LAKERS ARE AT THE HEAD OF THE CLASS

There are nearly four months until the NBA’s championship playoff series, and still a week to go before baseball begins spring training, but this is where the Lakers stand in mid-February:

Their record of 36-12 ties them with the Boston Celtics for the best record in the league.

Their road record of 16-10 is the best in a league in which only three teams--the Lakers, Celtics and Detroit Pistons--are above .500 away from home. And they’ve lost only twice at the Forum.

They’ve won 24 games by 10 points or more.

They’ve tied a league record for points scored in a half, 89 against Phoenix.

They’ve set a record for fewest points allowed in a first quarter, 4 against Sacramento.

They ended the Celtics’ 48-game home-court winning streak.

In beating the Celtics in Boston, the Lakers committed a team-low six turnovers, and were called for a league-low 11 personal fouls.

They’re scoring slightly more points this season than last, 117.6 to 117.3, while giving up slightly fewer, 107.8 to 109.5, and on the average, they’re winning games by a larger margin, 9.6 to 7.7.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is scoring less than last season, 18 points to 23.4, but he’s also shooting less often. He led the team in shots attempted last season but this season’s he’s fourth.

Byron Scott and Michael Cooper have a chance to become the most prolific duo in the eight-season history of the three-point shot. Brian Taylor and Freeman Williams of San Diego made a combined 132 three-pointers in the 1979-80 season, the first in which the three-point rule was in effect. Through 47 games, Cooper, with 58, and Scott, with 37, have combined for 95.

Magic Johnson has had just three triple-doubles this season, but he has set a career high in points with 46 one game and is averaging nearly five more a game than last season, 23.7 to 18.8, while averaging nearly as many assists, 11.5 to 12.6, and rebounds, 5.7 to 5.9.

A.C. Green has had career highs in points, 26, and has matched his career high in rebounds, 16.

The Lakers have been out-rebounded in 21 games. They have a record of 20-4 in games in which they’ve out-rebounded their opponent.