Command performance by Bryant, Lakers

LOS ANGELES -- When it's like this -- which is how many of us thought it would be a lot of the time -- there is, to borrow a phrase, shock and awe. The Lakers are playing the way we envisioned when future Hall of Famers joined future Hall of Famers -- and now they stand one win away from the NBA Finals. Their appearance in the grand finale now seems almost perfunctory.

With Kobe Bryant (31 points) again playing brilliantly following another day in a Colorado court, Shaquille O'Neal overpowering all in his path, and Derek Fisher making big shots, the Lakers blitzed the Timberwolves, 92-85, last night to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. Minnesota will try to avoid elimination tomorrow night in Game 5 at the Target Center, but at this point it looks like a hopeless, thankless, futile task.

"It's a one-game series for us. We have to find a way to keep extending it," sighed Wolves coach Flip Saunders.

The Lakers simply had too much. Bryant erupted for an 18-point third quarter, or 2 fewer points than the Timberwolves managed in the same 12 minutes. That was the period in which LA took over the game, finishing with a 19-6 run to take a 75-60 lead into the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves, who got the customary terrific game from Kevin Garnett (28 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists) never seriously threatened in the fourth to the point where, say, Phil Jackson needed to call a timeout.

Bryant's status for the game was somewhat iffy, given his presence in Eagle, Colo., during the day for another hearing on his rape charge and an earlier-than-normal start time (6:15 p.m. local). But he was back at Staples Center more than an hour before tipoff, whistling as he entered the locker room. And after a sluggish first half (3 of 9), he went Krakatoa on everyone in the third, at one time scoring 11 straight points. Included in the 18-point explosion was a ridiculous drive under the basket that produced a hoop and a foul.

"I don't think there's anyone in the game who makes tougher shots," Saunders said. "He has an uncanny ability to take over a game."

Said Bryant, "When I feel like it's time to go in for the kill, that's what I do."

Bryant was 10 for 24 from the field (6 for 10 in the third) and also had eight rebounds and four assists. Equally impressive was O'Neal, whose relatively quiet scoring night (19) was more than offset by his rebounding (19) and blocked shots (3). Said Jackson, "I thought Shaq was terrific inside, rebounding and controlling the middle." Fisher was a big factor in the first half, when his teammates were sluggish, and ended up with 15 points. It all added up to another win at home, where Los Angeles is 8-0 this postseason.

Seven teams have come back from 3-1 deficits to win a best-of-seven series, the most recent being the 2003 Pistons against the Orlando Magic. But the way the Lakers are going, Minnesota will be fortunate to extend this thing to a Game 6. The Lakers have won seven of their last eight games, the loss being the Game 2 setback.

Last night, they got off to a slow start, as the Timberwolves, playing with a desperation befitting their position in the series, led for the first 18 minutes. Los Angeles managed a single tie (30-30) until Devean George swooped in for one of his acrobatic dunks, giving LA a 36-35 lead with 5:43 remaining in the half. That was the only lead change of the game, and it came as part of an 8-0 run, with the pesty, pesky Fisher scoring the other 6. The Lakers' lead was 45-40 at the break and then it swelled to double digits in the third. As Bryant was scoring almost at will, the Timberwolves managed only two field goals over the final 6:12. Garnett also expressed frustration with the officiating, saying, "The effort was there. But it felt like we were playing against eight people." He got whacked a couple of times by Shaq, but the whistles went silent. The referees did, however, call five technicals against the Lakers, four of them on individuals and the other for an illegal defense.

But nothing was going to get in the Lakers' way. In the fourth, Saunders even dusted off the injured (back) Sam Cassell, who sat out the first half but made a cameo (five minutes) in the second.

Wally Szczerbiak had 19 off the bench, while Latrell Sprewell went 4 for 18 and had only 12, all but 2 in the first half. You can't shoot 38 percent, get outrebounded, 52-41, and lose the turnover battle against the Lakers on the road. Not these Lakers, anyway. As Shaq noted, "We're getting closer to our mission."