Tomjanovich Open to Suggestions

Class was in session Thursday afternoon at the Lakers’ HealthSouth practice center in El Segundo, with Coach Rudy Tomjanovich alternating as mentor and pupil.

The Lakers appeared in need of a radical shift in philosophy after sloppy showings against the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks on consecutive nights in Texas, and the Laker coach was open to ideas.

“I told the guys I’m going to keep teaching and I’m going keep an open mind,” Tomjanovich said. “I listened to some of the suggestions that they had, and I’m going to try those things, because we need everyone feeling confident.”

Forward Lamar Odom conceded that the Lakers lacked the will to be strong defenders after giving up an average of 109 points over the last two games, “but I think we can get there. We want to win, and we know what we have to do.”

Tonight at Staples Center, the Lakers (16-14) play a Houston team that has made an impressive push since the beginning of December, winning 10 of 15 games to move back into postseason contention in the tightly bunched Western Conference. At 16-16, the Rockets are a half-game behind the Clippers for the eighth and final playoff berth.

The Lakers are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for sixth place.

“We’re right there in that group of teams, and we can’t slack off,” Odom said. “Every game is going to be like a playoff game from now on.”

Kobe Bryant said the Lakers were “antsy” to get back to work after two consecutive substandard outings, which he considered an aberration for a team that is seventh in the league in defensive field-goal percentage.

“It would seem that way, because we had been playing pretty good defense all season long,” Bryant said. “San Antonio and Dallas just cut us up. [Tonight] we’re looking for a better showing.”

Tomjanovich said his players simply needed to do a better job executing such basketball basics as contesting guards who dribble into the paint.

“I went over about five or six different situations that are just common, everyday stuff that we had slippage on,” Tomjanovich said. “What was good was that the things we can improve upon are very fixable.”

*

Vlade Divac underwent lumbar disk microsurgery to repair a herniated disk in his back and is expected to sit out 12 weeks. The surgery, which took slightly more than an hour, was performed by William Dillin of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance.

Divac, who initially hurt his back while trying to make a spin move during a workout in September before reinjuring the area two weeks ago, could return in the first few days of April at the earliest. The Lakers’ regular season ends April 20.

*

The Lakers are matching the proceeds from silent auctions during three games at Staples Center and donating the money to UNICEF tsunami relief efforts in South Asia. The games are Jan. 2 against Denver, tonight against Houston and Thursday against Cleveland.

The team is also matching the donation of Bryant, who will give $1,000 for every point he scores tonight. “A hundred. Two hundred,” Bryant said when asked how many points he’d like to score. “Wilt Chamberlain numbers.”

*

Shaquille O’Neal, in his latest not-so-subtle dig at Bryant, told Miami-area reporters that Heat guard Dwyane Wade was “definitely my best second-year pupil, from Little League to college to the pros.... Finally, I have someone that’s like me. My other two pupils [Bryant and Penny Hardaway] were the opposite sides of the moon. But this guy is on the same side of the moon, is on the same planet that I’m on.”

Associated Press contributed to this report.

*

TONIGHT

vs. Houston, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

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

Records -- Lakers 16-14, Rockets 16-16.

Record vs. Rockets -- 1-0.

Update--The Lakers defeated the Rockets, 84-79, on Nov. 13 in Rudy Tomjanovich’s first trip back to Houston as the Laker coach. The Rockets played that night without injured star Tracy McGrady. Yao Ming had 32 points and seven rebounds.