Rooks, Blount Pick Up the Slaq

The start of this season looked an awful lot like the second half of the last one. The frontcourt in tatters, if only temporarily, Sean Rooks and Corie Blount elevated to increased roles because of injuries. The Lakers winning.

The 104-87 victory over the Utah Jazz featured productive performances from Rooks and Blount, two players who ordinarily would have been farther down the bench but were suddenly thrust into critical roles because Shaquille O’Neal and, unexpectedly, Elden Campbell were dinged up. Rooks learned about 20 minutes before tipoff he would start for Campbell at center, then contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 31 minutes. Blount grabbed nine boards in 20 minutes off the bench.

Of course, the Lakers can’t expect to last long with only one true center at their disposal, just as they can’t expect to be fortunate to get the Jazz’s weak link (Greg Ostertag and jump-shooting Greg Foster) every night. But the subplot made the opening-night victory all the more satisfying.

“Just think about this time last year,” Coach Del Harris said. “If we had found out that both Elden and Shaq were not going to play and looked at the prospect of Corie Blount and Sean Rooks at the center position with major minutes, we would have had no chance. Tonight, all was right. We knew they could do it. The guys have confidence in Sean and Corie.”

Said Rooks, who averaged 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in three April starts last season to help the Lakers stay in the chase for the Pacific Division title: “Usually when teams have a sense of urgency, which we had to have [Friday] with everybody out, people have to step up.”

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The Lakers took Saturday off and still will get in two more days of practice before playing again, Tuesday at Sacramento. . . . Correction: The 23 points by Kobe Bryant against the Jazz was not a career high. He scored 24 against the Golden State Warriors late last season.