Working to Avoid Good Long Looks

The Lakers returned to practice Thursday, a day removed from a fatiguing loss to Phoenix, and another day to work on their perimeter defense.

The Suns made 16 three-pointers Wednesday, the most by a Laker opponent since the three-point line was established in 1979, providing further thrust for the Lakers to try to improve their exterior defense.

The Suns’ five three-pointers during a game-closing 19-3 run pretty much dictated how the Lakers began their day Thursday.

“A lot of working on perimeter defense,” forward Caron Butler said.

The Lakers decided to clog the middle against the Suns, which led to several open looks and 34 three-point attempts for the Suns.

“We wanted to take care of the paint,” Laker Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. “They’re a penetrating team. In the quarter that they hurt us, they had 22 points in one quarter in the paint. So we addressed that and they made some outside shots.”

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Forward Slava Medvedenko, who signed a two-year contract in August to stay with the Lakers, has not played the last five games and has been behind the learning curve for Tomjanovich’s new offense ever since sustaining a bruised heel in training camp.

“We’re playing nine, 10 guys,” Tomjanovich said. “I wish I could play more. You just cut the pie up so many times. It isn’t like somebody had something established here with me. [Brian Cook] had a great exhibition season. I’ve got to go with him. There’s got to be a couple guys that don’t [play]. I don’t like that, believe me. I’m into how guys are feeling and all that, but there’s never been a team where you played all 12 guys. There’s no 12-man rotation.”

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Tomjanovich said he wasn’t concerned about the long-term effects of the Lakers’ 10-8 start. “I’ve seen [how] these things can splinter,” he said. “You can lose your confidence and stuff like that. They’ve been very, very good in that area.” ... Shooting guard Tony Bobbitt’s contract is not guaranteed, which gives the Lakers 13 players with guaranteed contracts. Backup point guard Tierre Brown is also playing with a non-guaranteed contract. If they remain on the roster until Jan. 10, their contracts are guaranteed for the rest of the season.