Payton Gets a Handle on Things

Letting Gary be Gary, which around El Segundo translates into giving Gary Payton the ball, was part of the reason the Lakers went from 0-2 to 4-2 against the San Antonio Spurs, according to Coach Phil Jackson.

And then, he said, it is why they might feel differently about themselves heading into the Western Conference finals against the winner of tonight’s Sacramento-Minnesota Game 7.

Along with their sudden attention to defensive details, the Lakers became less predictable with the ball in Payton’s hands, and Kobe Bryant, who previously did most of the ballhandling, became freer.

“I think there was a parsing of ball control between Gary and Kobe that was important that went on in the last four wins,” Jackson said. “Gary was giving his leadership role with the basketball that was important for us. So Kobe didn’t have to work exceptionally hard. And also he could play off ball a little bit and let Gary take over some of the leadership with the ball.”

Although Payton took only five shots and made one in Game 5, he had seven assists and, Jackson said, “He still had a role that was important with the ball and his playmaking ability.”

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The Lakers were off Sunday, held a light practice Monday and were off Tuesday. Today, they’ll start to think as much as they can about the Timberwolves and Kings and work on the parts of the game both teams do well.

By Friday night, the Lakers will have had 5 1/2 days between games.

“I think we’ll be fine,” Jackson said. “It obviously allows a team to relax, get rid of the tension that builds in the playoffs and move into a kind of resting zone. We need to recruit that. Some of the guys, like Kobe, he’s lost that space that you need in your life to have in reserve. That’s real important.

“Though we may not be as sharp as we’d like to be in the first half, I think we’ll be able to catch up.”

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Devean George was born in Minneapolis and attended Benilde-St. Margaret High in St. Louis Park, Minn., and Augsburg College in Minneapolis.

But it’s not the kind of home he wants in the next round.

“We don’t have home-court [advantage],” George said of a series against the Timberwolves.

“I would rather play the team we have home-court against.”

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Life is grand as a Laker, a little grander if you’re Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant, Karl Malone or Payton.

George was watching a replay of Game 6 against the Spurs when he heard one of the announcers describe the Lakers on the floor as “the four studs and Devean George.”

George smiled.

“That’s the way things are,” the un-stud said.