LAKERS NOTEBOOK: PARKER DELIVERS IN EXHIBITION VICTORY.

Byline: ROSS SILER Staff Writer

The matchup did not seem to favor Lakers guard Smush Parker in Friday night's exhibition game at Staples Center. Not with NewOrleans Hornets guard Chris Paul starting opposite him, the NBA's best rookie a season ago.

But Parker provided the spark the Lakers were looking for in their 113-106 victory, outplaying Paul for stretches of the first half and contributing to a 10-0 run in the second quarter with his play on both ends of the floor.

It was the kind of performance that showed how much Parker could grow this season.

Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis talked before the game about Parker's importance as the player who gets the team into its offense and sets the tone on defense.

``We want him to be more of a vocal leader out there,'' Rambis added, ``so that people will turn to him and look to him to do the right things at the right time.''

Parker led by example Friday, making 4 of 5 shots and finishing with 11 points in 27 minutes. He backed down Paul in the first quarter, using his height advantage to score, and connected on a 3-pointer off a pass from Andrew Bynum.

Once he returned in the second quarter, Parker helped the Lakers break open the game. He poked the ball free from Paul on defense and slapped it off the Hornets' guard out of bounds to force a turnover.

At the other end, Paul attacked the basket out of a timeout and scored as part of a three-point play. Then he came back and drew an offensive foul as the Lakers went on to take a 60-46 halftime lead. Paul went scoreless with four turnovers in 14minutes in the first half.

The Lakers, who shot 53.8 percent for the game, were led by Maurice Evans with 27 points and Lamar Odom with 17. Bynum had seven points and passed the ball well out of the post, totaling four assists. Bynum was playing the second of back-to-back games, a situation in which he has struggled. Rambis talked before the game about all the duties Bynum has in running the floor and anchoring the defense.

``There's a lot of things that he has to do,'' Rambis said. ``Sometimes he does things well and sometimes he doesn't, but it's an awesome responsibility for a kid his age. But we're expecting him to grow each and every day.''

Injury report: The Lakers traded one sprained ankle for another Friday as guard Sasha Vujacic was unable to play but forward Brian Cook returned after sitting out the night before. Vujacic is day to day.

That again left the Lakers with 10 available players and eight injured players only 11 days before the season opener.

Jackson's return: The Lakers are hopeful that coach Phil Jackson can return for the team's final exhibition game Thursday in Anaheim. It would be Jackson's first game back after undergoing hip-replacement surgery Oct. 3.

Star treatment: Lakers owner Jerry Buss will be honored Oct. 30 with a television star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Buss is credited with helping launch the Prime Ticket sports network in 1985.

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Photo:

The Lakers' Luke Walton goes up for a shot against NewOrleans' Rasual Butler on Friday night at Staples Center.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer