Jackson Offers Mixed Reaction to Loss

Despite the defensive breakdown that led to Gary Payton’s game-winning three-point basket Monday afternoon, Coach Phil Jackson was happy with the Lakers’ defensive effort.

“We gave up 81 points,” Jackson said Tuesday after practice. “The reality is that we played a pretty good defensive game.”

Statistically, he’s right. The Seattle SuperSonics shot only 40.5%, making only eight of 26 three-point shots, in the Lakers’ 82-81 defeat.

“[Brent] Barry got some sporadic threes,” Jackson said. “But I mean Vin Baker, the guy’s supposedly an all-star center. What did he get?”

Only three points.

Instead, Jackson said, the culprits were poor Laker shooting, 39.8%, and the schedule makers. The Lakers were playing their ninth game in 14 days Monday.

Jackson did say he wasn’t pleased with the overall effort Monday, something Ron Harper questioned after the game. But of bigger concern to Jackson may be his team’s feelings on how they played.

“I don’t know how they felt about the game,” he said. “I still can’t get a read on this team at times about how they really feel about it.

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After Payton’s shot, Kobe Bryant had a chance to win it, but missed his jump shot. Robert Horry’s put back was no good, though it appeared he was fouled on the play.

“It looked like it was [a foul] on film,” Horry said, “but I didn’t feel it. I was mad that I missed it.”