BYNUM A BIG DEAL FOR LAKERS TEENAGE CENTER HAS 20 POINTS, 14 REBOUNDS TO LEAD L.A. PAST T'WOLVES LAKERS 95, MINNESOTA 88.

Byline: ROSS SILER Staff Writer

Andrew Bynum finished with career-highs of 20 points and 14 rebounds, delivered a block so spectacular that it brought the crowd to its feet and finally got the chance to play when the game was on the line.

Then he stood in front of reporters at his locker, the Lakers having taken a 95-88 victory Tuesday over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and summed up his night with the words, ``It was OK.''

There were a lot of Lakers who couldn't say more than that. Smush Parker went from the outhouse to the penthouse in the fourth quarter.

Lamar Odom couldn't hit a shot all night but somehow tossed in a prayer of a 3-pointer.

Kobe Bryant took only seven shots, scored 17 points and watched as the Lakers improved to 4-1, regardless. They got the third quarter right, building a 20-point lead, but struggled to close out the game.

``I guess it was persistence, right?'' Odom said.

He was talking about his own game, in which he scored 15 points despite making 5 of 13 shots. But Odom just as easily could have been speaking about the rest of the Lakers.

They had to hold on late as their 13-point lead entering the fourth quarter was cut to 86-82 with 3:06 left.

Parker returned with the rest of the starters for the final six minutes and proceeded to miss three shots, which left Lakers coach Phil Jackson fuming. He called timeout and stared at Parker as he walked off the court.

Jackson referred to ``jumping his butt'' as he talked about Parker after the game.

But Parker redeemed himself moments later. Odom gave him the ball with the shot clock running out and Parker connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the floor.

``A lot of shots didn't go for me but I stayed within my game and I stayed positive,'' Parker said. ``I never got down on myself. I always believe that if I miss one, the next two are going to go in.''

Odom then delivered when the Lakers needed it most. He drove the lane against Kevin Garnett with the Lakers clinging to an 89-86 lead and hit a runner from 11 feet with 1:04 remaining.

Bynum capped the game by blocking Mike James at the other end and sinking 3 of 4 free throws in the final minute.

It was enough for the Lakers to win with Bryant -- the NBA's leading fourth-quarter scorer last season -- failing to score in the fourth quarter Tuesday. Bryant took only two shots in the second half, though he had five assists.

Bryant said he talked to his teammates about the need to pick him up in his first games back from knee surgery.

``This is my preseason,'' Bryant said. ``I haven't played since Game 7 (in May). We know that as a team. They just rally around me and pick me up. Come January or February, whenever I'm ready to go, then they'll know that they'll have that weapon when they need it.''

Jackson, meanwhile, pointed to the third quarter as the difference.

He wasn't happy with how the Lakers came out for the second half of Sunday's game against Seattle, which stretched an eight-point lead to 26 in minutes.

The Lakers were a completely different team in the third quarer Tuesday. They scored nine straight points before Minnesota called a timeout, and went on to win the third quarter 25-18. Bynum provided the exclamation point with a thunderous block on James at the rim. The crowd roared and Bynum had the defensive highlight of his young career.

``Andrew was the youngest player ever picked,'' Odom said, ``and I think he wants to live up to the responsibility that comes along with that.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Lakers' Kobe Bryant drives past Minnesota's Trenton Hassell.

(2 -- color) Andrew Bynum dunks in the first half or two of his team-high 20 points. Bynum also led the Lakers with 14 rebounds.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer