Scott Losing Playing Time

Byron Scott, after playing 39 and 24 minutes his first two games as a starter, has had his role greatly decreased in the four outings since, averaging only 18 minutes and five shots. “It’s more the minutes than anything,” he said Sunday after getting 14 minutes and three shots in the 90-85 loss to the Houston Rockets at the Forum.

“You’ve got to get shots to make them go.”

Coach Del Harris has no plans to replace Scott, though, and even if he did, putting Kobe Bryant at shooting guard wouldn’t be the first option. Any change would probably be to make Jerome Kersey the starting small forward and move Eddie Jones back to shooting guard.

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Bryant dressed, but was held out in hopes he can shake the flu. Rumeal Robinson, his status uncertain because of a strained Achilles, played five minutes. . . . Houston’s Clyde Drexler became the 24th player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points when he made the second of two free throws with 4:25 left in the third quarter. He was given the ball during the next stop in play and received a standing ovation when the accomplishment was announced.