Team Is Giving Rider Technical Support

The Lakers have asked the NBA to rescind the technical foul called against Isaiah Rider late in Wednesday night’s game against Utah.

“It is under review,” Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak said Saturday afternoon. “I hope to hear back from the NBA by Monday. I think they’re going to rescind it.”

Technical fouls carry an automatic $500 fine, but that is not why Kupchak protested the call. Jazz guard John Starks grabbed Rider from behind on what looked like a breakaway basket. Rider shrugged him off and Starks landed with the photographers.

The ensuing technical, Rider’s second in two regular-season games, stalled a Laker comeback. On principle, Kupchak asked that the call be overturned.

“There’s no reason for a player to be saddled with that when it wasn’t a technical,” Kupchak said. “It’s important our player knows we’re going to back him.”

Starks contended after the game that Rider should not have received the technical.

*

Mark Madsen, one of the league’s genuine nice guys, suffered from back spasms last week. Laker trainer Gary Vitti cured the spasms after a few days of treatment.

When Vitti arrived in his El Segundo office Friday morning, a beaming Madsen presented him with a chocolate cake he had baked the night before.

Vitti, a veteran, spied the cake warily.

“Mark,” he said, “I’m from New York. Is there Ex-Lax in there?”

Madsen assured him there was nothing in there but cake mix and icing.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” Vitti said. “Not once has another man baked me a cake.”

TONIGHT

vs. Clippers, 6:30 p.m.

Channel 9, Fox Sports Net

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KLAC (570), KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Lakers 2-1, Clippers 1-2.

* Season series (1999-2000)--Lakers, 4-0.

* Update--Before they entertain thoughts of taking on the NBA, the Clippers might think about knocking off their co-tenant. They have not defeated the Lakers in almost four years. That’s 13 losses ago. The Clipper problem? Same as everybody else’s: Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq scored a career-high 61 points against them March 6.

* Tickets--(213) 480-3232.