BLOWOUT NICE, BUT WHAT'S IT MEAN?

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

If a 46-point rout of the Utah Jazz cleansed the Lakers' palate after a recent platter of losses, it did little to reassure anyone in uniform that all their problems are solved.

With the blowout established early Friday night with a 56-21 first half, the Lakers could once again take pride in their defense. But the starters played short minutes, the game was never in doubt and no one made any wild claims about the meaning of a lopsided victory.

So, other than keeping pace with Portland, what did the Lakers take from the win?

``Nothing at all,'' said veteran Ron Harper. ``We've got two more games left before the All-Star Game, and we have to go out these last two games and have two big, big, strong games.''

First up is a Monday night home game against the Denver Nuggets, who the Lakers routed by 35 points on Jan. 10. The slate concludes Wednesday at Staples Center with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who the Lakers have beaten twice this season.

A pair of wins would give the Lakers their best run since the 16-game winning streak ended and give them a shot at heading into the break with the NBA's best record. They're tied with Portland, but the Trail Blazers could take the lead by winning their three remaining games.

``We want that,'' Harper said. ``It's a pride thing. We were off to a fast start earlier this season, then we lost some games, so now it's about going out and showing folks that we have a good basketball team. . . . We want everybody to know we're the team out there that you have to chase.''

If nothing else, routing the Jazz might have eased the Lakers' troubled minds after a 3-6 slide.

``It helps,'' coach Phil Jackson said. ``It starts off with guys being confident again about playing defense, about what we have to do. We try and build on this. This is what you have to do.''

--Easing up: Jackson, who benched Glen Rice during two recent losses, has softened his criticism of Rice's play, attributing his struggles to the Lakers' lack of proficiency in the triangle offense.

``It's a combination of everybody being comfortable in an offensive system so that they know how to do it,'' he said. ``Glen's not going to be hot every night. But he may be 2 for 10, and then it's my responsibility to get him out and get somebody in that can play. He's got a great replacement behind him in Rick Fox. So if he's not going well, then I have to put somebody else out who can play.

``But the reality is that we have to make an effort to try and go there and find a way to exploit the situations (when Rice has a mismatch against smaller defenders). But he doesn't have to score 20 points a game for us to win, or 15. He just has to be out there doing his job, and his job is to be a complete player.''