[0] PUSHOVERS NEARLY PUSH LAKERS OVER : LAKERS 113, VANCOUVER 102.

Byline: Howard Beck Daily News Staff Writer

Brainteaser for a lazy April evening: If the Lakers' playoff train leaves at noon, with a 10 mph tailwind, seven games lying ahead, the playoffs visible on the horizon and a No. 3 seeding already in tow, how long does it take them to get motivated for an uninspiring matchup with the miserable Vancouver Grizzlies?

Math can't provide the answer, and, from the looks of it, neither could the Lakers.

Vancouver - on pace to hit 60 losses before the Lakers hit 60 wins - nevertheless won the first quarter, equaled the Lakers in the fourth and used a late surge to cut an 18-point lead to 10 within 2-1/2 minutes late in the game. And their late charge came without Bryant Reeves, knocked out before halftime with a sprained right knee.

But the Lakers refocused their energies on the task at hand long enough to get the 113-102 victory and maintain their head of steam for the fast-approaching postseason. They've now won six straight, with 17 wins in their last 19 games - their best 19-game stretch in seven years.

``We played well enough to win,'' coach Del Harris said, and that was about as glowing an assessment as it warranted. ``We had spurts where we looked pretty good.''

Looking ahead, though? They're trying not to.

``I think everybody's so pumped for the playoffs,'' acknowledged Kobe Bryant. ``I don't think it's bitten us in the butt yet. Hopefully it won't.''

The Lakers are practically locked into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, and, yet, with six games left, Seattle and Utah continue to tease with a loss here, a letdown there. The Sonics provided the Lakers the latest glimmer of hope in the seedings race by losing to Phoenix on Monday.

``Most of the players, we understand we're still in this race,'' Nick Van Exel said. ``We still feel we have a good chance of catching one of those teams. Antyime you see a team ahead of you lose a game, it gives you incentive to go out harder.''

So Shaquille O'Neal scored his standard 30 points and Eddie Jones tossed in 26, and the Lakers maintained course for Priority No. 1 - running the table to finish the season.

Priority No. 2 should be staying healthy, and the Lakers are still struggling in that department. Starting forward Robert Horry missed his second game in the last three with a strained Achilles' tendon, and his status is uncertain.

Mario Bennett thus earned his second start in a week, thanks to Horry's pain and Bennett's own heroics the last time he filled in - his 21 points and 10 rebounds last Friday prompted Harris to start him over Corie Blount and Elden Campbell.

Bennett responded with 12 points and career-high-tying 13 rebounds, and all he got for thanks was a bloody mouth and a date today with an oral surgeon. An incidental elbow from Vancouver's Michael Smith on a jump ball in the third quarter broke one tooth and chipped another and forced Bennett from the game.

``They took imprints of my tooth,'' said the battle-scarred Bennett, white plaster still stuck to his face. ``They gotta give me two new teeth.''

But with another nice personal outing, and the Lakers winning their 10th straight at home, Bennett could afford to grin and bear it.

Ouch report: Despite injuries to three of the Lakers' five forwards in the last few days, only one - Horry - missed the game.

Though his strained left Achilles' tendon has improved, Horry was in street clothes and is scheduled today to visit a foot specialist, Dr. Phillip Kwong, at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic.

Blount - playing his first game since injuring his back last Friday - responded with a career-high-tying 15 rebounds.

Doctors examined Rick Fox's sore right foot Wednesday morning and cleared him to play.

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PHOTO (Color) Vancouver guard Blue Edwards tallies a basket over Lakers forward Mario Bennett Wednesday at the Forum.

Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press