NBA Reviewing Payton-Claxton Tiff

Though the hourly Glove-bites-man thing on TV was over the top, the NBA still was interested enough in Wednesday night’s scuffle between the Lakers’ Gary Payton and Golden State’s Speedy Claxton to interview the combatants, and today will issue its verdict.

The Lakers expect a fine for Payton, at the most, considering there were no punches thrown and no blood drawn. The last time the Lakers were similarly confident, however, Shaquille O’Neal was suspended for a game because he cursed on live television, prompting Phil Jackson to call the league “vindictive” and “childish,” which you can bet got back to Stu Jackson.

It might not help that ESPN billed the fight as a borderline Mike Tyson moment, its highlight-show hosts suggesting Payton attempted to bite Claxton in a tussle that was more grope than fight. Replays appeared to show Payton gritting his teeth while near Claxton’s face, but refraining from actually gnawing on it.

Laker officials and Payton were unhappy with ESPN’s portrayal of the event Thursday, otherwise a day of rest for the Lakers between games against the Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers.

“Calm that ... down,” Payton said. “I don’t want to hear that.... Excuse my language. It was messed up the way they did that. That’s not what happened. What am I going to get out of biting him? If I wanted to get suspended I would have hit him. Me and Speedy are close. We got into a little altercation and it went down like that. As I was talking to him, they froze it like I was trying to bite him. That was wrong.”

All in all, the Lakers seemed happy to be back on a topic related to basketball after a long weekend of contract talk and other unpleasantness. In a season in which narrow victories over the Portland Trail Blazers and Warriors constitute progress, they’ll take the short winning streak and the cohesiveness between O’Neal and Kobe Bryant and try to assume more good times.

Coach Phil Jackson did speak briefly to Payton about staying on the floor after an edgy run of three ejections in 10 games. Though O’Neal is asking for “the aggressive, trash-talking Gary,” that guy keeps getting run out of games, so Jackson has asked for composure, and Payton said he gets it.

“Things happen,” he said. “It’s only been three ejections. I know when the time is to cut it out and leave it alone. I’m going to leave it alone. It’s getting toward playoff time and that’s what I’m going to do. We just have to walk away from it. Everybody’s getting a little antsy in the NBA so I’m going to cut it loose, just go ‘bout my business.”

*

The trading-deadline analysis of deals made by the Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz, along with the usual musings out of San Antonio, Los Angeles (the Clippers), Phoenix and Denver, make it clear the people who least believe Bryant will stay with the Lakers this summer are NBA general managers.

Bryant has said he will opt out of his contract at the end of the season. While he has told teammates since last summer he intended to leave the organization because of his cool relationships with O’Neal and Jackson, Bryant said last weekend his preference was to re-sign with the Lakers.

Still, every dollar saved by cap-light franchises is said to be going toward the Bryant fund.

The Lakers let the deadline pass with few meaningful discussions, primarily because of their optimism regarding Karl Malone’s recovery. If Malone were to falter, General Manager Mitch Kupchak said, the organization would be inclined to add a frontcourt player via free agency or the waiver wire. Kupchak and Jackson have discussed the likes of Vin Baker and Michael Doleac, among others, but for the moment do not believe the need is pressing.

Kupchak, on a scouting assignment in Maryland, said, “The report on Karl’s been good. ... So right now, there’s nobody that we would add.”

*

Guard Maurice Carter was to rejoin his CBA team in Bismarck, N.D., today after his second 10-day contract with the Lakers expired. “I’m actually looking forward to playing,” Carter said, somewhat sadly, on his way out of Los Angeles. ... The Lakers probably will activate forward Brian Cook from the injured list after practice today. Cook, who broke his right pinkie four weeks ago, said Thursday he would play with a small splint on the finger.

TONIGHT

vs. Philadelphia, 7:30

Fox Sports Net, ESPN

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KLAC (570), KWKW (1330).

Records -- Lakers 33-19, 76ers 23-32.

Record vs. 76ers -- 0-1.

Update -- The Lakers lost, 96-73, on Feb. 5 in Philadelphia, the low point on a 12-day trip. Allen Iverson scored 39, nearly all of them after Gary Payton was ejected in the first quarter. The Lakers have won four in a row in the series at Staples Center.