Management Is Patient--for Now

While Laker management isn’t thrilled to see the team stumble to a 3-5 record over the last two weeks--and 4-5 since trading Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell--General Manager Mitch Kupchak said the circumstances of this wild season have produced the recent result.

“We’re not happy or pleased at all with losing games,” Kupchak said Saturday. “But we really have to take a step back and see exactly what’s happened to this team in the last two or three weeks.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if these guys were just a little shell-shocked. They’ve been looking around, different players, different coach, all the trade rumors . . .

“We had a nice little stretch at home, then we made the big trade--not the players’ fault, it’s something we did.”

Patience is the key word for the Lakers, Kupchak said.

“I’m not going to say if we go another three losses in five games, or another six in 10 that our position’s going to still be patience,” Kupchak said. “We just don’t want to continue to lose.

“But right now, they need some time, to play together, have a favorable schedule, and win a couple games.”

Today

vs. New York

3:30, Channel 4

* Site--Great Western Forum.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 19-11, Knicks 16-13.

* Record vs. Knicks (1997-98)--1-1.

* Update--Shaquille O’Neal, who belittled Knick center Patrick Ewing recently in a national magazine, said Saturday he couldn’t care less if Ewing is extra-motivated for the matchup. “If he comes with extra, then I come with extra,” O’Neal said. “If you want to fight, we can fight; if you want to go to war, we can go to war. I don’t back down to no man.”

* Tickets--Sold out.