CAVS THUMP LAKERS : CLEVELAND 105, LAKERS 89 GOOD ROAD TRIP ENDS IN WIPEOUT.

Byline: Marc Stein Daily News Staff Writer

Shaquille O'Neal and Pat Riley perished. Robert Parish and Mike Fratello flourished.

That is hardly how the Lakers mapped out the season's last extended sweep across America, but their route to a 4-2 trip, quirky as it was, proved too satisfying to wipe away.

What began with a catchy couplet of victories, over O'Neal's Orlando Magic and Riley's Miami Heat, ended with 48 hours of frustration in Charlotte and Cleveland, capped by Wednesday night's 105-89 loss to the Cavaliers before 20,562 at Gund Arena.

If not for all the winning and bonding that preceded the torturous finish - and the fatigue they dragged onto the flight home - the Lakers might have been mad.

``No problem,'' Nick Van Exel said of the latest setback, the last quarter of which he viewed from the bench with a strained left groin. ``We've just got to get some rest tomorrow, kick Vancouver's (butt) Friday and be ready for San Antonio (on Sunday).''

Van Exel's bravado was echoed by the Lakers' other principals, who shared the view that four wins in six tries over 10 days against five playoff contenders and a stubborn expansion club is good work.

Especially since most of the Lakers weren't even speaking to Cedric Ceballos when they left Los Angeles.

Now, in the view of Del Harris, the Lakers' ``esprit de corps'' is the best it has been since Harris started coaching them. And that is what he told the troops to remember about these travels - not the fact they lost home and road to the Hornets and Cavs and were swept in a back-to-back set for the first time since Dec. 15-16 at Washington and Chicago.

``They shouldn't be (disappointed),'' Harris said of his players. ``Again, you don't like to lose, (but) dwell on the fact you won four out of six and that you have a good team. It all depends on your ability to respond and to see the big picture.''

Said Magic Johnson, whose 26 points and eight assists in 39 minutes were supported by just 31 points from the other four starters: ``You'll take it every time to come out of six games and go back 4-2. Most teams would be happy with 3-3, and most (good) teams would go 3-3.

``I'm talking about the quality of teams we played. We're going to take what we got.''

Johnson had an idea that the Lakers (45-27) were due for a spanking here, knowing that the previous six visits to Cleveland netted six straight losses - by an average of 18.5 points.

Last year, it was a 38-point rout. The year before, the margin was 30.

Figure in that the Lakers played the night before in Charlotte while the Cavs were resting, and that Cleveland's slowdown tactics totally threw L.A. when the team met January at the Forum, and a dip in Johnson's confidence was understandable.

With 29.7-percent shooting in the first half, Van Exel unavailable in the fourth quarter and Danny Ferry (22 points) and Terrell Brandon (23) exploiting Johnson at the other end with their deadly pick-and-roll, Cleveland (42-31) was never really threatened.

``We played great basketball,'' the Cavs' Bobby Phills said. ``Guys were shooting the ball. Guys were distributing the ball. Guys were focused. We can't ask for much more.''

Funny. The Lakers felt the same way, considering that the Ceballos Controversy - the only topic around this team when the trip was launched - is barely mentioned anymore.

The first few days away were tense, as Ceballos delayed his apology to teammates after the wins in Orlando and Miami. Then he finally told them that, having ``hurt my career,'' he didn't want to hurt the team's championship chances.

And with that, the Lakers are talking hoops again.

Hoops and playoffs.

``This doesn't dampen our spirits about the (postseason),'' Johnson said. ``It's going to be tough to beat us in four games or beat us in five games. We feel that in our hearts and minds.''

Harris said of Ceballos' re-emergence: ``It was something I felt I couldn't make happen. I don't even have the authority, power or right to make it happen, but I thought that it would happen, and it did.''

Notes: Van Exel originally suffered the groin injury Sunday in Toronto but said he isn't worried about long-term pain. Vlade Divac was hampered by back spasms and totaled just four points and six rebounds in 19 minutes. Elden Campbell compounded the Lakers' ineffectiveness with his worst game in weeks, just six points and one rebound in 26 minutes. . . . Ceballos had 18 off the bench but missed 10 of 14 shots. George Lynch made a rare contribution with 12 points in 19 minutes after going scoreless in five of his previous six outings. . . . Playoff tickets go on sale Saturday at all TicketMaster outlets and the Forum box office starting at 10 a.m. Sales will be limited to six tickets per customer per game. Priority numbers will be distributed at the Forum at 9 a.m., but no earlier. . . . Magic Johnson's 0-for-4 showing from the field Tuesday in Charlotte marked the first time since March 25, 1988, against Denver that he played at least 10 minutes and failed to record a field goal.

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PHOTO (color) Cleveland guard Bob Sura gets a hand on the b all as Vlade Divac tries to go inside.

Associated Press