Hamblen Had Feeling It Might Be This Way

Kobe Bryant and Co. tried their best to put a positive spin on a forgettable season Wednesday, but Coach Frank Hamblen had a different view after the Lakers’ first practice since they were eliminated from the playoff race.

“When you change a team as dramatically as we did [and] I’m not an expert, but I thought it would be tough for us to make the playoffs,” Hamblen said about the Lakers, who have eight games left, including tonight’s against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center.

“You just can’t get rid of a veteran nucleus that had been in four [NBA] Finals and expect to [be a playoff contender]. I’ve only been in the league 36 years and I just couldn’t see it.”

Hamblen said things turned sour for the Lakers in training camp when veteran big man Vlade Divac suffered a back injury that forced him to sit out most of the season.

“Just because of the strength in the West,” Hamblen said about his early doubts. “I thought everybody got a little bit better and we changed. This team has had a wonderful ride for a number of years and sometimes, you have to pay the piper.”

Bryant, however, said he was confident that the Lakers would be able to overcome adversity and get back into the playoffs.

“It’s hard because I’ve always been the type that when situations like this happen, to use that as motivation,” said Bryant, who sat out Tuesday’s loss at Phoenix because of a bruised shin but is expected to play tonight against the Rockets.

“You have more desire when you don’t make the playoffs because you know the critics are going to come out full [force].”

When asked by reporters what role he’ll have with the Lakers’ off-season, Bryant said: “When they come and ask me, I’ll just give my opinion. No more or less than that.

“You have to look at the track record and see what they’ve been able to accomplish here with Jerry Buss and this organization; they’ve been able to change things around in the past. I have all the confidence in the world in them.”

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Point guard Chucky Atkins on the Lakers’ future: “I don’t know what the coaching situation is going to be like. Frank Hamblen has done a great job for us, but I know that we’re probably going to have a different coach.

“I’m pretty sure that moves are going to be made; any time that you have a losing record, especially when you’re used to being on top.”

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For the rest of the season, Hamblen said the Lakers plan to give plenty of minutes to young players such as second-year man Luke Walton and rookie Sasha Vujacic. But the story of Wednesday’s practice was Divac, who appeared fresh after playing nine minutes against the Suns, his first action after sitting out 49 games .

“It’s still amazing that at 38, if that’s his actual age, to see how well he passes the ball and makes things easier for other people,” Hamblen said.

TONIGHT

vs. Houston, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center

Radio -- 570.

Records -- Lakers 33-41, Rockets 44-31.

Record vs. Rockets -- 2-1.

Update --The Lakers won the first two meetings between the teams. The Rockets won, 103-102, behind Yao Ming’s 23 points at Houston on Feb. 6.