On Paper, It’s Not a Challenging Trip

The Lakers set out Wednesday afternoon to play the Houston Rockets, who have lost 14 in a row, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies, who have lost five in a row.

Other than the requirement for holiday travel--and they do charter their own jets, which is not at all like traveling--that’s not terribly trying, as trips go.

The Rockets are without three of their best players and the Grizzlies still have most of their best players, so neither team would seem to be on the verge of being capable, or anything close.

However, the Lakers have taken some awful road losses in the last two seasons, and are only 5-2 on the road, with one of those road wins against the Clippers at Staples Center.

The Lakers said they would be wary of the Rockets and Grizzlies.

“They’re going to get somebody one of these nights, that’s for sure,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “They’re dangerous like snakes. You wouldn’t want to pick them up.”

Jackson often says the same thing about reporters.

“Traditionally, these are the worst types of teams to play,” Shaquille O’Neal said. “Because, well, they’re just the worst types of teams to play.”

Actually, it’s because the Lakers rarely play with great emotion against teams they don’t consider worthy of their effort, and so they are vulnerable. They played poorly in road losses against Phoenix and Sacramento, and needed overtime to win at Houston last month.

“It’s not about what they do,” O’Neal said. “It’s about what we do. If we lose from now on, it ain’t because they beat us.”

O’Neal said the Lakers should no longer rate their victories.

“A Benz is just like a Honda,” he said. “It does the same thing.”

For the record, O’Neal does not own a Honda. He does, however, have many Benzes.

*

Robert Horry has said he prefers playing small forward to power forward, but that was a decision Jackson made for him. So, he’s a power forward, and easily the Lakers’ best power forward, so he figured he might as well start acting like one.

For that reason, Horry said, he has been much more active under the basket. His 42 offensive rebounds rank second to O’Neal’s 85.

“I ain’t getting shots, so I gotta go in and get them,” Horry said. “You know, it’s just something I feel like I can do. I used to do it, and then I stopped doing it. I’ve been concentrating on my outside game too much, so I figured I’d try to go to the boards now. You know, mix it up a little bit.

“I don’t hate it, because I get easier shots this way.”

*

Kobe Bryant has been sued by an engineering company that claims he owes it $362,156 for helping remodel his Pacific Palisades property.

The suit, filed in Superior Court, claims that Bryant hired Calex Engineering to excavate, grade and perform other work at the site. The company “fully performed its contract obligations” but is still owed money, according to the suit.

Two similar lawsuits were filed against Bryant by other companies in September and October.

Bryant’s lawyer said the allegations are without merit.

TONIGHT

at Houston, 6 PST

Channel 9, TNT

Site--Compaq Center.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 18-3, Rockets 7-19.

Record vs. Rockets--1-0.

Update--The Rockets are without Steve Francis, Maurice Taylor and Glen Rice, all injured and therefore ruining the team’s chances of staying with anyone but Memphis in the Midwest Division. Their last victory was at Portland on Nov. 20, when their record was 7-5. Six of the 14 losses have come at home. The Lakers beat them in overtime on Nov. 15 at the Compaq Center. Bryant scored 31 points. Francis and Cuttino Mobley each had 26 for the Rockets.