The Only Guys With Better Seats Than Jack

At a typical Laker game, there are more staffers sitting on and behind their bench than there are players in uniform, and there’s as much thought put into their seating arrangements as table assignments at a wedding.

Trainer Gary Vitti occupies the first seat. In addition to monitoring and treating player injuries, he also keeps track of personal fouls and timeouts for each team. To his right is assistant coach Frank Hamblen, followed by Coach Phil Jackson, then assistants Jim Cleamons and Kurt Rambis.

“Over the years it’s evolved,” Jackson said. “I used to have Tex Winter sitting to the left of me, but he was always writing on my leg because he got so excited with the pen in his hand that we stuck him behind the bench to spare the ink on your leg.”

Jackson likes teasing Winter, the longtime assistant. But with Winter scaling back his duties and skipping road games the last two seasons, he has moved to a seat behind the bench.

“When Tex went back behind the bench I wanted Frank and Jim beside me on either side so I could consult a variety of aspects about what we do as a team or what they have in their mind’s eye about the opponents we’re up against,” Jackson said.

The coach two seats to Jackson’s right interacts more with the players.

“You put young [players] there so you can talk about the game,” Hamblen said.

That was his job when he was on Jackson’s staff in Chicago from 1996 to ’98. Before that the assignment belonged to Cleamons, who spent seven seasons in Chicago.

“I liked it down there because of my relationship with the guys and I could really talk basketball to them when they came off the floor,” Cleamons said.

Now it’s Rambis’ duty.

The row behind the bench is occupied by Winter, athletic performance coordinators Chip Schaefer and Alex McKechnie, strength and conditioning coach Jim Cotta, equipment manager Rudy Garciduenas, massage therapist Dan Garcia and Jerome Crawford and Lloyd Sapiga, who handle security.

Sights

Karl Malone receiving a rarely called elbow violation for swinging his elbows to keep Minnesota’s Mark Madsen away from the ball Friday night. Malone was suspended earlier this season for elbowing Dallas guard Steve Nash.

Sounds

The Staples Center crowd chanting “MVP” as Kobe Bryant shot free throws near the end of the Lakers’ victory over the Timberwolves.

Faces in the Crowd

John McEnroe, Pierce Brosnan, Sylvester Stallone, Sunday vs. Milwaukee.

Chris Tucker, Anthony Kiedis, Dennis Rodman, Wednesday vs. Sacramento.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Leonardo DiCaprio, Friday vs. Minnesota.

In a Word

“Tiebreaker-thingamajiggy.”

Shaquille O’Neal’s description of the method to determine home-court advantage should the Lakers finish with the same record as another playoff team. The first factor is head-to-head results. The Timberwolves own the tiebreaker against the Lakers, the Lakers own it over the San Antonio Spurs, and the Kings have a 2-1 advantage over the Lakers, with one game to play. Conference record is next.