TONIGHT

at Portland, 5 p.m. Channel 9, TNT

* Site--Rose Garden.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 25-14; Trail Blazers 28-8.

* Record vs. Trail Blazers--(1997-98) 2-2.

* Update--If the Lakers, fourth in the Western Conference, have any hopes of moving significantly higher in the playoff seeding, this week is possibly the most important of their season. After tonight, they have three days off, then play at Utah. “We just have to play these next two games as flawlessly as possible, try to get into good position,” Shaquille O’Neal said. “The No. 1 spot would be excellent to get.”