LAKERS STUMBLE ON WAY BACK RECENT PROGRESS STALLS AGAINST WARRIORS GOLDEN STATE 106, LAKERS 102.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

OAKLAND - The era of good feelings, it turned out, was remarkably short. It didn't make it past five quarters, nor did it travel outside the boundaries of 11th and Figueroa. Nor it ever take hold in the surly demeanor of Shaquille O'Neal.

The Lakers' turnaround, a two-game winning streak built on a record-setting comeback, got them only as far as LAX. The momentum apparently died as soon as they left Los Angeles airspace.

Still slow to loose balls, still incapable on the road, still looking like a team that belongs near last place, the Lakers undid all their recent progress and lost 106-102 to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

Denied their first three-game winning streak of the season, they were left to ponder again how they fell this far and what it will take to change course. These were questions that were supposed to be answered by now, with O'Neal back and everyone healthy and the season 23 games old.

Yet the results here had coach Phil Jackson repeating a well-worn theme about the Lakers' lack of hustle, and had O'Neal again storming away in anger.

``Talk to the (expletives) that ain't doing nothing. Don't talk to me,'' O'Neal said as he walked away from the locker room.

It was the second time in a week O'Neal pinned the Lakers' woes on his teammates. The last broadside followed their loss in Utah last Wednesday, when O'Neal said he wanted ``eight guys out there with me who want to play.''

But no changes are forthcoming in the roster, meaning the Lakers are going to have to figure it out without outside assistance.

On Tuesday, they had trouble containing the Warriors' backcourt, as Jason Richardson (26 points), Gilbert Arenas (25 points) and then tiny Earl Boykins (14 points) got loose.

O'Neal led the Lakers with 36 points, making 12 of 17 field goals. It was another fabulous night of playmaking for Bryant, who dished out 14 assists to go with 19 points. But he scored just nine points in the second half, and three in the fourth quarter, after suffering a bruise to the ulnar nerve in his right elbow late in the first half.

Bryant said his elbow should be fine and said the same for his team, though the Lakers lost for the 10th time in 11 games away from Staples Center.

``We're not at a stage now where this can be a setback for us,'' Bryant said. ``We played two games in a row very well. Tonight we played well the first quarter but weren't able to win the game. But I don't think this should be a setback. I think we should come out ready to play the next game and try to put together a nice little streak.''

After all their recent progress, it remains the little things that cause the Lakers fits. Untimely turnovers. Defensive lapses. And 5-foot-5 guards.

Boykins, the one-time Clipper and NBA vagabond with the tiniest frame in the game, got loose for 11 points in the fourth quarter as the Warriors built an 11-point lead, and he made the key defensive play of the night.

Down a point, the Lakers lost a chance to go ahead when Derek Fisher ran over Boykins on the fast break and was called for an offensive foul with 10.7 seconds left. Arenas made a pair of free throws to extend the Warriors' lead to 104-100, and the Lakers ran out of time.

The Warriors, generally a poor shooting team, made 49.4 percent of their field goals and outscored the Lakers on second-chance points 18-9.

``I'm just waiting to see us put out that extra effort,'' Jackson said. ``It still is a game that's not stamped with our approval, or our identity on it.''

Until then, the Lakers can't derive much meaning from recent victories, or entirely quell the growing panic caused by a poor start now in its sixth week.

``I don't think so,'' Jackson said. ``Not until we win a few games and get back to .500. There's still a question about settling into the season, starting to play at a level where we were expected to, and to put some pressure on somebody out here to get back in a playoff slot.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kobe Bryant moves past Golden State's Gilbert Arenas in the first half Tuesday. Bryant had 19 points and 14 assists.

(2) The Lakers' Rick Fox (17) ducks around Golden State's Erick Dampier during L.A.'s loss Tuesday.

Justin Sullivan/Associated Press

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