Rider Plays, But Not Very Well

Laker guard J.R. Rider returned to the floor on Friday night, presumably a card-carrying member of the NBA’s drug after-care program, having reluctantly mailed off all of the proper paperwork and consented to the required testing.

The NBA keeps such details to itself.

Rider was suspended March 7 for five games because of his noncompliance, the punishment stemming from an incident in an Orlando hotel last season. Coincidentally, the Lakers traveled to Orlando after Friday’s game.

While the volatile Rider has not necessarily lost his floor standing because of the suspension, the backcourt rotation has changed. Derek Fisher came off the injured list and Ron Harper will be back eventually, and Coach Phil Jackson hasn’t promised minutes for Rider.

He played five minutes in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards, missed two shots, including a layup, and committed a turnover.

“I told him let the game come to him,” Jackson said. “He tried to take the game on. It did not go well.”

Rider was philosophical.

“Things could have gone better, but I tried hard and I played hard and it just didn’t go my way,” Rider said. “My thing is to keep on going and play good when I’m in there. My thing is to score when I play. I’m going to continue doing that and no one can break me as far as my talent. So, it’s an uphill challenge.

“I have nothing to prove. It’s too late to prove anything. I really don’t think they’re too high on me. That’s just the way it is. But, whatever minutes I get, I just have to play.”

The club does not appear to be holding a grudge, however.

“We’ve had several discussions with him where he’s expressed serious remorse,” Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. “To back that up over the last nine days, he’s been an ideal teammate, being on time and working hard in practice.”

Still, Kupchak said, “He has to prove to us that this continues to be the case. He knows that. We made the decision to be with him for the year. Certainly we were aware something like this could happen, and it did happen. But, it would be hypocritical for us, at the first sign of something difficult, to say goodbye.

“He’s going to have to continue to show us he’s working and he’s changing. We wouldn’t say everything is forgotten. It’s a work in progress. We want him to act professionally and play like he can. All he has to do is do what he can do.”

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Harper, who has a bruised left knee--the right one is arthritic--has been on the injured list for a month and really hasn’t practiced with the team in that time.

Jackson said he’d like to have a better understanding of Harper’s condition.

“We need some answers,” Jackson said. “If it requires more medical attention, we’re going to have to get it done.”

Harper could practice today in Orlando.