[0] OPEN FOR BUSINESS L.A. BEGINS DEFENSE OF TITLE WITH VICTORY OVER PORTLAND LAKERS 98, PORTLAND 87.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

The banners and the rings and the video did the official taunting. The Lakers themselves? They had no need to dabble in in-your-face gestures, no desire to celebrate the past for more than a minute or two.

While the Portland Trail Blazers were tortured with images of another season of Laker dominance in a pregame championship ceremony, the Lakers were focused firmly on the present. On incorporating new pieces and re-establishing the supremacy of their one-two punch.

With a business-like tone, the Lakers accepted their glory but didn't bask in it. They applauded their new banner, tucked away the new rings and promptly went about the task of pursuing the three-peat.

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant scored 29 points each to power the Lakers to a 98-87 opening-night victory over the rival Blazers.

O'Neal, who nursed a sore toe through training camp, showed no ill effects, grabbing 18 rebounds and playing 40 minutes. Bryant added seven rebounds and four assists. Lindsey Hunter, making his Lakers debut, and Robert Horry scored 10 points each.

Portland, missing the services of new acquisition Ruben Patterson (suspended) and old workhorse Arvydas Sabonis (retired), looked overmatched,falling to an early double-digit deficit and trailing wire to wire.

The Blazers closed the gap to 68-66 late in the third quarter to create some brief suspense, but it was short-lived. Robert Horry, already in playoff form it seems, hit a 3-pointer, and Bryant scored 8 quick points to close out the period and give the Lakers a 79-68 cushion.

To the Blazers, the Lakers' roster realignment must have seemed wholly cosmetic - because the early results looked awfully familiar.

Much as they bulldozed the Blazers in a first-round sweep in April, the Lakers bullied Portland from the opening tipoff, scoring the first 6 points of the game and establishing an 15-point lead before eight minutes had elapsed.

As the new faces hovered around the perimeter, the Lakers scored at will with their old stand-bys - a jumphook from O'Neal to open the game, a Bryant jumper after that, and an O'Neal-to-Bryant fast break jam for punctuation.

The Lakers' initial 21-11 lead was accomplished solely by guys with shiny new rings - O'Neal, Bryant, Rick Fox and Robert Horry, whose flying putback dunk looked positively June-like.

That Horry was in the game to throw down Bryant's miss at all was perhaps a bad sign. Samaki Walker got the start in his Lakers debut, but picked up two quick fouls trying to guard Wallace and went to the bench just 1:44 into the game.

Horry also picked up two early fouls, forcing Jackson to call on Slava Medvedenko and, briefly, Jelani McCoy.

Coach Phil Jackson's main curiosity for the opener - other than whether his team could handle the distraction of pregame self-congratulations - was how quickly his new players would get assimilated.

``That's what's important to us, is that we know these guys know how to play together,'' he said. ``It really is going to be our new players getting comfortable on this floor, and with the fans.''

Medvedenko, the second-year pro dubbed ``The Ukraine Train'' by teammates, was an instant hit, showing some of the skills that have intrigued Lakers management. Midway through the second quarter, Medvedenko faked out Wallace, then drove baseline for a powerful two-hand dunk, and drew the foul.

Not to be outdone, Wallace, the NBA record-holder for technical fouls, drew his first ``T'' of the season late in the first half.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

(color) Kobe Bryant follows through on a breakaway dunk shot in the Lakers' season opener Tuesday at Staples Center.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

Box: GAME RECAP