LAKER REPORT

By halftime Tuesday night, Samaki Walker, the Laker starting power forward, had played three minutes and given three fouls.

The first steps were awkward. This, however, is the Western Conference, so redress is never farther than the next game.

Tuesday in Los Angeles, Rasheed Wallace.

Tonight in Salt Lake City, Karl Malone. Coming soon: Tim Duncan, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Danny Fortson and other nasties.

Malone is sure to be testy. In an overtime loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday, he missed eight of 12 shots, scored only 15 points in 43 minutes, and then listened as everyone fawned over Anthony Mason.

Walker said these early games are as important for the way the referees view him as they are for how well he plays.

“This is an initiation period for me,” he said. “I’m a guy who hasn’t played a lot, so they’re going to be watching me very closely. These things are going to happen. I’m going to have to earn my stripes with the refs.”

After accumulating handfuls of defensive three-second calls in the preseason, the Lakers were whistled for three of them against Portland. Shaquille O’Neal was caught twice, Kobe Bryant once.

On Wednesday, before they boarded a flight for Salt Lake City, the Lakers reviewed those rules again.

“It’s hard to break old habits,” Bryant said. “We’re all guilty of it. It’ll probably take a couple of games.”

TONIGHT

at Utah, 6 PST

Channel 9

Site--Delta Center.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 1-0, Jazz 0-1.

Record vs. Jazz (2000-01)--2-2.

Update--The Jazz could be a bit chippy, considering its overtime loss to Milwaukee. The Delta Center didn’t sell out, apparently for decent reason. The local club blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and was outscored, 44-28, in the fourth quarter and overtime. That’s four consecutive defeats dating to the first round of the playoffs for the Jazz, who won two from Dallas, then lost the next three. Coach Jerry Sloan was unimpressed Tuesday. “We have a lot to learn and work on if we want to be a decent basketball team,” he said.