One Step Up, Two Steps Back

Phil Jackson called it a “dog” season a long time ago, so it surprises few that the Lakers find themselves in such a dreadful state, hating their inability to generate dependable enthusiasm or proficiency less than a year since winning the NBA title.

On a cool, blue Tuesday on the outskirts of town, they gathered at a practice facility over the Milwaukee River, near a seminary on Lake Michigan. They shuffled off a luxury bus one by one--the NBA’s glamour boys, unshaven, unhappy and unable to find their true games.

For every short winning streak, it seems, there is an unfathomable defeat, the worst coming Monday night at Atlanta, 108-106 to the Hawks, who merely shocked themselves in victory. Afterward, Nazr Mohammed blurted, “It was a night when we can say it’s great to be a Hawk,” which would bring the running count to one. They hadn’t given up 100 points and won in 16 previous tries, then shamed the Lakers with a common spirit and an ability to hit wide-open jump shots.

Four-and-a-half months into the season, a month to go, the Lakers have created more problems than they have solved. Some games they play through them, occasionally brilliantly. Often enough, they don’t. On those nights, another championship seems remote.

Fifteen regular-season games remain, hardly enough time to rebuild a defense, much less a self-image.

At war with his body, Kobe Bryant snapped at teammates and Jackson during the loss at Atlanta. And while the harsh words with the likes of Derek Fisher and Rick Fox are uncommon for Bryant, they are not so rare between Jackson and Bryant.

The willful coach and the stubborn student often disagree on the court, sometimes off. They have settled into a distant, purely professional association, marked by frequent sharp exchanges in huddles and, at least once recently, in a team meeting.

Bryant, of course, is irked by the losing, by ankles that have been sore for weeks, and the drag it all has on his game. Jackson is bothered when Bryant strays from the offense, particularly when it comes at the expense of Shaquille O’Neal and the low-post game.

The organization is not yet concerned by the Jackson-Bryant relationship, which appears to have deteriorated from last season, nor does it yet fear a him-or-me summer ultimatum from one or both. But there seems to be uneasiness, heightened every time Jackson shouts at Bryant and every time Bryant shouts back.

Asked recently if he believed he could continue to coach Bryant in this manner, Jackson grinned and said, “Only if he wants to be coached.”

He paused and chuckled. “I don’t know if I can coach any of these guys after this season.”

He too is weary of the confounding defeats.

Bryant would not be pulled into the discussion. He said, coolly, “I want to be a Laker for life,” reiterating an early season statement made when the relationship in question was his with O’Neal.

Jackson did not attend Tuesday’s practice. A Laker official said the coach remained at the team hotel to examine videotape with assistant Tex Winter. Bryant did not practice, instead receiving treatment on his ankles.

Though his mood was considerably lighter, Bryant’s theme was the same as Monday night’s, expressing frustration with injuries that thwart his ability.

“It’s just frustrating, that’s all,” he said. “I think you guys saw a couple lobs, one in Orlando, one the other night, I barely got my hands over the rim. You know what I mean? It gets a little frustrating.”

Still, Jackson puts him on the Laker opponent’s best scorer. And, still, Bryant takes a lot of responsibility for the offense.

“Because at this particular time in the season we’re trying to establish some type of rhythm going into the playoffs,” Bryant said. “So I’d much rather play through it and try to establish a rhythm as a unit, as a team, and try to go into the playoffs that way.”

Asked if he had bottomed out Monday night, physically and emotionally, causing him to scold his teammates, Bryant said, “Naw. I was just a little frustrated. I’ve never been this unhealthy before.”

Publicly, his teammates excused the break in etiquette.

“I’m very lucky to have teammates who understand me, personally,” he said. “They understand what I’m going through right now. I think Brian Shaw and Ron Harper, guys like that, can relate. And Robert Horry. Because they feel limited themselves, physically. I’m just kind of going through what they go through every day.”

*

SURGERY FOR HARPER

Ron Harper is scheduled to undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. D4

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Kobe Factor

The Lakers have been more successful this season when Kobe Bryant has led the team in scoring:

*--*

W-L Winning % Avg. Score When Kobe Bryant is leading scorer 26-10 .722 100.4-95.2 When Shaquille O’Neal is leading scorer 20-13 .606 103.2-102.3

*--*

Note--Bryant and O’Neal shared scoring lead in three games. Horace Grant was high scorer Dec. 15.