[0] LAKERS' HAPPY DAYS HERE AGAIN ROUT OF TIMBERWOLVES HAS EVERYONE FEELING GOOD LAKERS 119, MINNESOTA 102.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

This is the way it was supposed to look all along, back in the dreary winter days and through the angst-riddled midseason annoyances. It was supposed to look this easy for the Lakers, and this enjoyable and this entertaining.

If it was a long time coming, it's not a fact they will bemoan much now.

They were too busy Thursday enjoying another rout, cracking each other up on the bench, watching the third unit clean up in the fourth quarter, and providing free soft tacos to the masses.

As the clock wound down on the Lakers' 119-102 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, and ``Free chalupas for everyone'' flashed on the digital screens, the Lakers relaxed in the knowledge that the season is almost over, and they're playing near their peak.

Shaquille O'Neal scored 31 points and collected 12 rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes of work. Kobe Bryant watched O'Neal carry the load in the first half, then exploded in the third quarter to finish with 30 points, nine assists and five rebounds.

Rick Fox chipped in 16 points, and the Lakers shot 50 percent from the field.

It took the Lakers five-and-a-half months to get their first six-game winning streak of the season. It's a little late, but perhaps just well- timed. They're engaged in a furious race for the top spot in the Pacific Division and No. 2 slot in the West, now occupied by the Sacramento Kings.

The Lakers began the night one game back and had a shot at catching Sacramento, but the Kings pulled out a stunning overtime victory at San Antonio to hold their position. The Lakers almost certainly must win their final two games, and hope the Kings fall at least twice in their last four games.

``We're interested in watching Sacramento obviously this weekend,'' coach Phil Jackson said. ``There's a lot of interesting things going on.''

Terrell Brandon (21 points) almost single-handedly kept the Wolves in the game with his hot shooting. It's just that Bryant always did him one better.

Brandon scored 13 points in the third quarter, and Minnesota briefly hovered within three points of the Lakers. But Bryant got 17 in the quarter and spent the rest of his time setting up teammates for easy scores as the Lakers pulled away again.

This was the multifaceted, multi-threat presence the Lakers missed for two weeks, as Bryant healed his sore ankles.

Bryant hits the jumper. Bryant dishes to Rick Fox for an open 3-pointer. Bryant on the driving layup. Dishing to Fox for another 3. Bryant playing quarterback and zipping a perfect 75-foot pass to a sprinting Fox for a breakaway dunk.

Bryant with the driving layup and 3-point play, with O'Neal resting easily on the bench, and pointing skyward in salute. Bryant closed out the quarter with 9 straight points to give the Lakers an 84-71 cushion heading into the fourth.

Kevin Garnett, averaging 22.3 points against the rest of the league, had another quiet night against the Lakers, finishing with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

Four days earlier, the Lakers held Garnett to 4-for-14 shooting and 11 points in a victory at Minnesota. He'd averaged just 17 points in the first three meetings between the teams.

But Jackson wasn't figuring on shutting down Garnett again.

``I don't think you're capable of keeping a player like that 4 for 14 from the field, but I think that we have the confidence that we can keep him in check,'' Jackson said before tipoff. ``And the other thing we do know as a stat is that when he does take 20-plus shots a game, his team does not do as well as when he passes the ball and moves the basketball because of his involvement as a team player.''

The night began with some suspense and intrigue, just not at Staples Center. While the Lakers established an 11-0 lead and kept a healthy lead throughout the first half, the Kings and Spurs were dueling into overtime at the Alamodome. It made for some fascinating scoreboard watching early, as a Kings loss would have opened the door for the Lakers to move into a virtual tie for first in the Pacific Division.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kobe Bryant was careful not to get mixed up with Anthony Peeler here, but Bryant mixed things up with 30 points.

(2) Shaquille O'Neal goes up for a shot Thursday night.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

Box: GAME RECAP