BOSTON CREAM PIE CELTICS NO CHALLENGE FOR LAKERS LAKERS 109, BOSTON 96.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

They don't make them like they used to, not that the Lakers were exactly complaining.

The Boston Celtics were in town Friday, which used to be big news and et the Lakers' juices all flowing. Now storied team is reduced to another easy mark on the schedule.

The Lakers tried to act interested, which took some doing, what with their breaking out to a 22-point lead in the second quarter, but eventually muddled through for a 109-96 victory before a Staples Center crowd of 18,997.

It marked their 10th consecutive victory, again tying Portland for the best record (44-11) in the NBA.

The Lakers weren't at their world-beating best Friday, but against the 23-32 Celtics, they clearly didn't need to be. This once passionate rivalry is the stuff of black-and-white reruns to today's hip-hop NBA followers.

Lakers backup Travis Knight, previously a member of the Celtics, said neither team gets too worked up over the other now.

``Other than Classic Sports, I think that rivalry might be a little bit dead,'' Knight said.

The Lakers did their part Friday, flexing their muscles when needed and rolling out to a quick lead.

Glen Rice, knowing he'll be a Laker to the season's end now that Thursday's trading deadline passed uneventfully, acted like a guy happy to still be around. He scored 12 of his 20 overall points in the first quarter, as the Lakers broke out to a 30-17 lead.

Shaquille O'Neal (estimated average distance of his shots: six inches), had another impressive night, scoring 28 points against the Celtics army of outmanned centers, while pulling down 15 rebounds and passing out six assists.

Fresh off their impressive 6-0 road trip, the Lakers returned to the Staples Center looking very much like a team that could also pull off this winning routine at home. They were up 46-24 with 5:49 to play in the first half and Phil Jackson sat O'Neal and all the rest of his starters.

The Celtics, or at least what passes for Rick Pitino's current unit these days, mounted a minicharge against the Lakers ``B'' team and Jackson sent Rice and Kobe Bryant back in to calm the waters.

Still, the Celtics trailed by 12 at the half and closed within 10 early in the second half before they began to pay attention again.

The Lakers didn't beat the Celtics, so much as dispatch them.

Slowly the Lakers again pushed their lead back up to 20, the Celtics really having little with which to answer. This is the fifth year of Pitino's rebuilding program, which mostly has been marked by consistent rebuilding.

Forward Antonie Walker scored 25 points and guard Paul Pierce added 19 for the Celtics, but that came on 6-of-17 shooting.

Led by Robert Horry, Bryant and O'Neal, the Lakers continued to play solid defense, holding the Celtics to .416 percent shooting from the field.

The Lakers never could turn their lead into blowout proportions, not that the Celtics ever managed to make them actually feel nervous. They mostly just hung around, forcing Jackson to keep going with his regulars deeper into the game than he probably would have liked.

The Lakers let Bryant (17 points, six rebounds, five steals) loose for several highlight-reel dunks, took an 84-66 lead into the final quarter, and then just rode it home.

Even Knight, who gets precious little action these days, got into the game long enough to score a season-high nine points.

And just to make the Lakers feel a tad better about keeping Rice, they are now 19-0 when he takes at least 10 shots in a game.

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Photo: (color) The Lakers' Kobe Bryant, who had some highlight-reel dunks, momentarily loses the ball in the first period. He recovered in plenty of time to help L.A. thump Boston 109-96 at Staples Center.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

Box: Game recap