Attention Span Comes Up Short

Phil Jackson ended practice early at the Laker compound Friday afternoon. But he didn’t call it in a fit of frustration, despite the team’s two-game losing streak.

“They can’t concentrate,” Jackson said. “Their concentration level is a little low right now.”

To continue would have been counterproductive, the coach said, adding to the defending champions’ early-season sluggishness.

“It’s a matter of them just getting back to work,” Jackson said, “like just getting back from vacation.”

Kobe Bryant said the shortened practice did indeed resemble the first day of school.

“It was just execution--doing Steps 1, 2, 3,” he said of the day’s lesson plan. “Going back to the basics, reviewing the first option, reviewing the second option, the third option, the sequences of the triangle [offense].”

He also said Jackson’s outwardly calm demeanor does not reflect how the coach feels about the Laker malaise. Six games into the season the Lakers (3-3) are shooting 46.3% from the field and 30% from beyond the three-point line while averaging 91.5 points (20th in the NBA) and giving up 91.7.

“I think his patience is getting a little short because we’re not executing like we should,” Bryant said. “That’s understandable.”

Jackson also said the Lakers must work on cutting down turnovers heading into Sunday night’s game against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center.

“Teams are outplaying us right now,” he said. “We’re not playing hard enough, in certain key situations particularly.

“We’re not in sync as a group.”

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Despite showing a note that a hotel operator failed to give him his requested wake-up call in San Antonio on Wednesday, Isaiah Rider was fined for missing the team bus and showing up late for the Laker loss to the Spurs at the Alamodome.

“There’s situational things, but everybody’s fined if they’re late--no excuses,” Jackson said. “There’s not a vindictiveness there.”

San Antonio has not been kind to Rider of late.

When he was held scoreless in 17 minutes against the Spurs, it marked only the second time he had not scored in a game during his eight-year NBA career. The only other time he had failed to score came in San Antonio last March 14, six days before he was waived by the Atlanta Hawks, when he played eight minutes.

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Jackson, who backed former New York Knick teammate Bill Bradley in his ill-fated run for the Democratic presidential nomination, has kept a curious eye on the election goings-on in Florida.

“There’s a likability and an affability about [George] Bush and there’s a humane approach to politics with [Al] Gore,” Jackson said. “It just shows how split the country is.”

Jackson doesn’t understand the confusion over the butterfly ballot used in Palm Beach.

“It had arrows showing exactly where to vote. If you can’t understand that, then maybe you shouldn’t vote,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe we should go back to that old framer’s Constitution and only landowners can vote.”

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Robert Horry said his stiff neck is no longer a problem.

“I’m straight now,” the backup power forward said. “There’s a little stiffness but I can do what I need to do. I’m fine.”