Foster, Still Angry, Vows to Play It Cool

While still seething that Golden State Warrior rookie Marc Jackson poked him near the eye with his finger on Sunday night, Laker reserve Greg Foster said their dispute would not escalate tonight, when the teams play at Oakland.

The seldom-used Foster was ejected in the fourth quarter when he would not back away from the confrontation, which started when the pair tangled chasing a rebound. As they jawed at each other, Jackson reached over with his left forefinger and banged it off Foster’s face, near his right eye.

“Someone puts their finger in your face, you know,” Foster said. “The shame is I can’t do anything about it. Because I can’t afford it.”

Foster probably will be fined $1,000 for the two technical fouls, which resulted in the ejection. Mark Madsen, who held Foster away from Jackson, saved Foster as much as $35,000 in fines, along with a game suspension without pay.

“No, no grudges,” Foster said as he entered the Laker practice facility Monday. “Like I said, I can’t afford it. I guess the NBA’s policy on fighting works.”

*

The challenge of guarding Antawn Jamison, coming off a 51-point game when they previously played, was daunting enough that Coach Phil Jackson promised defensive double-teams. He hates double-teams.

Tonight, Jamison is coming off a zero-point game in the Lakers’ 110-95 victory. Asked which was the more difficult defensive task, Laker forward Horace Grant said, “Off of zero.”

“We have to play that way against the Portlands and the San Antonios,” Grant said. “Of course, [Jamison] didn’t have a good game. As a team, we played fairly good defense, but nothing that would stop the Portlands and San Antonios.”

TONIGHT

at Golden State, 7:30

Channel 9

* Site--The Arena in Oakland.

* Radio--KLAC-AM (570).

* Records--Lakers 39-19, Warriors 16-44.

* Record vs. Warriors--2-1.

* Update--Kobe Bryant received treatment on his right ankle and is expected to play tonight. Last time in Oakland, the Warriors beat the Lakers, 125-122, in overtime. Bryant and Jamison each scored 51 points.