The Lakers went up 30 in the second quarter, saw New Orleans close within a point with 3:57 to play … but hung on to defeat the Hornets 107-104 and clinch the Pacific Division — probably securing the MVP award for Kobe Bryant, in the process.

They also moved within a half-game of New Orleans in the Western Conference standings with two games to play.

So it was all smiles and giddiness in the Lakers locker room?

Not even. And for good reason.

The Lakers came close to blowing this game, and their inability to close out a team they had down left Phil Jackson frustrated and fans booing.

“It was a good thing this game was 48 minutes and not 50,” Jackson said, referring to the Lakers’ long fade to the finish.

A week from now, it will be remembered as a “W”, the one that guaranteed them first place in the division for the first time in four years and put them in position to catch the Hornets.

And it may be remembered as the game that Kobe Bryant outscored Chris Paul 29-15 to tilt the MVP race in his direction.

But those thinking big picture will fret anew over the Lakers’ inability to defend the screen-roll, their willingness to jack up threes when their offense bogs down and their failure to maintain focus for even 36 of the 48 minutes of what was their most important regular-season game so far.

Maybe we should give the Hornets some credit. Paul is the best point guard in the league, and he and the most athletic center in the league, Tyson Chandler, led the comeback. With Peja Stojakovic having one of “those” nights where he banged in six of 11 three-point attempts.

We could give the Hornets credit … but we still have to look at the Lakers’ lapses, which went uninterrupted from the middle of the second quarter to the final four minutes of the game.

Failing to nail down a game they led by 30 … that is going to prove fatal in the playoffs. Which look as if they will be a series of seven-game slugfests involving all but two of the league’s top-10 teams.

Winning the division? Nice. Kobe getting a leg up for his first MVP award? Cool.

But the way they got it done? Kind of scary, and not how we would envision this team winning an NBA title — which is what the Lakers are all about, remember.