LAKERS NOTEBOOK: POTENTIAL IS CLEAR; DYNAMICS NOT YET.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS - They are behind the curve in both conditioning and cohesion, set back by injuries and off-court issues, but with three days left until opening night, the Lakers are solidly, confidently the team Shaquille O'Neal now calls ``the Fantastic Four.''

The group was completed with Kobe Bryant's return Thursday night and got its second, and final, tuneup here Friday, in a 93-87 exhibition loss to the Sacramento Kings at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Bryant started again alongside O'Neal, Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and though the results remain a little messy (3-5 in the exhibition season) the potential for greatness is clear.

Yet at this early stage, not even coach Phil Jackson is certain what the coming months hold. Not on the court, where four All-Stars are adjusting to each other's games, and not off the court, where Bryant's legal issues cloud everything.

``It's very challenging. You can't project what's coming down an 82-game season,'' Jackson said. ``It's a road that is just totally uncharted.

``This one is filled with all kinds of things that will go on and have a whole lot of suspicions and hopes, and we can be anything from a team that could win 65-70 games to a team that could implode in some ways,'' he said. ``I don't think we will, but that's my optimistic viewpoint. But it's a team that has a lot of challenges ahead of it, and it has a really big upside to it. So it's a real big challenge for us.''

There are some basic, fundamental concerns as they approach Tuesday's season opener against the Dallas Mavericks. With little practice time together, the Lakers are not yet in sync defensively. They also have yet to work on specialized situations, such as jump balls, pressure defense and end-game strategies.

They'll have some time next week. After the opener, they don't play again until Saturday, at Phoenix.

--My name is: Devean George, who twisted his left ankle late in Thursday's game, did not play Friday, but he quickly dismissed any thoughts of missing the season opener.

``Don't even think about it - I'll be there, full strength,'' said George, understandably defensive after being criticized by teammates for not playing hurt early last season.

The decision to hold out George was Jackson's. But George, the lone mortal among the Lakers' starting five, wanted to play. He's enjoying his role as the forgotten fifth wheel.

``I don't care about the `Big Four,' man. I'll be that dude that's nobody,'' he said with a laugh. ``I don't care about being nobody.

``They're great players, but they need one more person out there on the court. They could (play four on five), they're that good. But they need five guys on the team.''

--It's Pat: Jackson said he was not surprised at Pat Riley's sudden resignation as Miami Heat coach.

``Pat's had to put up with some extremely disappointing things for three seasons,'' he said, citing Alonzo Mourning's health problems and his defection to New Jersey. ``I just wish him well, and I think he'll be back doing this thing again in a short order at some time. ... I think he's a coach and he still has plenty of life left in him for coaching in the NBA.''

--Also: Bryant's leg strength and endurance are clearly an issue at the moment. After going 0 for 6 in the second half Thursday, he went 3 for 10 in the first half against the Kings. ... Jackson, on the Lakers-Kings rivalry: ``There's a championship of California in the exhibition season basically at stake. It's kind of like Schwarzenegger vs. Gray (Davis) in some ways.'' ... Slava Medvedenko missed his second consecutive game because of a bruised left heel. He is doubtful for Tuesday's season opener, but Jackson hopes to avoid placing him on the injured list.

Howard Beck, [phone]

howard.beck(at)dailynews.com