FROM THE OTHER SIDE

What writers in San Antonio are saying about the series:

BUCK HARVEY, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

He’s the last of the Michael Jordan Bulls still standing. Or, to be more accurate, sitting.

Pippen, out. Longley, out. Buechler, out. Burrell, out. Rodman, out of his mind.

Include those who chose to abstain from the playoffs (Jordan, Phil Jackson and the 1999 Bulls), and Steve Kerr remains the only member of the defending champions with his dribble still alive.

The bounce is weak, all right. But the dynamics of tonight create a chance. If everything goes right--which means everything goes wrong for the Spurs--Kerr will have a night to re-create the glory, of a timeout in 1997, when Jordan leaned to Kerr with seconds left against Utah. “Be ready,” Jordan said.

Kerr was, and is. Kerr knows better than anyone that nothing is the same anymore. Kerr got 20 minutes a night with the Bulls, and now he gets 40 winks.

“It’s difficult for me. It’s difficult for Pop [Gregg Popovich],” Kerr says. “We talk about it a lot, and I have no complaints. It’s just the way it is.”

Doesn’t Kerr want to ask what Scottie Pippen asked in Houston, why they paid him all this money if they were going to use him this way?

Kerr laughed. “I don’t ask questions.” Kerr chooses to see a better side; he could have the same role with a bad team, after all. Kerr also chooses to see the Lakers’ size that presents defensive problems for him. Does Kerr take Kobe Bryant or Rick Fox? Both are at least three inches taller.

And if Popovich plays Kerr with Antonio Daniels and assigns Daniels to the L.A. two guard, then the Lakers can still counter as they did for a stretch Monday. Then Bryant went to the point--leaving no Laker on the court shorter than 6 feet 6.

If the Spurs are lucky enough to advance and Portland is the opponent, Kerr runs into the same. “I’m definitely a spot guy now,” Kerr said. “If this team is playing well, I won’t be out there.”