Fox Gives Kings Royal Brush-Off

Before the Sacramento Kings and Lakers stood across from each other again, Rick Fox was the first one to the center circle Wednesday night, perhaps so there would be no mistake. He would not shake their hands or touch their fists or even look into their eyes.

He sat in a squat and then nine other players began to fill the circle on the court at Staples Center. Vlade Divac offered his fist. Fox pointed at him. He wanted no part of that. Divac talked to him, but Fox stared at the floor and offered no response.

“He went on to diagnose me in psychological fashion,” Fox said, “saying that I was sick and I have problems.”

Fox and Doug Christie had fought on that very court two months before, and then Fox chased him down in the tunnel, a decision that cost him a good part of a six-game suspension.

The crowd booed Christie, but that was the only reminder of the incident, and Fox said he did not intend any grand disrespect.

“I did exactly what I do every game,” he said. “Between the lines, I’m really not there to make friends.... I don’t understand the rule that says you’re unsportsmanlike if you don’t touch hands.... I didn’t need to be Vlade’s friend today.”

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Weeks ago, Coach Phil Jackson said it would be Christmas before he would form an opinion about the Lakers, beyond that before he would commit to change.

“We know we’re not as quick as we’d like to be,” Jackson said. “We have some breakdowns on defense we’d like to eradicate. We don’t [chase loose balls] very well as a basketball club. Our second effort, or recovery effort, is lacking at the defensive end. We’re not getting many second-chance points. We’re having to grind out everything because we’re not getting any fastbreaks, not getting easy points. These are all things we’d like to improve.”

The key question is, then, are his players capable?

“I think they are,” he said. “But, we need two things. We need a little infusion of energy, an enthusiasm about the game. We have to enjoy playing together again.

“And we need some bench production. Whether we have to sit some starters or start some sitters, whatever it is that we can generate a little more total team effort.”

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Sacramento guard Bobby Jackson suffered a broken hand.