A HORRY STORY THE GAME HE PLAYS OFTEN IS AGAINST HIMSELF.

Byline: KAREN CROUSE

EL SEGUNDO - It's like guessing which horse is going to run off with the Preakness, all this parlor talk about which role player is readying for a star turn in the Western Conference finals.

The field of contenders is the deepest in years, what with San Antonio suiting up Antonio Daniels, Terry Porter and Sean Elliott and the Lakers sending out Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Horace Grant.

We like Robert Horry even if he is a decided dark-horse entry. The Lakers' power forward has deadened springs for knees and his back aches constantly.

All the same, we wouldn't bet against Horry, not after the way he asserted himself down the stretch in the Lakers' 119-113 series-deciding win at Sacramento on Sunday. The last few days everybody has been marveling at Kobe Bryant's 48 points, but what about Horry's one blocked shot?

With 1 minute, 37 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Kings' Hidayet Turkoglu sent a shot by next-second air that seemed guaranteed to deliver a 109-109 tie. After all, Turkoglu had misfired only once all afternoon.

Horry stamped this one ``Return to Sender,'' swatting the ball away. At the other end, Bryant made the last of his 15 baskets to complete the four- point momentum swing. Horry picked off a Sacramento pass and drew two fouls in the final minute to help ensure the game wouldn't be a photo finish.

San Antonio can put Tim Duncan and David Robinson in his path and Horry will be fine as long as he stays out of his own way. When he plays without thinking, as he did in those final frenzied minutes against Sacramento, Horry brings glory to his reserve role.

It's when he stops to ponder his place in a democratic offense on an aristocratic team that he struggles. It has been that way since Horry took up residence in L.A. five years ago.

It's not easy being a bit player on the Lakers and in your family's life. Horry has watched Bryant grow up but is missing precious moments in his own son's development. Then there's his daughter, who sees more of her doctors than she does her daddy because of a congenital throat defect.

Horry puts on a happy face when he's around his teammates, but in his down time he broods about the choices he has made.

You could say reflection is his silent stalker. It might be the thing that drives him away from L.A. this summer, when he can exercise an escape clause in his contract and become a free agent.

We expect Horry's focus to be sharp during the Western Conference finals and not just because he torched San Antonio from the 3-point arc during the regular season, converting 7 of 11 attempts.

Like Monarchos in the final furlongs of the Kentucky Derby, Horry can see the finish line. It might extend well beyond L.A. and if Laker fans aren't OK with that, well, they should try walking a week in Horry's shoes.

``It's funny,'' Horry told the Sacramento Bee last week. ``Some days I wake up and think, 'I'm outta here.' Some days I wake up and say, 'Man, this is the best place in the world.' ''

Horry's mood can swing with a single phone call. He checks in with wife Keva in Houston at least three times a day. Keva and the kids, Ashlyn, 7, and Robert Camron, 2 1/2, tried living in L.A., but it wasn't paradise for Ashlyn, who has special needs. So Horry's family returned to Houston, which offers the medical care and mainstream schooling Ashlyn needs to live as normal a life as is possible for someone who has to be fed through tubes.

``She's still not allowed to eat yet,'' Horry said, sighing. ``She's had ice cream in her mouth, but that's about it.''

His son, meantime, is learning all kinds of new things. Every developmental step Robert Camron takes in Horry's absence leaves Horry feeling as if his heart has been stomped on.

``When he learns a new word or does something for the first time, my wife runs to the phone and calls me and tells me about it,'' Horry said. ``That's the hard part for me.''

That's when his inner voice can get so shrill, it completely drowns out the rhythm of his game.

Under the best of circumstances, coming off the bench isn't easy. One minute you're parked on the bench like a car in the garage and the next minute you're in the game and going full throttle. At least your car's engine gets a few seconds to warm up. When you're a reserve, your muscles get no such luxury.

When your parts are worn to begin with, it can be a real trial. Of course, it doesn't help that Horry cuts himself no slack.

``In my eyes, I haven't had a good game since I've been here,'' he said, unblinking. ``In my eyes, everything I've done here has been so-so.''

Fisher shook his head when he heard that. ``That's Robert, the professional that he is, holding himself accountable,'' Fisher said. ``There were times this season when not everybody on the team was doing that.''

``Robert's in a tough position because physically he's had to deal with a lot of things,'' Fisher added. He chuckled. ``I mean, the brake pads on his knees are long gone.''

Somehow Horry manages to turn back the odometer when the Lakers need him most. There were the regular-season meetings against San Antonio, for example; Horry contributed at least one blocked shot and two defensive rebounds in each of the four games.

And, of course, there was last Sunday's game against Sacramento. Even coach Phil Jackson, who pinches praise the way the really thrifty do pennies, lauded Horry's play in that one.

``In big games, you see Robert's experience come out,'' Fisher said. ``He stays poised because he's been there before.''

Bryant, who was unnerved by his wife's health scare last week, marvels at how well Horry is able to compartmentalize his life.

``It amazes me that he's able to come here and work and focus on playing basketball,'' Bryant said. ``He comes in and does what we ask him to do.''

He's facing a tall order this series. Something tells us Horry will respond like a champion.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Robert Horry's job is with the Lakers but his heart is in Houston, where his wife and two children live.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(2) Robert Horry seems to respond in big-game situations, although he says ``In my eyes everything I've done here has been so-so.''

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box: NBA PLAYOFFS: SEMIFINALS: EASTERN CONFERENCE