Lavin Says It Was No Rush to Judgment

Coach Steve Lavin, responding to the frustration of some Bruins over what they see as a sometimes-inconsistent practice routine, said there is no reason for such confusion and that it is up to players to adjust to him.

The issue came to a head over the weekend, when JaRon Rush was thrown out of practice Saturday for joking around during stretching drills and then held out of the game the next day against Oregon State. Rush conceded he deserved the penalty, but, along with other players, also noted the contrast between being disciplined because he did not limber up with the proper attitude and workouts without the same level of discipline.

“The line’s very clear,” Lavin said Tuesday. “They know when they come to the practice floor, it’s about practice, it’s about basketball. . . . When they’re on the floor at 3:10, they start stretching. As our leaders like Baron [Davis] and Earl [Watson] know, it’s basketball time. It’s time to get ready, to prepare and to play.

“There’s never any confusion. Their job--just like reading your parents, if your dad comes home or your mom comes home, you can get a good read--is something that they have to adapt and adjust to, just like you do with your parents or your boss. And that’s their job. My job’s not to adjust to them, they have to adjust to me. That’s just the way it’s going to be if you’re the head coach.

“I really don’t think that it’s ever been an issue. . . . Practice is practice and they know that. We probably have as difficult a practice as anybody in the country, and the players have said as much. So have coaches who come to visit it.”

Lavin said Rush will play Thursday at Stanford, but at least temporarily has lost his starting job.

Coming up: Thursday at Stanford, Saturday at California.