EXPERIENCE PAYS OFF.

Byline: JOE STEVENS

While some of the Houston Rockets bellowed about what should have been and what could have been, Karl Malone talked about duck hunting.

See, Malone and the Lakers waded through a gaggle of distractions to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. On Wednesday, those distractions were underscored when Kobe Bryant arrived from an appearance at his sexual-assault trial in Eagle, Colo., at 6:57 p.m. for a game scheduled at 7 p.m.

Add to Bryant's saga, the future Hall of Famer story line of Malone and Gary Payton moving to Los Angeles, constant speculation that Bryant could leave at the end of this season and various other interpersonal issues, this Lakers season might as well be called ``the season of distraction.''

Through it all, the main reason the Lakers are where they are is because of experience. Bryant put his legal proceedings behind him Wednesday, went to the well of his experience and did what he does best, perform in big games.

The Lakers desperately wanted to close out their series without an added trip to Houston, and Bryant obliged with one of his most spectacular performances this season.

And with all of their experience, the 40-year-old Malone has the security to wax poetic about diverse subjects, including duck hunting and boar's teeth.

The Rockets, in contrast, had a respectable squad, equipped with 7- foot-6 Yao Ming and All-Star guard Steve Francis. But the youthful duo was lacking in the one area that the Lakers have in abundance.

So even though constant distractions envelope the Lakers, they are far from folding. The combined 525 playoff games of experience from Malone, Payton, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal cannot let that happen.

Yet Malone concurred that no situation can possibly compare to this one with the drama and attention that these Lakers have gotten.

``Welcome to L.A., that's all I can say,'' Malone said. ``The whole scenery, everything, is different here.''

Did he ever have to weather similar distractions in Utah?

``Other than coach (Jerry) Sloan kicking us out of practice and telling us, 'Y'all aren't ready to play. Get out of my gym. Pick the balls up,' '' Malone said. ``And we did. We went duck hunting or did whatever we wanted to do.''

Before the Lakers' victory, coach Phil Jackson offered some insight into the perceived strained relationship between him and Bryant. Although things sound chipper for the two, Jackson acknowledged that things weren't that way throughout the season.

``I think that Kobe and I have a very good relationship at this time, as far as compared to the beginning of the season and the middle of the season, which for me, was mostly a 'hands off' attitude, just letting him go in his own direction,'' Jackson said, ``as opposed to this particular time, when we're connecting a lot with what we're trying to get accomplished. He's been my designated floor general.''

Basically, Jackson found himself in an unprecedented situation this season, dealing with Bryant's trial. His approach was to stay removed from the star guard, but in retrospect, he sees that Bryant felt isolated and ostracized because of the coach.

``He felt I probably didn't care about his behavior,'' Jackson said.

That type of personal issue coming up on the day the Lakers advanced out of the first round was appropriate. For the entire season, practically every Lakers day has been full of drama.

And how they win goes back to their experience.

When Malone was drafted by the Utah Jazz in 1985, Yao was 5 years old. Every year since, Malone has been in the playoffs.

This is just Yao's second season in the league and the first playoff experience for Francis.

Even as talented as they are, the two were outmatched by the Lakers' wiliness.

On Wednesday, the Lakers' experience shone through with the four future Hall of Famer story line continuing with an NBA title still possible.

The next obstacle has defending-champion San Antonio waiting for them at home. By squeaking by in Game 1 and going to overtime in Game 2 during their 4-1 victory over the Rockets, the Lakers have looked vulnerable.

But maybe they're as ready as they'll ever be.