Rivals Slowly Warm to Task

As the buzz surrounding Kobe Bryant’s career-high 62-point performance Tuesday night carried into another day, the hum of Christmas Day was intensifying on the horizon.

The Lakers will visit the Miami Heat for a nationally televised game Sunday and predicting the winner could be as tricky as identifying the juiciest subplot.

Bryant vs. Shaquille O’Neal, or Phil Jackson vs. Pat Riley?

Even Lamar Odom should be pumped to play against a team that traded him after one season, his best as a professional.

“There’s the magnitude of the national theater that comes with an ABC game on Christmas Day,” Jackson said. “Lamar and players who have played in Miami, and the players who have played with Shaq, there’s a certain sense of rivalry.”

The Lakers had an almost identical record of 14-11 heading into the game last season and gave one of their best efforts before losing, 104-102, in overtime. Bryant scored a season-high 42 points in the game but missed his last five shots, including a three-pointer at the end of overtime.

The Lakers played well on their last trip, finishing 5-1 earlier this month.

“We’re looking forward to getting back on the road,” Bryant said. “See if we can’t have another good road trip.”

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Jackson said he avoided answering recent questions about the Miami game because it was too far down the line.

“We just like to think about the next game, the next play, the next quarter,” he said. “That’s the attitude you have to have as a ballplayer.”

And a smart one heading into tonight’s game at Orlando. The Magic shredded the visiting Lakers in a mid-November meeting last season, making 12 of 22 three-point attempts in a 122-113 victory. It was the most points the Lakers had given up in a regulation game in nine years.

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After wearing the label of the NBA’s most valuable franchise for three consecutive years, the Lakers fell to No. 2 behind the New York Knicks, according to Forbes magazine, which ranks franchises based on market size and revenues for 2004-05, among other factors.

The Lakers are worth $529 million, an increase of $19 million over last season, but their 4% gain was mild compared to the 14% from the year before.

The Knicks, bolstered by $74 million in ticket sales last season, have a value of $543 million, up 10% from the year before.

The Clippers moved up two spots to 24th at $248 million, an increase of 11%.

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After taking double-digit shot attempts in 10 consecutive games, Odom has finished in single digits in four of the last five. Jackson, however, is pleased with Odom’s contributions.

“With Kobe, especially in the drive mode or the shoot mode, it’s great to have one guy who is looking for his teammates,” Jackson said. “He’s got that regimen in his mind and we appreciate that, even though, at times, he gets maligned for not scoring.”

Averaging 14.8 points, his lowest mark in four weeks, Odom said he’ll continue trying to help the Lakers in other ways.

“Just play my role,” he said. “Rebound the basketball and assist the basketball and look to score.”

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Since the return of Kwame Brown from injury, rookie Andrew Bynum has seen his minutes quickly dissolve.

After appearing in all but two of the first 19 games, he has sat out four of the last six. In the 112-90 victory Tuesday over Dallas, he was one of the last players off the bench, entering the game with just more than five minutes remaining.

Of course, Bynum said he’ll never regret his decision to enter the NBA draft out of high school.

“It’s just how it goes,” he said. “I definitely don’t get frustrated at all. I just come out working. That’s all you can do.”

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TONIGHT

at Orlando, 4 PST

(Channel 9, 5:30 PST, delayed)

Site -- TD Waterhouse Centre.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 14-11, Magic 9-14.

Record vs. Magic (2004-05) -- 1-1.

Update -- Orlando has lost three in a row and eight of 10, including a 96-85 loss Wednesday night to visiting New Jersey. The Lakers are the hottest team in the Western Conference, winning eight of their last 10.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Forbes NBA team values

Revenues and operating income are for the 2004-05 season.

NA: Not Applicable.

*--* Rank Team *Current 1-Yr Change in Value Revenues ($mill.) **Operating Value Income ($mill.) ($mill.) 1. New York $543 10% $181 $25.2 Knicks 2. LAKERS 529 4 156 38.2 3. Houston 422 14 141 25.8 Rockets 4. Chicago 409 11 136 34.7 Bulls 5. Dallas 403 8 124 -17.8 Maverick s 6. Detroit 402 11 134 25.0 Pistons 7. Phoenix 395 11 132 40.4 Suns 8. Miami 362 30 119 11.5 Heat 9. Clevelan 356 20 102 16.0 d Cavalier s 10. Boston 353 5 110 8.4 Celtics 11. Philadel 351 3 110 0.7 phia 76ers 12. San 350 8 121 23.7 Antonio Spurs 13. Sacramen 345 5 119 10.0 to Kings 14. Indiana 324 4 108 8.5 Pacers 15. Washingt 318 16 106 14.3 on Wizards 16. Minnesot 303 4 101 -5.0 a Timberwo lves 17. Charlott 300 NA 73 9.8 e Bobcats 18. Memphis 294 23 98 -15.6 Grizzlie s 19. Denver 283 6 94 12.3 Nuggets 20. Toronto 278 -6 94 -1.3 Raptors 21. Utah Jazz 274 7 91 9.4 22. New 271 -9 87 -6.1 Jersey Nets 23. Atlanta 262 13 87 8.9 Hawks 24. CLIPPERS 248 11 83 14.6 25. Orlando 247 13 82 -9.5 Magic 26. Golden 243 7 81 -3.1 State Warriors 27. Seattle 234 14 81 -7.8 SuperSon ics 28. Milwauke 231 16 78 -1.5 e Bucks 29. Portland 227 -8 78 -31.5 Trail Blazers 30. ***New 225 0 78 -3.9 Orleans Hornets League 326 9 106 7.8 Average

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*Value of team based on current arena deal (unless new arena is pending), without deduction for debt (other than arena debt).

**Earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation.

***Temporarily playing in Oklahoma City.