Bryant Praises Jackson

One by one, the feuds and slights that fractured the Laker season are mending.

Shaquille O’Neal has spent a month praising Kobe Bryant, who returned the love with offensive restraint and crisp entry passes.

Then, this week, Bryant called Phil Jackson the best coach in the history of the NBA. Not that long ago, Jackson scalded Bryant with odd accusations of “sabotaging” games when he was in high school.

“I think a couple of the things obviously didn’t have any rhyme or reason to it,” Bryant said, laughing. “But everybody makes mistakes. But for the most part, Phil is the best coach in the NBA. In my opinion, he’s the best coach ever.”

The O’Neal-Jackson-Bryant triangle appears to be equilateral again, which would explain the team’s recent execution, missing for most of the season.

“He’s extremely sharp,” Bryant said of Jackson. “He knows exactly what he wants and he’s prepared us accordingly, so when it comes time for the game he doesn’t have to stand up on the bench, he doesn’t have to hoot and holler. All he has to do is call out certain adjustments, audibles if you will, and we just respond to them.

“We know his dedication and his dedication to the game. If you look at his history, you know he knows what he’s talking about. I think it’s his poise as well.”

Ron Harper played nine minutes in the Lakers’ first two series, three- and four-game sweeps that didn’t force Jackson to go too deep into his bench.

The veteran Harper’s role in the conference finals will depend on Jackson’s feel for the situation, and Harper’s feel for his jump shot.

“I don’t know,” Jackson said. “We’ll have to see how he shoots that three-point shot.”

On Friday, Jackson and Harper discussed scenarios in which Harper will play. Harper told him he would do whatever is asked.

“I’m going to sleep, man, that’s all I know,” he said, grinning. “You can ask Phil, but I’m going to sleep.”

Laker assistant Tex Winter and Roland Lazenby, who wrote “Mindgames,” a biography of Jackson released this season, are considering a book based on Winter’s 54 years in basketball.

The working title is “Tex Winter’s Little Black Book of Basketball Wisdom.” Winter, who turned 79 in February, is mulling retirement this summer.

“He not only has a million stories,” Lazenby said, “he has much to offer coaches for players of all ages.”

Reserve center Greg Foster could dress for Games 1 and 2 but probably won’t be available.

He played 10 minutes in four regular-season games against San Antonio.