SAME OLD L.A. STORY CLIPS FOLD, LAKERS ROLL TO WIN LAKERS 110, CLIPPERS 80.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

Patiently awaiting Kobe Bryant's return to form and waiting out Shaquille O'Neal's foul trouble, the Lakers searched Friday for a signal, any indication at all that they could quash their latest minislump, rediscover their balance and fend off their down-the-hall rivals.

Surely, their two-game slide would end with Bryant's flights of fancy, or with a dunkfest by O'Neal or a hailstorm of 3-pointers from Derek Fisher.

There was a little of any of that. But the biggest, brightest, surest sign that the Lakers' skid was over came with a breakthrough performance from a guy with more syllables in his name than years on his NBA resume.

Slava Medvedenko, the second-year big man from Ukraine, scored a career-high 18 points to go with a career-high-tying seven rebounds, and the Lakers routed the Clippers 110-80 at Staples Center.

Bryant and O'Neal did their usual thing - Bryant scoring 25 points to end a shooting slump at four games, O'Neal scoring 28 points after early foul trouble - but it was Medvedenko's energetic performance in the first and fourth quarters that pushed the Clippers over the edge.

``To me,'' Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said, ``he was the difference in the game.''

It was the Lakers' greatest margin of victory this season and the Clippers' worst margin of defeat.

And so another modest Lakers losing trend was put to rest before it could become a serious nuisance. Eleven times in coach Phil Jackson's tenure, the Lakers have lost two in a row, and 11 times they have avoided No. 3.

``We never want to lose three in a row,'' Bryant said, ``so it was a good game for us to come out here and win by 30.''

The Lakers (17-3) haven't lost three consecutive games since April 21-26, 1999, during the chaotic lockout season, when coach Kurt Rambis' squad lost to Portland, San Antonio and Houston.

The Clippers (12-11), winless away from Staples Center, squandered their best chance to get a cheap ``road'' victory and fell to 0-6. They also missed a chance to go three games over .500 for the first time since Nov. 17, 1995.

And they lost to the Lakers for the 17th time in their last 18 meetings.

``They have a lot of great talent over there,'' said O'Neal, ``but we run this city, we run this building, and as long as I'm here, that's how it's going to be.''

The Lakers trailed by as many as seven points in the first half but outscored the Clippers 66-32 in the second half. Elton Brand scored just five points, leaving the offensive burden to Lamar Odom (17 points) and Jeff McInnis (15 points).

Medvedenko has played sparingly this season, but his bright moments have been coming more often of late. His 10 points against Seattle on Tuesday proved to be a mere preview.

With O'Neal on the bench, Medvedenko came up with six points and two rebounds in just three minutes of the first half. With Robert Horry feeling too ill to play in the second half, Medvedenko got another 16 minutes of work and finished the game 6 of 8 from the field and 6 of 7 from the foul line.

``We expect this from him eventually every night, absolutely,'' Bryant said. ``He's an incredibly talented player and he just has to continue to work hard. He works extremely hard in practice.''

O'Neal and Bryant came alive in the third quarter, launching a 17-3 run that gave the Lakers a 72-62 lead by the final minute of the period. The Clippers faded quickly after that.

It was Bryant's resurgence as an offensive force that kept the Lakers close in the first half.

``It felt good to kind of get back in a rhythm,'' he said, ``but I was more so concerned for my teammates, coming out and hitting shots. Myself, individually, I don't get too overworked if I have a little shooting slump.''

OFTEN CLIPPED

THE L.A. STORYThe Lakers and Clippers head to head the past 10 years:

Year Lakers wins Clippers wins

2001-02 2 0

2000-01 3 1

1999-2000 4 0

1998-99 4 0

1997-98 4 0

1996-97 2 2

1995-96 4 0

1994-95 3 2

1993-94 3 2

1992-93 2 3

Totals 30 10

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Elton Brand and the Clippers ran into a wall in the Lakers on Friday night. Here, Samaki Walker blocks his way.

(2) Corey Maggette,left, of the Clippers races the Lakers' Kobe Bryant to a loose ball during Friday night's game at Staples Center.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) OFTEN CLIPPED (see text)

(2) GAME RECAP