Bryant Tires of Rumors

The Lakers, entering their final 25 games of the regular season, with 15 of them on the road, are battling to make the playoffs.

That should be drama enough. But, it seems, with these Lakers there is always a side drama. The one that has been lingering involves Phil Jackson and whether he will return to coach the Lakers next season.

Jeanie Buss, a Laker vice president, said Saturday that Jackson and her father, owner Jerry Buss, would not discuss the job until after the season.

So what does Kobe Bryant think about these developments?

“I really don’t follow it,” he said after a two-hour practice session Saturday at the Lakers’ training facility in El Segundo. “I got my nose dug in to what we’re trying to do here this season.”

Bryant has been lukewarm to the prospect of again playing for Jackson. He initially said he would “roll with it.”

When a television reporter asked Bryant Saturday about playing for Jackson, he said, “Somebody asked me that question yesterday. I’m not going to regurgitate my response over and over.”

Bryant was more expansive when talking about what he thinks of Coach Frank Hamblen and the leadership he is providing.

“I think he’s doing a marvelous job,” Bryant said of Hamblen. “You can’t do a job better than he’s doing right now.”

Would Bryant like to see Hamblen considered as a candidate to coach the Lakers next season?

“If he wants to,” he said.

Hamblen, who has not expressed interest in the job, said, “That was very nice of him to say.”

*

TONIGHT

vs. Indiana, 6:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 29-28, Pacers 29-29.

Record vs. Pacers (2003-04) -- 1-1.

Update -- These teams, who haven’t met this season, play again March 18 at Indianapolis. The Pacers haven’t won in Los Angeles since the shortened 1998-99 season. They’ll be without their leading scorer, Jermaine O’Neal, who was put on the injured list Friday with a sprained shoulder. O’Neal is averaging 24.8 points. The Pacers signed veteran free-agent forward Dale Davis on Friday. The 6-foot-11 Davis was a first-round draft choice of the Pacers in 1991. He was traded to Portland in August 2000 in a deal that sent O’Neal to Indiana. Davis played 28 minutes of a 106-97 victory at Portland on Friday night, but missed all five of his field-goal attempts.