`WOW!' THAT'S 18 STRAIGHT KOBE, SHAQ COMBINE FOR 79 AS LAKERS EDGE KINGS LAKERS 109, SACRAMENTO 106.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

Push it, stretch it, fold it over backwards and flex it to the point of snapping under the strain.

No measure of abuse seems to put a permanent crease in the Lakers' winning ways.

Their latest winning streak was pushed to the brink Sunday evening by the unpredictable Sacramento Kings. It was ready to crack and crumble, but the Lakers' foundation proved stronger than anything the Kings could muster.

That would be Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, who made a pitch for co-MVPs by combining for 79 points in a remarkable 109-106, comeback victory before 18,997 at Staples Center.

Almost left for dead under a double-digit deficit, The Streak instead grew to 18 straight games.

The Kings led from the opening tip and by as many as 16 points in the second half. The Lakers, with Bryant and O'Neal combining for 27 fourth- quarter points, took their first lead of the game with 5:12 left, then rode their dynamic duo to a down-to-the-wire finish.

``Wow,'' coach Phil Jackson said, ``what a game. That was a pretty exciting game for our team, and for our fans.''

Bryant scored a career-high 40 points (on 15 of 24 shooting) to go with 10 rebounds and eight assists, edging out O'Neal for game-high honors.

O'Neal finished with 39 points, 20 rebounds and five assists.

It was the first time since March 5, 1976 that two Lakers scored 35 points or more in the same game.

They needed it. Glen Rice struggled early and sat out the last 16 minutes of the game. He went to the bench having hit 3 of 11 shots for six points and five rebounds, before giving way to Rick Fox.

``Shaq has played like an MVP all year,'' said Fox, ``and Kobe joined him tonight for the game. You know that you have two guys, one who should win the MVP this year and one who probably will eventually down the road.''

The Lakers extended their home winning streak to nine games and for the moment dispelled the hex the Kings have on them. Sacramento had won three of the prior four meetings. They meet twice more this season, once in each city.

If the season ended today, the Lakers and Kings would meet in the first round of the playoffs.

Sacramento was without two key pieces - starting off-guard Nick Anderson and reserve forward Scot Pollard, both injured. But Peja Stojakovic,subbing for Anderson, again played big against the Lakers, scoring 22 points. Chris Webber led the Kings with 24 points.

Reflecting on the Lakers' pair of lengthy winning streaks, Jackson said the recent one stands as the more impressive of the two.

``I think it tells us we that were able to win and do this on the road, under different circumstances,'' he said. ``Most of (the 16-game streak) came on the home stretch, although we did have one small road sequence in there. This one is generated by the six wins on the road, and post-All-Star week. I thought that was significant for this team to do this.''

The streak includes an active nine-game road streak that stands as the third longest in franchise history.

The Kings led from the opening tip and shot 56.1 percent on the way to a 59-52 halftime lead. It was an ominous sign for the Lakers.

They hadn't trailed at halftime in 13 games, since their Feb. 16 victory at Charlotte. And the seven-point halftime deficit was the biggest they had faced since Feb. 1 in San Antonio - the site of their last loss prior to the winning streak. The Spurs took a 10-point halftime lead in that game.

O'Neal (16 points) and Bryant (18 points) both turned in strong performances in the half, Bryant hitting 7 of 10 shots. But Rice was just 3 for 9, and the Lakers made only 23 of 53 field goals (43.4 percent).

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Photo: The Lakers' Kobe Bryant, who scored a career-high 40 points, challenges the Kings' Vlade Divac.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

Chart: GAME RECAP