Mum’s Still the Word for Tomjanovich on Refs

A day later, Laker Coach Rudy Tomjanovich still had nothing to say.

“Movin’ on,” he said. “[Talking] could do me no good.”

Tomjanovich was upset with the referees after the Lakers’ 107-102 loss Friday against the Phoenix Suns, angrily declining to speak to reporters after the game.

When asked about it Saturday after practice, Tomjanovich shook his head slowly for several seconds, uttering only a few non-excitable words.

After prodding, Tomjanovich eventually offered his assessment of the game, although he stuck to topics that didn’t include referees James Capers, Dan Crawford and Gary Zielinski.

“It was great to see the team execute some things,” he said. “I thought Kobe [Bryant] did a great job getting people involved in that high pick-and-roll. We had four threes off of it. ... Lamar [Odom] established himself pretty well inside.”

Bryant had 29 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds, though he shot 10 for 33. Odom had 18 points and 15 rebounds.

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Tomjanovich, part of one of the most infamous incidents in NBA history when he was punched in the face by the Lakers’ Kermit Washington in 1977, said he found Friday’s melee in Detroit to be “disturbing, very disturbing, for the safety of everyone.

“Things just got out of hand,” he said. “I know that the league is going to do everything possible to make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again. For everybody’s sake, it can never happen again. I just get a very disturbed feeling about it.”

Washington was suspended 26 games after sucker-punching Tomjanovich during a game between the Lakers and Houston Rockets.

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Forward Jumaine Jones practiced Saturday and will probably be taken off the injured list before tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls. He’s missed five games because of a strained calf. ... Center Chris Mihm, who missed Friday’s game because of stomach problems, did not practice Saturday and is questionable for tonight.

TONIGHT

vs. Chicago, 6:30, FSN

Site -- Staples Center.

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

Records -- Lakers 5-5; Bulls 0-7.

Record vs. Bulls (2003-04) -- 2-0.

Update -- The Bulls are 25th in scoring and tied for 27th in scoring defense. Rookie Luol Deng has been a bright spot, averaging 15.3 points.