Technically Speaking, He Has Support

The NBA can have Isaiah Rider’s technical foul or not. He doesn’t much care.

What is important to Rider is that the Lakers thought enough of him to fight it, in the name of principle. And $500.

The Lakers don’t expect to hear from the NBA regarding the rescinding of Rider’s technical foul--the one assessed Wednesday night when Rider shrugged away Utah guard John Starks--until today.

“We’re all going to protect each other,” Rider said. “We’re all in the same family. Obviously it feels good to all fight for each other.”

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Think your boss is tough?

Rider scored 22 points, had four assists and, in the fourth quarter, made eight of eight free-throw attempts. He did it all in 27 minutes.

So, when he walked off the court, Coach Phil Jackson told him, “You still scare me out there.”

Rider laughed.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I feel good. I guess I have a long way to go.”

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After averaging more than 17 turnovers a game, the Lakers committed only two in the first half against the Clippers, which got Kobe Bryant off the hook.

Jackson has been critical of some of Bryant’s decisions and the turnovers that came because of them.

“That’s a problem with us,” Jackson said of the turnovers. “It rests mostly with Kobe, though. We’ve talked to him.”

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Shaquille O’Neal has promised a championship ring to Alex McKechnie, the physical therapist who helped him recover from abdominal injuries.

McKechnie works with the Canadian World Cup soccer team.