Jackson remains a backer of Bryant

Talking heads debated it on national cable TV. Internet sites and podcasters bounced it around for a while. Local talk radio hosts, of course, also joined the fray.

It repeatedly rolled off tongues and was asked into camera lenses and microphones: Is Kobe Bryant a dirty player?

“I don’t want to have that reputation,” he said Wednesday.

He has at least one knowledgeable, although somewhat biased, source in his corner.

Coach Phil Jackson reiterated the need to send “50 clips” to the league office to show Bryant flinging his arms in all directions regardless of whether there were players around. (Presumably, the Lakers would want most of them to be without an opposing player anywhere near the next 500 frames.)

“It’s not about smacking guys, or retaliating. It’s not about dirty,” Jackson said Thursday, chewing up and spitting out a still-simmering sports topic 24 hours after Bryant’s one-game suspension for striking Marko Jaric in the face while flailing his arms after his shot was blocked.

It was Bryant’s second one-game suspension this season for striking a player in the face and his third suspension dating to January 2006, when he was hit with a two-game penalty for elbowing Memphis forward Mike Miller in the throat.

Bryant, dirty? No, said Jackson, who once led the NBA in personal fouls as a player (330 with New York in 1974-1975).

But is being careful a need for him? Indeed, Jackson said.

“He’s going to have to watch himself and focus on the fact that they’ve got an eagle eye out for him now,” he said. “Kobe’s going to have to minimize, limit that [flailing] activity.”

The Lakers (33-29) have lost 10 of their last 13 and haven’t been so few games over .500 since being 9-5 before beating Utah on Nov. 30.

With those losses, Bryant has begun to show frustration.

He seemed tense in the Lakers’ double-overtime loss to Minnesota, even before the Jaric incident. He harangued teammates after some turnovers and, as usual, challenged referees on numerous calls.

Several days ago, when the Lakers were only one loss into their four-game losing streak, Jackson said Bryant’s improved demeanor toward teammates this season had been a sign of being more “mature” and “supportive.”

Then he smiled before continuing. “Now I’m encouraging him to be nasty and mean to his teammates again to get them motivated,” Jackson said at the time.

Jackson’s comments were a joke, but Bryant has become somewhat less tolerant as the Lakers try not to slip from sixth in the Western Conference. They lead Denver by only 2 1/2 games and the Clippers by only three.

“His frustration level is high,” Jackson said Thursday. “His trust in his teammates has got to be questionable because we haven’t come through in a situation. He has to press hard and we just don’t want to him to lose confidence in the teammates. But then it’s the teammates’ responsibilities to come through on certain plays and fulfill their responsibility.”

TONIGHT

at Philadelphia, 4 PST (Channel 9, 5:30)

Site -- Wachovia Center.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 33-29, 76ers 23-38.

Record vs. 76ers -- 1-0.

Update -- Now that they are finally over Allen Iverson, the 76ers are playing surprisingly well and have won five consecutive games. Andre Iguodala, who has been given the nickname “A.I.2,” is averaging 18 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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