Van Exel Gets the Call, and It’s Long Distance : Lakers: He makes team-record eight three-point baskets during 115-108 victory over Mavericks. Tarpley suspended at halftime by Dallas.

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Nick at Nite played Tuesday after a one-game hiatus, during which time understudy Sedale Threatt scored 38 points against the Utah Jazz. Seventy-two hours after his absence because of a sprained left ankle, Nick Van Exel took the spotlight right back, making eight three-point baskets to set a franchise record and tying his career high of 35 points to lead the Lakers to a 115-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

“Looked pretty good for an injured guy, didn’t he?” Laker Coach Del Harris deadpanned.

Looked pretty good for any guy.

Van Exel had made six three-point shots three previous times, including opening night at Detroit, good for the regular-season record. Michael Cooper had also done it in the 1987 finals against Boston. But, before 15,150 at Reunion Arena and a national television audience, the second- year point guard topped that mark by making eight in 16 tries, which also tied his team record for attempts.

The showing overshadowed oft-troubled Roy Tarpley being suspended indefinitely at halftime, apparently after he became angry when Maverick Coach Dick Motta replaced him in the first quarter.

Van Exel’s four three-point baskets in the final quarter, in six tries, propelled the Lakers to their ninth victory in 11 games and their league-best eighth road victory.

One three-point basket came after the Mavericks had closed to within 93-90, another when the L.A. lead was 101-100 and the last when it was 110-108 with 2:25 to go.

“Great shooting,” said teammate Eddie Jones, who had 19 points and six steals. “He hit one every time we needed one.”

Said Dallas guard Jason Kidd, who provided tight coverage on some of the shots: “It just shows he can step up and knock down the shots when someone is in his shorts. You’ve got to give him credit.”

Van Exel also had 10 assists against only one turnover and three steals in 43 minutes.

“I guess you could say I was in a zone,” he said. “It seemed like every time I touched it, it was going in. I felt it and I wanted it.

“It feels good, knowing everybody in the gym is oohing and aahing when you’re hitting the shots. All your teammates and all your coaches want the ball to get to you.”

As late as Monday night, the Lakers weren’t even sure if Van Exel would play. He had practiced earlier that day, but favored the injury, and trainer Gary Vitti wanted to see if the ankle would be sore or swell up the next morning. Come Tuesday, Van Exel told Harris he was ready to go, so he went back into the starting lineup.

He paid immediate dividends, collecting all three of his steals in the first quarter. Jones had four during the same stretch as the Lakers tied an NBA record with 11 steals in a quarter, done four other times, and put Dallas in an early 15-point hole by forcing 12 turnovers in those 12 minutes.

The Mavericks committed 26 turnovers in all, which the Lakers turned into 27 points, but they still managed a comeback. They even went ahead for a bit early in the fourth quarter, before the visitors regained control.

Vlade Divac came to life offensively from there and made two baskets in three trips, one a three-point play, to put the Lakers up, 101-98. The Mavericks answered to cut the deficit to one, but then the Laker backcourt went off like a machine gun.

Three-point basket by Van Exel.

Three-point basket by Van Exel.

Three-point basket by Threatt.

A miss by Van Exel on a two-point shot along the baseline, then . . .

Three-point basket by Van Exel.

The Mavericks had scored on every possession in between, but still trailed by 113-108 with 2:02 left.

They had other problems to deal with. Tarpley left the arena in the second half after the suspension. He had four rebounds and four points in seven minutes, his 12th game back since being reinstated after three seasons on the suspended list.

Maverick officials met after the game, but apparently decided only to meet again today, probably with Tarpley, to determine the length of the suspension. A team spokesman said he doesn’t believe the discipline is connected to Tarpley’s history of drug problems.

* HOT 76ER: Philadelphia’s Willie Burton scores 53 points against his former Miami teammates. C7