With four regular-season games remaining, Kobe Bryant said he's ready to lead his team into the postseason after missing the cut last year.
"I'm already there," said Bryant, who has been on a scoring tear, putting up at least 38 points in each of his last five games. "When the postseason comes around, obviously the intensity level rises tremendously and it's going to be exciting to see how guys respond."
The Lakers (41-37) will play Golden State tonight at Staples Center, followed by another home game against Portland on Friday.
On Monday, Coach Phil Jackson returned to basics and had the Lakers work on principles of the triangle offense with the help of assistant Tex Winter.
"Phil made it a point to go back to the very beginning," assistant Brian Shaw said. "We've been getting kind of sloppy and he wanted to tighten things up as we head down the stretch."
Although Bryant — four games away from this season's scoring title — has been taking a lot of shots, he's been shooting better than 50% (82 for 162) over the last five games.
"We have to win these games and I'm trying to lead by example," Bryant said. "My role on this team is to put the ball in the basket. So I go out there and try and do what I do best. Try and make it infectious for everybody else. Like for Kwame Brown to go out to be aggressive and effective defensively, and Lamar [Odom] to be the facilitator of our offense and playing with that type of intensity.
"We have a lot of guys who have never been in the playoffs. I'm looking forward to the challenge. The playoffs are a different game where you have an opportunity to break down an opponent. I'm excited."
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Since the NBA trade deadline in late February, Odom has grown into a more consistent force within the Lakers' offense.
"Just learning the triangle and being a lot more confident in the way I'm going to get my shots," said Odom, who has averaged nearly 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists over his last four games. "It took me some time to really learn the offense."
Another factor for Odom has been his conditioning.
"Being in shape has also helped me," he said. "Although I'm tired, I'm at the point where I can push through anything right now."
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Shaw on Jackson's coaching this season: "When he first arrived here, he had a team full of veteran players. He had guys who had played against the triangle for years and as a group, we picked it up a lot quicker. This year, it's been a constant teaching session with the guys, which has shown me as a young coach how much patience you have to have with your team. Everybody's learning curve is a little different."
^^ In the spirit of the lakers making the postseason
Someone asked Laker Coach Phil Jackson before the game with the Clippers to evaluate the job he has done, and he tried to be humble, which shocked me too.
"I think I've cost our team a lot of games," and when he noticed me enthusiastically agreeing with him, he amended his remarks and said he cost the Lakers about four games.
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He said there were times when he didn't call a timeout, "which would have meant standing up," I said, and he must have been in an unusually good mood, because he didn't walk away.
There were times, he repeated, when he allowed his players to "dangle a little bit" on their own to teach them a lesson rather than call a timeout, and maybe do some coaching. As a result, it cost the Lakers about four games.
For the record, I continue to have confidence in the guy, and still believe one day Jackson will be a really good coach, but I checked the standings to see where the Lakers would be had he been willing to stand up more often.
Four more wins and the Lakers would be 45-33, tied with the Clippers and separated by only percentage points, but putting them in position to possibly play Denver in the first round — and because of some crazy NBA rule, earning the home-court advantage.
That's certainly better than placing seventh, as it appears they will, beginning the playoffs in Phoenix and getting waxed, and so the next question was pretty obvious: "Do you think you earned the $10 million Jerry Buss gave you?"
"Definitely," Jackson said, while ending the news conference.
"Now I've got to go attend to my Buss," he said while throwing an arm around Jeanie Buss, and I guess no matter how this season ends, Jackson will be OK.
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THE CLIPPERS, while already "backing" into a playoff spot, as Jackson sniped before the game, will finish fifth or sixth. Fifth, and they probably play Dallas and get run over. Sixth, and they play Denver and begin most likely at home.
"So how do you arrange it to finish sixth?" I asked Coach Mike Dunleavy.
"You are suggesting we throw games," Dunleavy said.
"Do you know for a fact Corey Maggette is home right now and really injured?" I said, and I was kidding, I think, but if you have the chance to make the playoffs for the first time in forever, and either start at home against Denver or travel to San Antonio or Dallas….
"The best thing for us is to win every game," Dunleavy said, and then the Clippers went out and lost to the Lakers, and I should've known they already had things under control.
^^ It'd be awesome if LA won their last four games of the season!
