Bryant Must Roll With Tough Times

From the Utah Jazz and John Stockton, the Lakers expect pick-and-roll offense. From maybe Denver and Nick Van Exel. They’ve seen it, they’ve been hurt by it.

But against Allen Iverson, not a point guard this season but an off-guard, and the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers did not expect a full slate of pick-and-roller coaster basketball.

“I’m not used to pick-and-roll, you know,” said Kobe Bryant, who had to chase Iverson around for most of the game, and for most of Iverson’s 36 shots.

“Thirty-six shots? Whew! They were really using screens, they were doing the pick-and-roll, and pick-and-roll is something that has been killing us all year.

“I figure other teams will watch this tape and they’ll all run it. It’s something I have to figure out. That’s OK. I’ll figure it out.”

Later, he added: “Pick-and-roll has been killing me all year.”

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In four games so far on this trip, the Lakers have either been outrebounded (by Philadelphia and Minnesota) or have tied the opponent in rebounding (Sacramento and Cleveland).

“We’re getting outrebounded all the time, and that’s a major concern for us,” Coach Kurt Rambis said. “We’re not going to go anywhere if we continue to get outrebounded.”

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Power forward Travis Knight, who led the Lakers with nine rebounds, said this is not time for the Lakers to panic all over again about a 1-3 start on a long trip. “There’s a need for concern, but we’re not a bad team,” Knight said. “We’re the same team that won 10 in a row.” . . . The Lakers, who don’t play Philadelphia again this season, dropped their third straight game to the 76ers, after being swept last season.

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The 76ers’ public relations department said Dennis Rodman’s agent, Steve Chasman, called their office Friday night telling them he needed to speak with Rambis urgently.