Scrimmage Is Fun Break in Middle of Long Season

Another day removed from Clipper gloom, the Lakers pushed themselves through a spirited scrimmage that by the end became a Kobe Bryant dunk-fest, which Bryant, of course, enjoys very much.

“We put aside the technical things and we just played,” he said.

It was the first time, maybe, since training camp that they just played. Regardless, Bryant said, “It had been a long time. It’s good, because when it’s technical you’re not going at your optimum speed. You’re still trying to incorporate the offense into the scheme of things.”

Two days from playing another real game--they play Cleveland on Friday--the Lakers are relatively sound, if still picking their way through an emotionally disjointed season. Shaquille O’Neal is hampered by ankle and shoulder soreness, but has missed only one game because of injury.

“It’s a long season,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “Guys want to come back and have a season like we did last year. When I said I’d be happy if we won 60 games, everybody laughed at me. It’s true. I’ll be happy if we win 60 games, because we’ll have played to a level I think we’re capable of after [winning]. Everybody spends a year off thinking about how you’re going to stop this team.”

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Guard Mike Penberthy, who according to the club has a sore shooting shoulder, went on the injured list and Tyronn Lue was activated.

Penberthy’s playing time diminished in recent games, in part because his shot wasn’t falling. He averaged 5.3 points while averaging 16.6 minutes in 28 games.

The Lakers believe Lue will give them more quickness on defense. Lue was on the injured list because of a sprained ankle since the seventh game of the season.

The club had hoped to have Penberthy participate in the rookie game at the All-Star weekend.

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Armed with the $3.2-million trade exception that gives him great versatility, General Manager Mitch Kupchak continues to take and make calls, six weeks before the Feb. 22 trading deadline.

As a rule, Kupchak does not comment on trade discussions. He did, however, say he would gauge the league’s interest in his players and added, “We like our team.”

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“Mindgames,” the Jackson biography reaching bookstores now, is most definitely unauthorized. Jackson said he won’t read it.

“I was upset with Roland [Lazenby, the author] about writing the book,” Jackson said.

Lazenby wrote an article that claimed Jackson threw Jerry West from a locker room last season, the account of which disturbed Jackson.

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Ron Harper, again tending to personal business, missed his second practice in four days. He is expected to return today. . . . Isaiah Rider rolled his right ankle and sat out the final minutes of practice, when he sat on the sideline with an ice bag taped to the outside part of the ankle. He said he did not expect to miss any more time.