`MR. PLAYOFFS' TAG DOESN'T SUIT HORRY.

Byline: Howard Beck Daily News Staff Writer

Interpret Robert Horry's offensive outburst Sunday however you wish. Just don't call him a ``postseason player.''

Horry's 15 points, including 11 in the decisive third quarter, keyed a 108-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers as the Lakers took a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff series. The Lakers will try for the sweep tonight at the Rose Garden.

When Horry began firing Sunday, hitting all five shots in the quarter, it was impossible not to recall the Horry of Houston Rockets fame:

The one with the hot hand and the pinpoint-accurate jumpshots. The one who established a playoff record by making all seven 3-pointers in a playoff game against the Utah Jazz. The one who averaged 17 points a game in the 1995 NBA Finals and whose shooting helped Houston win back-to-back championships in 1994 and 95.

Horry's arsenal Sunday included a 7-foot hook shot to open the third quarter, a running jumper from 9 feet, a 19-footer and, at the end of the period, a 3-pointer that pushed the Lakers' lead to 17 points.

But Horry resisted any notion that, after a quiet season in terms of scoring (7.4 average per game) he's turned it on for the postseason, where he first caught people's attention four years ago.

``People get reputations, like `He only plays in the postseason.' I don't want to be stuck with that,'' he said. ``When we got traded from Houston (to Phoenix), that's the first thing (broadcaster and Hall of Fame coach) Jack Ramsey said about Sam (Cassell) and myself. That they've got to realize the game is played before the postseason starts.''

Horry said the tag started because, in the playoffs, opponents went all out to stop center Hakeem Olajuwon. That cleared the perimeter for Horry and Cassell to take advantage. Horry simply did the same Sunday, with the Blazers fluttering around O'Neal like moths around a candle.

Double-teaming O'Neal means leaving someone else open for a moment. Rather than leave Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones or Kobe Bryant room to work, the Blazers have doubled off of Horry. Fifteen points later, he's not about to complain or take the strategy as a knock on him.

``No, that's just the way they do it. You gotta leave somebody,'' he said. ``I don't think anybody's trying to disrespect my game or anything. If I hear somebody say that, they better worry about me getting mad and getting 40 on them.''

A threat? ``Just kidding.''

Horry never sounds like a guy who needs the point totals to feed his ego or impress anyone. He has ignored for an entire season the criticism from fans that he doesn't score enough or isn't suited to the power-forward slot he now occupies after switching from small forward.

But Horry has complemented the Lakers' primary scorers while doing the subtler things: 7.5 rebounds (a career high), 1.31 blocked shots, 2.3 assists and 1.56 steals per game.

The move to power forward seemed to hurt Horry's perimeter game, and he struggled to a 43-percent shooting clip in the first half of the season. But he had one of the best second halves on the team, shooting 54 percent after the All-Star break.

That he no longer consistently scores in double figures is not a concern.

``I think people outside the organization worry about it more than me,'' he said. ``It's funny, people always talk about, `Why are your points down?' Shoot, we're leading the league in scoring. And they're worried about my scoring? It's kind of crazy, right?''

But on a day when O'Neal is held to 19 points, the Lakers don't mind having Horry to fall back on.

``That's definitely a bonus,'' guard Derek Fisher said. ``If Robert squeezes out some points here and there like he did (Sunday), I think that helps us go a long way.''

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PHOTO ROBERT HORRY 

People still remember his big shots for Houston, which he calls unique.