On Tuesday, though, the Lakers created 48 minutes of laughter by destroying the overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers and shattering a team record for fewest points allowed.

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After slipping at home against Memphis, Milwaukee and Indiana this season, the Lakers crushed Cleveland, 112-57, and pulled off their largest margin of victory since 1972.

Their newly reconfigured defense was humming, none of Cleveland’s starters scoring more than eight points, and fans began grabbing for their cellphones to take pictures of the Staples Center scoreboard at the end of the third quarter, the Lakers ahead by a stunning 92-41.

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It was the third-largest margin of victory in Lakers history, and there was plenty of room to spare while breaking their defensive record of 66 points allowed against Charlotte in March 2002.

Even if the teams played six quarters, fans in attendance still might have won their free taco promotion.

“This is what hard work does,” Bryant said. “We’ve really been focused on the defensive end and we’ve been getting better game by game.”

Bryant said he “absolutely” felt bad for Cleveland Coach Byron Scott, even referring to him as an older brother, but his kindness ended when asked if he felt sympathy for the Cavaliers.

“None,” he said. “You forget who you’re talking to.”

The Lakers (28-11) didn’t exactly pick on someone their own size, blowing away a team that arrived with a staggering 1-20 slump and a busload of injuries.

Still, Coach Phil Jackson reminded the Lakers beforehand of their 1-5 record against the Cavaliers over the last three seasons.

The Lakers, winning their fifth in a row, held the Cavaliers to 29.9% shooting and came close to topping a 56-point victory in 1966 against Detroit, but still a ways from their 63-point win against Golden State in 1972.

The Cavaliers (8-30) simply haven’t recovered since Miami forward LeBron James thumped his former team, 118-90, last month. It didn’t help that Cleveland recently lost center Anderson Varejao for the season because of a torn tendon in his right foot.

During the game, from somewhere in Los Angeles, where Miami was waiting to play the Clippers on Wednesday, came a proclamation from none other than James.