By KEVIN DING - The Orange County Register

MINNEAPOLIS — The Lakers took the court for the ninth and final game of the longest continuous trip in their Los Angeles history with the giddiness of kids in the car antsy to reach their destination.

“Are we there yet?!?!”

They certainly are.

And just as Coach Phil Jackson, the father figure driving their family station wagon, always preaches, they enjoyed the journey, too. With a 117-92 cakewalk over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, the Lakers finished 7-2 — the best record in modern NBA history on a continuous trip of at least nine games.

“They can sense the fact we’re going to be a pretty good team now,” Jackson said of his players.

To borrow Lamar Odom’s favorite word, it was a “festive” capper in Minnesota, with Odom posting a triple-double: 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. He spent the first 4:10 of the fourth quarter hunting that 10th assist. After four letdowns when teammates missed off his passes, Sasha Vujacic finally made a layup for Odom. Kobe Bryant sprang off the bench with an open-mouthed, sideways grin, waving a white towel over his head.

Complete story

• Lakers are on road to history.
• Bryant calls options ‘like Christmas every day’.
• Bryant questionable for All-Star game
• Lakers trying to convince NBA to let Kobe skip All-Star Game
• Jackson gives squad some time to rest