Extra Helping of Rice Would Be a Big Help

With the status of Kobe Bryant uncertain for tonight’s Game 6 at Portland, some of the Lakers were talking Thursday about having to pick up their performance.

“One of the things I know for sure that I’m going to go out there and do this next game is look to create a little bit more and be very aggressive offensively,” forward Glen Rice said.

Kind of like Sunday’s Game 4 in Portland?

“Much like that,” he said. “Maybe even more so.”

Rice was a standout in that game, scoring 21 points, 12 of in the third quarter to help break the game open.

But Rice made only one of eight shots (and missed all five three-point attempts) in Game 5 two nights later at Staples Center, finishing with four points in 33 minutes.

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Devean George, the seldom-used rookie swingman who has sat out the last three games because of a sprained left ankle, will also be out tonight and probably will miss a Game 7, if there is one.

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Chris Bodaken will serve as director of video services for the Lakers and the WNBA’s Sparks.

Bodaken has been with the Lakers since starting as a ballboy in 1986. He has been a full-time staff member since 1993, most recently as the video coordinator and a scout.

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More from Phil Jackson on Scottie Pippen and the forearm his former Chicago Bull player threw into the back of John Salley’s head at the end of Game 4, which the Lakers believe should have drawn a suspension.

“I think Scottie was embarrassed by the way he played Sunday,” Jackson said. “He’s embarrassed at what he did to Salley. It was embarrassing.

Pippen, who had made four of 12 shots and had 11 points and six turnovers in Game 4, came back in Game 5 to make eight of 12 shots and have 22 points and six steals.

Jackson has acknowledged that a peeved Pippen is not necessarily a benefit for the Lakers.

“It’s not good for us, because Scottie plays desperate-ball very well,” Jackson said.

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Said Rick Fox on the Lakers’ extra outside shooting in practice following Game 5: “The games we’ve won, we’ve knocked down shots. The games we’ve lost, we go six for 27 from the three-point line [which they did in Game 5].”