They’re Still Looking to Get Rolling

It appears the big winning streak, the momentum about which Laker Coach Phil Jackson and his players frequently dream, might not come.

The Lakers play 14 more games. They are in a stretch in which they’re playing eight games in eight cities over 12 days, which is no way to get comfortable.

They’ve lost consecutive games they say they should have won, and they have no idea when Kobe Bryant will return and play at full strength.

“We just have to go home, take a day off [Thursday], soul search and come back,” Shaquille O’Neal said in the quiet of Wednesday night’s postgame. “How many games we got left? Fourteen? We’ll be OK. We just have to keep fighting, try to win as many games as possible, deal with whatever position we have. The No. 1 spot would be great, but as long as we have some sort of home-court advantage.”

The Lakers have not won more than five consecutive games, primarily because of their inconsistent defense. They have had six winning streaks of four or five games. In the streak breakers, they have given up an average of 108 points.

“I’m not worried,” O’Neal said. “It happens. Except for last year. It didn’t happen last year.”

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A month ago, when co-captain Ron Harper went to the injured list, Jackson installed Bryant as the alternate captain. It meant Bryant went to midcourt with O’Neal before games and talked with officials.

There were two reasons, Jackson said.

“He’s a leader on this team,” he said. “He deserves to have that representation there at halfcourt. It’s very important for him to get there, because he’s not been the beneficiary of very many positive calls during the course of our season. I think it might help him get more connected to the referees, instead of them seeing him as maybe an arrogant brat or something. I don’t know what their impression is of him, but it’s been bothersome to me.”

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Asked if he believed his relationship with Bryant had progressed during a season that has seen them snarl at each other on occasion, Jackson said, “I think the whole team’s making progress. I’m not specifically going to say Kobe and I. The whole team is making progress as we get closer to the playoffs.”

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At least they have one thing in common.

Told his father, Philip Harrison, a.k.a. Sarge, yelled to Bryant to “pass the damn ball” during Sunday’s game at Orlando, O’Neal said, “I wasn’t aware of that. But my father’s a man who’s not afraid to say what’s on his mind. Some of us have to be politically correct. Others don’t have to be.

“Hey, the guy yelled at me too. He yelled at me all the time.”

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While the NBA is on the subject of rules changes and other structural modifications, it should consider scrapping all defensive restrictions, increasing the size of the court and raising the basket, Jackson said.

“Oh, that’d be dumb,” O’Neal said.

“There’s nothing wrong with a higher basket,” Jackson said. “Shooters would adjust to it. And, ultimately, the dimensions of the court, the dimensions of the lane have to be addressed.”

Jackson also favors the option of playing zone defenses, versions of which are played on every NBA floor anyway.

TONIGHT

vs. Washington, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 45-23, Wizards 17-51.

* Record vs. Wizards--1-0.

* Update--The Wizards’ Courtney Alexander scored 26 points in 39 minutes in Wednesday’s victory over Golden State. He was acquired from Dallas at the trade deadline in the eight-player deal that, in part, sent away Juwan Howard. He scored 20 points against the Lakers on March 16.

* Tickets--(800) 462-2849.