Jackson Knows There Is a Lot More of the Season to Go for Both Teams

PORTLAND, Ore. — Even before the showdown victory over the Trail Blazers, Coach Phil Jackson stressed that the season continues hastily along tonight with a game against Vancouver and three more games in the next five days.

“There’s still going to be five or six more losses, at least, [for] probably both these teams before the season’s over,” Jackson said before Tuesday’s game.

Jackson said he’s glad the Lakers have to turn around and immediately play the Grizzlies tonight, and have big games against Indiana on Friday and Miami on Sunday at Staples Center.

“I think that’s the best thing in the NBA . . . you can play the next night, and either prove yourself or at least redeem yourself,” Jackson said.

“And that’s the attitude you’ve got to take until the playoffs come and then you can really focus all your energy in one direction.”

Veteran guard Ron Harper, acknowledging the import of the Portland matchup, said the Lakers cannot get overly caught up in a single regular-season game.

“It’s a game; it’s just a game,” Harper said. “It’s a two-game swing, but it’s just a game. Both teams are starting to just play real good basketball, but . . . If we lose, we just lose. It’s just a game.

“We’ve just got to play hard and if we lose, that’s OK. But if we go out there and we lay an egg, then there’s something wrong.”

*

Jackson said he sometimes gets a little concerned with Brian Shaw’s inclination to try to speed up the game when he comes off the bench, but said he has been pleased with his recent play and suggested that Shaw could have a regular role as the first guard off the bench.

“We just play well with him out on the court,” Jackson said. “There was a time when I felt he might be a little careless or too opportunistic with the ball . . . trying to get too many opportunities to create shots for Shaq [O’Neal] and moving the offense at a faster speed than I want it to operate it at.”

Said Shaw: “I think it’s a situational thing. I never know when I’m going to get called. I just keep the hot packs on and be ready to go whenever he calls me.

“I know what it is he’s looking for. There’s some times when I make him nervous, when I try to pick up the tempo, throw lob passes. As long as they work . . . But when the first one of them goes awry, I know, I don’t even have to look at him on the sidelines. He’s saying, slow it down, slow it down.”

TONIGHT

vs. Vancouver, 7:30

Fox Sports West

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Site--Staples Center.

* Records--Lakers 46-11, Grizzlies 18-38.

* Record vs. Grizzlies--2-0.

* Update--The Lakers have an impressive 12-2 record in the second game of back-to-back situations, in large part because of strong play by Kobe Bryant in those low-energy situations. Vancouver has a decent record on the road, and features Shareef Abdur-Rahim (20.7-point average) and Michael Dickerson (17.7).

* Tickets--(213) 480-3232.