Practice Makes Him Perfectly Unhappy

About 24 hours before the Lakers would play the Portland Trail Blazers today in Game 80 of 82, Phil Jackson ran them all out of Saturday morning’s practice.

“We lifted, ran hard, didn’t please the coach, went home early,” Rick Fox recounted with a tight grin. “He definitely got what he wanted out of us the first 30 minutes, though, which was he ran us to death.”

Jackson rarely wastes his inner tranquility on transparent coaching gestures and, indeed, when he emerged from the trainer’s room to address reporters before the flight to Portland, he was unsmiling.

“They were a little too loose,” he said. “They certainly should know [the Trail Blazers have] put us through the tortuous [games].”

So, he ended practice.

“It wasn’t in their makeup to do it today,” he said.

The Lakers have won six consecutive games and nine of 10, in the process taking season-end momentum from the likes of Dallas, Portland and Minnesota, all of which were January strong and became April meek.

Meantime, there is a different tenor with the Lakers, now that Shaquille O’Neal is nimble and focused, now that Derek Fisher is making shots and Devean George has retaken a piece of his game and the wins are coming with consistency. They still have a reason to win their final three games -- at Portland, against Denver and at Golden State -- a run that would clinch the fourth position in the Western Conference playoffs and secure momentum.

Yet, Jackson apparently felt an ounce of satisfaction had bled into their practice sensibilities.

“We’re edgy,” Kobe Bryant said. “I know I am. There was a lot of smack talking today.

“Phil’s a tough guy to please anyway.”

Bryant ought to know, of course, as he often is the one most obligated to Jackson and his whims of scoring versus playmaking. They seem to have struck a balance in recent games, where Bryant defers early and becomes aggressive late, and, anyway, no one’s complaining while the Lakers are winning.

“That’s what happens with us,” Fox said. “When we’re really confident, we get pretty arrogant. We just have the answers. We got the answers. It’s always dangerous. It takes one loss to be humbled.”

*

Scottie Pippen is not expected to play because of a knee injury and fluid buildup on his calf. He was to be examined Saturday by a Trail Blazer physician, but there are fears in Portland that Pippen, key in the Trail Blazers’ early- and mid-season success, has played his last regular-season game there, at minimum.

Pippen, who will be a free agent this summer, is expected to draw strong interest from the Lakers, though it is unknown what impact his injuries would have long-term.

If Jackson chooses not to have his contract extended, and if Pippen signs a one-year deal with the Lakers, they could end their careers together, Jackson on the bench, Pippen on the point.

Two months ago, before Pippen’s recent injuries, Jackson suggested he’d welcome Pippen.

“When that time comes we’ll certainly talk about it,” he had said, “because we know he’d fit well.”

*

There hasn’t been much about Kobe stopping anymore, Portland’s Ruben Patterson recently having stopped teammate Zach Randolph’s fist with his left eye, and that’s about all.

Patterson, who suffered a broken left eye socket in the practice incident, and Antonio Daniels (root canal) are expected to play today. Dale Davis (back spasms) is questionable.

*

Fisher (knee) and Robert Horry (hip) had light practices.... Fox said there is little improvement in his knee and was grateful for George’s recent play. “We don’t win the championship without him playing well,” he said.

TODAY

At Portland, 12:30, Ch. 7

Site -- The Rose Garden

Radio -- KLAC (570), KWKW (1330), KIRN (670)

Records -- Lakers 48-31, Trail Blazers 48-31.

Record vs. Trail Blazers -- 2-1.

Update -- The Trail Blazers have lost nine of 15. They lost Friday in Memphis, despite Randolph’s 31 points and 20 rebounds, and Wednesday in San Antonio.