Rejuvenation Is Sought on Off Day

Coach Phil Jackson gave his players the day off Monday, the better to rest and steel themselves for what Jackson said will be a heartier Phoenix Sun challenge Wednesday than the Lakers’ 28-point victory Sunday in Game 1 of this best-of-seven playoff series.

Veteran center John Salley, however, said that the memory of being taken to the limit by Sacramento in the previous round--after having won the first two games of the series fairly easily--remained a motivator.

“Well, we had that problem playing Sacramento,” Salley said. “We blew them out and we came in relaxed and they taxed us for that overconfidence. . . . I don’t think we’re going to run into that trap again.

“We know what it’s like to embarrass ourselves. We know it takes 11 more games to win a championship and everybody’s on the same page.”

Said Jackson of the Lakers’ preparations for Game 2 at Staples Center: “We needed some time to get some live legs again so we could play that kind of speedball that’s required against Phoenix.

“They like that up-tempo pace. We weren’t able to match their intensity to start the game. That’s the big key right now, getting guys with live legs.

“The other thing is the mental attitude--getting the mental attitude so we can play aggressive enough so they don’t get complacent or lackadaisical.”

Jackson, repeating his mantra that a winning team is never as good as it looks and a losing team is never as bad as it looks, said that a few more successful Sun shots and fewer Phoenix turnovers would have turned Game 1 into a battle.

“It depends upon how well they shoot from the outside,” Jackson said. “Anfernee [Hardaway] is the guy who did the scoring for them--yesterday they needed to have another guy step up. They will.

“Jason Kidd [on his surgically repaired left ankle] looked like he started slowing down during the course of the game. I don’t know what his health status is, whether he hurt himself or not, but with his speed. . . .

“Those are the things that concern me. Hit a few outside jump shots, make some of those drives . . . it’s a totally different game.”

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Jackson said he expects Phoenix Coach Scott Skiles to begin aggressively double-teaming Shaquille O’Neal after using mostly one-on-one matchups, with some late help, in Game 1.

“It’ll happen,” Jackson said. “They just have to figure out a way to do it.”

Said O’Neal, who scored 37 points in Game 1, “I’m just hoping my reaction skills are up and ready, so whatever they do, we just have to react. You know, they’re probably going to do something different. But we have a lot of weapons on this team.

“As long as I do all the other stuff, like rebound and defend. . . . My team will be fine.”