Jackson Lives in Moment

Phil Jackson spent the season trying to build a winning streak, for the sake of momentum.

Now that it’s here--a 17-game winning streak, nine in playoffs--he has managed the postseason with a different, uh, spin.

“It doesn’t matter how many we’ve won in a row,” he said. “I have a little statement on my washing machine that says, ‘Never let your successes go to your head and never let your failures go to your heart.’ That’s one of the things I believe in.

“You’re only a success for the moment you’ve accomplished that successful task. Just for that moment. And then it’s on to the next one. That’s a really important part of our mental framework, and that’s what I’m trying to bring across to these guys.”

The Lakers have not played at home since May 8, Game 2 of the conference semifinals.

The enormousness of the Alamodome could aid in their transition, said Robert Horry, who in the regular season shot better on the road than at Staples Center.

“It’s big, like [the Alamodome], just different colors,” he said. “As long as there’s no ice, we’ll be straight.”

Horry has creaky knees and believes the cold hinders his game, and particularly his shot. Ron Harper, who also has creaky knees, said it wouldn’t matter.

“You go to a gym, it’s a gym,” he said. “They’ve all got hoops and fans.”

If the Lakers advance to the NBA finals, Jackson will have won a league-record 19 consecutive playoff series. He and Red Auerbach, who won 18 in a row with the Boston Celtics, are tied.

Something of a playoff lead-foot, Jackson drove his starters to big minutes in Game 1, then said he’d have to play a deeper rotation in Game 2. Even with starting power forward Horace Grant weak with a cold, the bench played fewer minutes in Game 2 (47) than it did in Game 1 (50).

“It hasn’t been a situation where we’ve had to go to our bench for challenges, either in a foul situation or injuries or players not playing up to a level,” Jackson said. “Everybody’s played to a good level. These games are not highly fatiguing games for players. As far as minutes go, I don’t think anybody’s overworked.”

Shaquille O’Neal’s firefighter cousin died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack while battling a fire that destroyed a three-family home in New Jersey. Lawrence Webb was 37. . . . San Antonio was the team that was supposed to shoot and defend three-pointers when the conference finals started, but the Lakers have made 15 of 32 three-pointers to nine of 31 for the Spurs.