LAKER NOTES

The Lakers said Utah’s stunning trip to the brink of first-round elimination against Sacramento strikes no deep chords with them, although the Jazz have knocked the Lakers out of the postseason the last two seasons.

“I’m watching the games, because it’s an exciting series, it’s fun to watch--but I don’t care,” Kobe Bryant said before Game 3 of the Lakers’ series against Houston on Thursday.

“We can beat both of them. So it doesn’t matter.”

Was he at all surprised by the Kings’ back-to-back victories against the Jazz?

“Not really, because they match up well with them,” he said. “It’s no coincidence, they took them to overtime all three times they played. They match up well.

“They have a good matchup at the power forward spot [with Chris Webber against Karl Malone]. Jason Williams is a bundle of energy, [John] Stockton’s going to have to deal with that for 48 minutes. That’s tough.”

Laker Coach Kurt Rambis said he was thinking only about Houston these days, but did point out that Utah did not go surging into the postseason. The Lakers, after a season-long roller coaster, finished the regular-season with four victories.

“Sacramento is a tough team,” Rambis said. “If you look at what they have out there, they’re a very tough ballclub.

“I don’t know what was going on with Utah, but they finished the season 5-5. So they might be in a little slump or whatever. . . .

“I don’t know what’s bothering them or what’s going on, but going into the playoffs not on an upswing, and playing against a hot, young, talented team could cause anybody problems.”

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Forward Robert Horry, probably the Lakers’ best defensive player, said he had issues with Malone being named to the NBA all-defensive first team.

“He’s a lot overrated [on defense],” Horry said. “He’s in there just because he’s Karl Malone.

“He plays good ‘D’ at times, but he’s an overrated defensive player . . . maybe fourth team, not first team.”