Bryant Performance Unusually Subdued

By TIM KAWAKAMI

Feb. 19, 2000 12 AM PT

ORLANDO, Fla. —

Kobe Bryant took only four shots in the first three quarters in the Lakers’ victory over the Magic on Friday, and finished with only 11 points, his lowest total of the season.

“Kobe just got out of whack tonight and couldn’t find his way back home,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “And he just didn’t find a balance out there for himself and a comfort zone. And that was all right. He still had to play the game as a guard and a playmaker.”

Said Bryant, who finished the night taking only 10 shots in 44 minutes: “It was one of those nights, man. Couldn’t find a rhythm. . . . It was a rush game [because of Orlando’s high-paced activity], we hadn’t played a game like that in a long time, the game was like, up and down, it was just difficult to find my rhythm . . .

“I was trying to get easy baskets or be a decoy, try to get a big rebound or something like that. But don’t get me wrong, if I had a shot in rhythm, it was going to go in.”

Jackson inserted Derek Fisher, despite his recent shooting slump, into the starting lineup over Ron Harper because, Jackson said, he wanted a quicker guard to match up against Orlando’s lightning-fast Darrell Armstrong.

Fisher missed his first seven shots, but made a big jump shot in overtime.

“We just told him, ‘You’ve got to keep shooting the shots that are open. If you don’t, you’ve got to come out. If you hesitate, that’s when you have to come out of the ballgame, because it stalls the offense, ultimately.’ ” Jackson said.

Glen Rice scored 26 points, his highest total since Nov. 21, but after the game announced through a Laker spokesman that he would not speak to L.A.-area reporters.

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TRIPLE PLAYS / The Big 3

Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice have been the driving force behind the Lakers’ success. How they fared:

O’NEAL

*--*

Fri. Season 39 Points 28.1 16 Rebounds 14.3 5 Assists 3.5

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BRYANT

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Fri. Season 11 Points 22.3 3 Rebounds 6.1 5 Assists 4.4

*--*

RICE