LAKERS FIND RIGHT PRESCRIPTION PISTONS ARE L.A.'S ANSWER TO WEEK OF STRESS, FRUSTRATION LAKERS 94, DETROIT 82.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

That thin ray of light busting through the dull gray of a mucked-up week came courtesy of the schedule and with kind regards from the East.

The Detroit Pistons, just good enough to rule the Eastern Conference and get the Lakers' attention, just flawed enough to be beaten without expending an inordinate amount of energy, provided the relief to end a stressful week.

The Lakers needed a win to cleanse their palate of Dallas and San Antonio, a boost to send them into Sacramento on Sunday with some confidence.

And that's about what they got out of Friday's flawed 94-82 victory over the Pistons at Staples Center.

There was little comfort in the 21 turnovers or the 4-for-21 shooting from 3-point range or an ongoing tug-of-war between the Lakers and the officials. L.A. often led by double digits but never put away the Pistons. Shaquille O'Neal scored 28 points but arguably should have had more against an undersized Pistons front line.

Yet the victory stopped a two-game skid and moved the Lakers within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Kings, and so the mood was measurably lighter.

``We played OK in spurts,'' Kobe Bryant said. ``We couldn't deliver the killer blow, but we'll just take the win and just move on to the next game.''

O'Neal shook off Wednesday's 2-for-10 debacle in San Antonio and sprung back to life. He made 11 of 18 field goals, 6 of 12 free throws and dunked with purpose on Ben Wallace, Clifford Robinson and Zelkjo Rebraca.

Bryant added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and held Jerry Stackhouse to 21 points on 5-for-13 shooting.

The Lakers beat Detroit for the eighth consecutive time, but the weeks ahead are more daunting, featuring dates with San Antonio, Portland, Utah and the Kings.

``I think we feel that when our back is up against the wall - it's not up against the wall yet, but it's getting close - that we'll be able to respond,'' Brian Shaw said.

So this game was as much about tuning up as it was turning back the Pistons.

That mission was successful on several fronts. The Lakers shot 48.7 percent and got double-digit scoring from four players. Robert Horry, so fatigued he was removed from the lineup Wednesday, started the game and played 37 effective minutes, finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Samaki Walker, who went back to the bench, played his best game since returning from an elbow injury, scoring eight points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 17 minutes.

And after surrendering 100 points in three consecutive games, the Lakers firmed up their defense, holding Detroit to 37.7 percent shooting.

``Any win is good, but this wasn't a good win,'' Horry said. ``This is a team that we should have beat by 20 points at least.''

Bryant quickly put a shaky Texas trip behind him, scoring 14 points in the first half on 7-for-12 shooting. Bryant, who played the past eight games with a wrapped-up and sprained left thumb, ditched the tape and felt grateful for good health.

``I feel pretty good,'' he said. ``At halftime, I was pretty concerned because of the Vince Carter situation and the Allen Iverson situation. I was kind of tip-toeing a little bit. That really puts things in perspective.''

Bryant and O'Neal both picked up technical fouls for getting chippy with referee David Jones, who whistled each of them for questionable fouls. But then it was that kind of night all the way around.

``I turned to the trainer, Gary Vitti, and asked him if it was a full moon tonight,'' coach Phil Jackson said. ``Just one of those times, when everybody's just a little bit off-kilter.''

They hope to get their kilters, and their syncs and everything else in order by Sunday, which is shaping up as the biggest game of the season.

``If we don't win this ballgame on Sunday, it's going to be difficult for us to win the Pacific Division,'' Jackson said. ``We play a lot of playofound teams in the next three weeks. We're going to have to get this game and hopefully get some help along the way to make a run.''

CAPTION(S):

photo, 3 boxes

Photo:

(color) Kobe Bryant, who scored 18 points, drives around Detroit's Clifford Robinson.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) WILD WEST

(2) GETTING BETTER

(3) GAME RECAP