Their Play Has a Real Edge to It

They beat the best in the East. They beat the best the West had to offer.

After what Phil Jackson called “a long, industrious week,” all that’s left for the Lakers to do the rest of March is avoid beating themselves and giving up ground.

Their challenge now is to maintain concentration against the Warriors, Wizards and Grizzlies popping up on the schedule this month. The games are less dramatic than their victories over Indiana on Friday and Portland on Tuesday, but no less important in their quest for the best record in the league.

The wins are coming with great regularity these days in a streak that reached 14 games in the 107-92 victory over the Pacers.

Normally the only visit from the top team in the Eastern Conference would have the town buzzing about a “possible finals preview.” But coming off that pulsating game in Portland it was almost anticlimactic.

That Portland game, quite simply, represented the most significant single obstacle between the Lakers and the NBA finals.

The Lakers can beat Portland if they have home-court advantage. Without it,their chances are slim. Their victory Tuesday night gave them a one-game lead in the race for the best overall record and put control of the situation in their hands.

It probably isn’t so much about playing in Staples Center, it’s about not playing elsewhere.

The Lakers couldn’t beat Indiana in Conseco Fieldhouse in January and might not be able to beat them there in June, when the fans will be even more revved up. But they don’t have to. Friday night’s game dropped the Pacers eight games behind the Lakers in the loss column, and the national debt will be erased before that gap is closed.

Staples Center still can’t hold a decibel meter to most arenas around the league, but the Laker fans are getting a feel for this team.

They chanted “Hor-ry, Hor-ry” in recognition of Robert Horry’s outstanding contributions of 14 points, four rebounds and four assists.

They applauded Kobe Bryant for having the sense to slow up and wait on a one-on-four situation. The Lakers were rewarded with an alley-oop from Rick Fox to Shaquille O’Neal for a dunk.

This week might not make the best case for O’Neal’s most-valuable-player candidacy, but it could be remembered as the stretch when the team began to gel.

The Lakers are much less reliant on O’Neal these days. When he missed 15 shots in the Lakers’ visit to Indiana in January it cost them the game--at least in his eyes.

He missed 12 shots in the first two quarters alone Friday and the Lakers still had a 17-point lead at halftime.

This came only three days after he made more free throws than field goals in the Portland game, as rare an occurrence as finding a four-leaf clover next to a parking space in front of your favorite restaurant, with time still left on the meter.

O’Neal’s points this week were notable for their timing more than their frequency.

But the ability of players such as Horry and Brian Shaw to step in has been impossible to ignore.

“I think it’s important to know it’s going to take a five-man effort when five men are on the floor,” Jackson said. “It’s a 12-man team. We know who we want to get the ball into because he’s the threat. He’s got to remain that for us. He’s just got to be steady.

“This shows that he doesn’t have to play a spectacular game for us to be a real good team. What he has to play is defense and rebound, and that’s the key for us.”

Jackson’s frustrations with the reserves have been evident all season. Even in the past eight days their inability to let opponents such as the Celtics and Rockets stay just close enough meant Jackson had to bring his starters back in the game.

But the backups deserve full credit for carrying the Lakers through shaky moments against Portland, Vancouver on Wednesday and again Friday.

But by the way, O’Neal made seven of 10 shots in the second half to finish with 31 points along with 15 rebounds.

With a home game Sunday against a Miami Heat team whose 37 victories are a testament to Pat Riley more than anything else and a “road” game against the Clippers on Monday, they’re in good position to match their 16-game streak earlier this season.

Is it time to start talking about the magical number of 33 in a row again? Let’s not get carried away now.

Is it time to start talking about big things in June?

You’re late, the conversation has already started.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at his e-mail address: j.a.adande@latimes.com.