES WOLVES; FORWARD ANSWERS CRITICS, SCORES 30 : LAKERS 121 MINNESOTA 114.

Byline: Howard Beck Daily News Staff Writer

Shaquille O'Neal sports the Superman tattoo, but it's the Lakers' Rick Fox who at the first sign of crisis seems to don the cape and tights and play superhero.

Fox came to the Lakers a mild-mannered role player, deferential to the All-Stars and budding stars around him. But he transformed himself into a scoring machine when O'Neal was injured for two months. Then he returned to his Clark Kent persona when O'Neal returned earlier this month.

Rick Fox, superhero, returned Friday night, and none too soon. The Lakers forward poured in a team-high 30 points, including 17 in the first quarter, to spark a 121-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves before a sold-out Forum crowd.

There was no damsel in distress to save, just a distressing two-game losing streak that had the Lakers shaken up, with the NBA champions arriving in town Sunday.

``It was needed,'' was Fox's simple explanation for his outburst. ``It was a conscious effort that if I don't come to bring it, we would be in a deficit. . . . We had one other two-game losing stretch this year, and it resulted in a third (straight loss). We don't want to let that kind of trend get going, especially with the Bulls coming in for the fourth game.''

Fox, who has averaged 11 points per game this season, had struggled mightily over the last six games, averaging about four points per game, while committing an average of 3.5 turnovers.

But he shrugged off criticism this week, from both fans and team captain O'Neal, then shrugged off the slump Friday night. He supplemented the scoring with nine rebounds and four assists.

The Lakers won without two-fifths of their starting lineup - Robert Horry and Nick Van Exel, who were out with injuries. Still, four Lakers scored better than 20 points - O'Neal with 26, Eddie Jones with 24 and Kobe Bryant with 22.

``It's a great win for us, especially against a hot team,'' said Lakers coach Del Harris, whose team improved to 32-11.

The Timberwolves gave the Lakers plenty to worry about, despite the Lakers' 2-0 record against them this season. The Wolves (25-18) had won nine of their last 10, and the Lakers were struggling a bit, and injured besides.

Minnesota had its own ailments - Tom Gugliotta came in with a badly sprained knee but started the game and scored 16 points in the first half, as the Lakers took a 67-50 halftime lead.

Gugliotta left early in the third quarter with a sprained ankle and didn't return, but the Timberwolves rallied behind sharp-shooting point guard Stephon Marbury. Marbury, left off the All-Star team, seemed eager to prove a point, scoring 21 points in the third quarter - equaling the entire Lakers offense - as Minnesota wiped out the lead and tied the game at 88 heading into the fourth quarter.

``We didn't stick the dagger in,'' Jones said of the third-quarter letdown. ``(Marbury) said he was gonna show people (that he is an All-Star). I wish he'd shown someone else.''

The Lakers turned it back around in the fourth, though, as Bryant played point guard and scored 13 points while helping hold Marbury to three points in the final 12 minutes.

``In big games, my play is elevated,'' said Marbury, who finished with 35 points. ``You are always playing against tough competitors, and when you go up against the greats, you're always ready.''

The Lakers' loss of Van Exel was offset by Bryant and by steady play from second-year guard Derek Fisher, making his second start of the season.

Bryant had a career-high seven assists. Fisher had nine assists, four points and five rebounds in 30 minutes.

The solid performance from Fisher - the team's only true backup point guard - was a good sign for the Lakers, who need to rest Van Exel's chronically sore left knee whenever possible, and for Fisher, who had seen his playing time reduced the last six weeks.

``I fe`lt really good about my play,'' Fisher said. ``To have nine assists and no turnovers, that's big for me.''

And big for the Lakers, who face the biggest challenge of them all Sunday against the Chicago Bulls.

Ouch report: Van Exel (strained left-hip flexor) and Horry (strained abdomen) showed improvement Friday, but their status remains day-to-day and their availability for Sunday's home game against the Bulls remains uncertain.

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Photo, Box

Photo: (Color) Minnesota's Stephon Marbury drives to the basket on Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal. Marbury had a 21-point third quarter to bring Timberwolves back, but Lakers held on for a win.

Hans Gutknecht / Daily News

Box: GAME RECAP