LAKERS ABLE TO DRIVE FOR FIVE L.A. GETS FIFTH SEED AFTER WIN OVER WARRIORS, PORTLAND LOSS LAKERS 117, GOLDEN STATE 111.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

OAKLAND - A profoundly odd season, indeed the most irregular of ``regular'' seasons, came to a close Wednesday night, in a manner truly befitting the Lakers' twisted universe: lots of uncertainty, lots of flash, nothing clear until the final seconds.

They battled the Golden State Warriors here, because the schedule dictated it, all the while trying to not to let their minds wander to Memphis or Los Angeles, locales where their playoff fate was being decided.

And in the strangest, most twisted conclusion imaginable, they had the Clippers to thank for a slightly kinder playoff path.

The Clippers routed the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center, opening the door for the Lakers to move up to No. 5 in the West seedings, which they did with a gritty 117-111 victory over the Warriors at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

The Lakers open their championship defense Sunday, with a first-round series against the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Tipoff at Target Center is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

Game 2 will be Tuesday in Minneapolis, with Games 3 and 4 scheduled for Staples Center on Apr. 24 and 27.

The Lakers finished with a 50-32 record, eight fewer victories than last season, and their worst record in a non-lockout season since 1994-95 (48-34).

Yet they closed the season with some of their best play and were one of the winningest teams in the league since the All-Star break. If the record did not reflect their stature as three-time defending champions, their swagger always did.

``The (favored) teams are San Antonio, obviously, Sacramento and us,'' coach Phil Jackson said. ``I'm sure we're probably still the odd-on favorite with the people that count, and that's the bettors.''

Kobe Bryant scored 44 points, Shaquille O'Neal added 27 and the Lakers needed late contributions from both of them to hold off the feisty, young Warriors.

For a team that will probably need to win four consecutive series without homecourt advantage, the Lakers' final road record - 19-22 - does not inspire confidence.

But they avoided what could have been the most daunting three-round gauntlet in playoff history: opening successive series at Dallas (60 wins), Sacramento (59 wins) and San Antonio (60 wins).

Bold as they are, the Lakers smiled and nodded every time the scenario was mentioned.

The fifth seed holds promise for a more forgiving playoff route: through Minneapolis, where the Timberwolves have never advanced past the first round, and then on to San Antonio and Sacramento, if form holds.

The Lakers and Timberwolves split the season series 2-2. They have never met in the playoffs.

When the Lakers had a slim chance to move up to No. 4, Jackson sternly insisted his team would play as hard as necessary to get there. That possibility expired Tuesday night, but Jackson said it would not make much difference in his approach against the Warriors.

``It's a difference of about 55 degrees,'' he said wryly.

``There's a lot of things (at stake), even down to the draft (order),'' Jackson said. ``I know years I've been in draft situations with teams that have tied (in the standings) and you flip a coin and you lose that flip and you lose a player that, potentially, I could have had. There's all kinds of ramifications that come along with it.''

True to his word, Jackson played to win and let his starters log heavy minutes, figuring they need the work and will have three days to recover before Game 1 of the playoffs.

And when the game was in doubt, tied 102-102 with 5:56 to play, Jackson sent O'Neal back on the court.

If they had to choose a first-series opponent from among the West's Elite Three, Jackson said it would be the Mavericks.

``They would be the one,'' he said. ``They're the least experienced playoff team. ... Dallas hasn't gotten past the second round here yet, so they have a relatively young group for a playoff team. ... They've got some doubts about how far they can get in the playoffs. That's not discounting them at all.''

The Lakers won three of four games against Dallas this season, the lone loss coming in November, when O'Neal was recovering from toe surgery. They beat them twice in a six-day span this month, although the Mavericks' Michael Finley missed both games.

If the series is decided in L.A., the Lakers have the ultimate mental edge: a 25-game home winning streak against the Mavericks.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 4 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Lakers' Kobe Bryant scored 44 points to lead his team to a 117-111 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and the fifth seed in the playoffs.

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

(2) Minnesota guard Wally Szczerbiak scored a game-high 44 points to tie the franchise record Wednesday.

Ann Heisenfeldt/Associated Press

Box:

(1) FIRST LOOK

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) WESTERN CONFERENCE

(4) EASTERN CONFERENCE