Bryant Is Not Trying to Force the Issue

To pass or not to pass.

That has become the question for Kobe Bryant as he tries to fill the big hole left by the absence of injured center Shaquille O’Neal. Are the Lakers better served if Bryant fires his deadly jump shot from the outside and zig-zags his way through opposing defenses to the hoop, or are they better off if he involves his teammates more by thinking of himself first as a playmaker?

The question would have seemed absurd several years ago when the teen-aged Bryant joined the Lakers out of high school as a shooting star. In those days, he wanted the ball in his hands for only one reason: to put it in the basket.

But at 23 and mature beyond his years, Bryant has become the consummate team player. Bryant had been averaging 5.5 assists a game before last week. But in the last three games, with O’Neal out with a chronic toe injury, Bryant has had 35 assists, nearly 12 a game.

In all three games, the Lakers played sluggishly for more than half the game. They rallied to win the first two, but Friday night, with Bryant taking only 13 shots, the team lost to the Atlanta Hawks.

Bryant says it comes down to what opposing defenses give him.

“We just have to stay in our system and run our offense,” he said. “If I am going to get good screens and come off and get good shots, then I am going to take them.”

Teammate Robert Horry doesn’t want to see the old Bryant resurface.

“He needs to do what he needs to do,” Horry said, “and not just try to take over the game.If he does that, then he is going to take away from us.”

The Lakers hope the argument is academic after today’s game at Portland, Ore. Eligible to come off the injured list after today, O’Neal says he will be on the court at Staples Center on Tuesday night to face the Boston Celtics.

That doesn’t mean Bryant will abandon his mission to carry the team. It only means he’ll have someone to share the load.

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TODAY

at Portland, 1:30 p.m.

Channel 4

Site--The Rose Garden.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 35-14, Trail Blazers 26-24.

Record vs. Trail Blazers--1-0.

Update--The last time the Lakers saw the Trail Blazers, it was opening night and O’Neal was feeling no pain. At least none that was evident. In a 98-87 Laker victory at Staples Center, O’Neal tied Bryant for the game high in scoring with 29 points, had a game-high 18 rebounds and even led the Lakers in assists with five.

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Steve Springer