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LOS ANGELES -- Antawn Jamison held up his right wrist, flexed it a bit and winced.

"It's killing me," Jamison said. "But as long as we win and get in the playoffs, that's all that matters."

Jamison is among the Los Angeles Lakers walking wounded. He suffered a slight tear in his right shooting wrist March 22 against the Washington Wizards but has been playing through the pain ever since.

You wouldn't know it from his performances in the five games since. He has averaged 10 points, four rebounds and shot 40 percent from the field (17 for 42).

But make no mistake, he's hurting.

"Some days are better than others," he said. "Some days I can't really go back with it," referring to flexing the wrist.

"It's frustrating. I made it so far [into] this season and now this."

Jamison came into Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies 112 points away from reaching 20,000 for his career. He'd need to average 16 points a game over his final seven to reach the milestone.

"I don't know, I don't know," he said, when asked if he thought he'd get there. "As long as we win man, that's all that matters."

LOS ANGELES -- It was easy to see coming.

Phil Jackson was at center court Tuesday. He had the microphone in his hand and was speaking at Shaquille O'Neal's jersey retirement ceremony in front of a sold-out arena full of fans who wanted to remember the glory days as they were in the midst of muddling through the disappointing haze that has permeated the current Los Angeles Lakers season.

"We want Phil! We want Phil! We want Phil!" the crowd cheered. The sound cascaded onto the court and might have even crept into the Lakers' locker room, where coach Mike D'Antoni was addressing the team at halftime.

“He's only won 58 rings, why wouldn't they?" D'Antoni quipped after the game.

As enticing as it might be to wonder "What if?" when considering the team's decision to hire D'Antoni on that Sunday night back in November, instead of giving Jackson the weekend to think about his answer, even the winningest championship coach in NBA history would have faced serious challenges with the Lakers this season.

It might be easy to yearn for Jackson, but it's not so simple as placing the blame on D'Antoni for the fact that the Lakers are fighting just to get into the playoffs with two weeks left in the regular season rather than jockeying with the top seeds in the Western Conference for home-court advantage.

Here are four reasons D'Antoni shouldn't end up being the scapegoat should the Lakers ultimately stumble down the stretch, and one reason he should shoulder some of that responsibility:

WHY NOT TO BLAME D'ANTONI

1. He didn't have a training camp.

Think about it: The Lakers were in such shambles to start the season with new personnel and a new offensive system that even with a monthlong training camp, former coach Mike Brown directed the Lakers to an 0-8 preseason and a 1-4 mark in games that mattered before he lost his job. D'Antoni was thrust into a situation in which he had no familiarity with half the roster, and had to use games to figure out how to divide minutes among Earl Clark, Antawn Jamison, Jordan Hill and Devin Ebanks. Or among Ebanks and Jodie Meeks. Or among Meeks, Steve Blake, Chris Duhon and Darius Morris. He had to decide whether he liked Metta World Peace, Jamison and Clark better at the 4 or at the 3. He had to feel out Pau Gasol's game. He had to get to know Kobe Bryant's and Dwight Howard's contrasting personalities. And he had to do it all on the fly, under the microscope in one of the NBA's biggest media markets while not feeling physically up to par himself as he recovered from knee surgery.

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Mark Cuban just couldn't resist. Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson, two of his favorite sparring partners were at Staples Center Tuesday night, and well, he doesn't get to do this as much anymore.

"No one can handle it. It's different now," Cuban said. "Now in the Twitter era, going back and forth means 10000 people retweeting you and 8000 people retweeting them. It's just a different dynamic."

But Shaq and Phil have always been different. Not only could they handle Cuban's barbs, they seemed to enjoy the back and forth.

"He was a nice foil," Cuban said of O'Neal, who had his Lakers No. 34 jersey retired in a ceremony Tuesday night. " I think when he realized I wouldn't back down from him, that I'd come right back at him, then it got fun for both of us. And we've stayed friends. We're good friends now."

And Phil Jackson?

"Like Shaq, they're both part of what makes the NBA unique," Cuban said. "There's not a lot of personalities that really define themselves not just by their accomplishments on the court but by their wit and intelligence off the court. That's good for any entertainment business."

Tuesday night Cuban dialed up a fresh round of zingers for O'Neal and Jackson, who was on hand to introduce and honor the big man who led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA titles from 2000-02.

"I have great respect for Phil, Jeanie's husband, as he'll from now on be known since Jeanie's still in the league," Cuban said, referring to Jackson's fiancee, Lakers executive Jeanie Buss.

"Someone's gotta be the first Housewife of the Lakers. I'm glad it's Phil."

Cuban spoke before the Lakers 101-81 win that basically knocked Dallas out of the playoff race. The Mavs are now 2 1/2 games back of the Lakers and Jazz for the eighth spot.

"Both teams have had injuries and issues," he said. "But you are what your record is so you've just got to deal with it."

LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant will always be associated with the number 81, and with good reason. But here are two more digits tied to Bryant that are just as eye-popping: 79.

As in 79 seconds, the total amount of time Bryant has sat in the Los Angeles Lakers' last two games -- both wins -- coming just shy of going the distance and playing the maximum 96 minutes.

Bryant scoring in the 80s as a 27-year-old was one thing. But to play two entire games in a row as a 34-year-old nursing a bum left ankle that exacerbated a bone spur in his left foot? And then to not only play that much time, but to average 21 points, 12.5 assists, 10 rebounds, three steals and one blocked shot? Well, that’s another thing altogether.

"Hopefully all those minutes that he's playing won't affect him in a negative way down the road," Pau Gasol said. "He's giving it all. He knows the importance of this time of the year, and he's just fully working and fully playing at his best."

That Bryant played all but the final 23 seconds of the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday was his call. He told coach Mike D'Antoni after the first quarter to leave him in because he intended to play the entire game.

Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks was a little different, as it seemed coach and player planned it together.

"Well, we talked about it," D'Antoni said. "You know the timeouts are so long because of TNT and the 20-minute halftime, so he just felt great and goes, 'Why? Why come out?' He wanted to play the whole game."

Bryant's stat line was a thing a beauty -- 23 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks to account for his 19th career triple-double. But afterward his body was feeling the ugly aftereffects of pushing that hard for that long.

"I feel sore right now," Bryant said, drowning his legs in an ice bucket in front of his locker. "My back is a little sore and my hamstrings are a little sore.

“I just have to push through it a little bit right now."

That's the balance L.A. is trying to pull off: pushing Bryant and the team as hard as it can over the final seven games of the regular season to make it into the playoffs, but not burn out and have nothing left when the postseason begins.

"We have to watch because we got to play Friday [against the Memphis Grizzlies] and Sunday [against the Los Angeles Clippers] so we got to be careful," D'Antoni said. "So, going forward we're going to try to get [Bryant] some more time [on the bench], get Steve [Nash] back and get him some more time [to rest]."

For now, it worked. The Lakers got two wins and Bryant got to add another triple-double to his career count, something that has barely eluded him all season long.

Bryant has had one other triple-double this season, with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against Houston on Nov. 18. However, there have been 14 others he's missed by needing a few more assists or rebounds or both.

"I’ve had a lot of them like this where I’ve been a rebound or an assist away," Bryant said. "It really depends on the [defensive] coverages. You look at teams and how they’re playing, and then it’s on me to manipulate the defense and put my guys in a position to be successful."

Yup, every single minute of the game.

LOS ANGELES -- It was a night to remember in Lakers history Tuesday as Shaquille O'Neal had his No. 34 jersey retired, but the current team had to make sure its playoff hopes didn't become history with a gutsy 101-81 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Here's a quick look:

How it happened: The Lakers jumped out to a 16-point lead with Kobe Bryant leading the way, getting off to a tremendous start with seven points, three rebounds, one assist and one block in the first quarter (and also tallying several approval-seeking glances to Phil Jackson, it seemed, who was sitting next to Jeanie Buss in the second row). Things got a little hairy in the fourth quarter (that wasn't meant to be a Dallas beard joke, but it works) as L.A.'s lead was cut to eight, but the Lakers surged late to take it by 20.

What it means: The Lakers are 2-0 on their quest to finish off the season 9-0 and they may have quieted the Mavericks for good, as they now lead them by 2 1/2 games with seven left to play. Now they just have to catch the Utah Jazz, who owns the tiebreaker over the Lakers despite the teams having the same record.

Hits: Before the game, O'Neal challenged Dwight Howard to consistently average 28 points and 10 rebounds. Howard came close with 24 and 12.

Earl Clark was everywhere with 17 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high five rebounds.

L.A. held the Mavs to just 81 total points on 42 percent shooting.

Misses: After tying a season low with just seven turnovers against Sacramento on Saturday, the Lakers had 18 turnovers against Dallas leading to 16 points.

Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison combined to shoot just 4-for-16.

Stat of the game: Bryant racked up his second triple-double of the season with 23 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.

What's next: The Lakers have the day off Wednesday before getting back at it Thursday when they hope Steve Nash's strained right hip and hamstring will be healthy enough for him to ramp up to return to the lineup Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- It was a historic night for Kobe Bryant.

He passed Wilt Chamberlain, one of the true legends of the game and an almost mythical man from Bryant’s hometown of Philadelphia, for fourth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

It was a heroic night for Kobe Bryant, too, at least by basketball standards.

A game after needing a crutch to exit the arena in Milwaukee because he “couldn’t walk” on his left foot (because the bone spur inside of it had become so inflamed), the 34-year-old Bryant played all but 23 seconds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 103-98 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Both the micro feat of what he did on Saturday and the macro feat of what he did on all those Saturdays -- and Sundays and Fridays and everything in between -- before it are worth celebrating.

“He'll be talked about as one of the greatest,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said after the game.

He most certainly will.

But the thing about Bryant’s game Saturday that will give the Lakers a chance of doing something significant the rest of the way won't be Bryant's piling up eye-popping point totals or his action movie star-like resistance to pain.

It will be the impact he has on his team, on the game, when he doesn’t do those things.

Bryant had 14 assists -- the same number he put up in consecutive games in late January when L.A. finally cut the crap and started to play decent basketball consistently for the first time all season -- and it trickled down.

“We have guys that will step up if everybody will trust everybody,” D’Antoni said. “The key is when it happens like that on offense, you see the energy on the defensive end. That’s where it comes out, and we were a team tonight and it looked good.”

It’s a simple formula.

Bryant passed, and in turn, so did Pau Gasol (10 assists), and in turn, Dwight Howard got plenty of touches (14 shot attempts, 10 free throw attempts), and in turn, Howard played like a man possessed on defense and the boards.

“I just felt Dwight’s activity was really the big game-changer,” Bryant said, doling out praise with the same generosity with which he dished out assists. “His offensive rebounds in the third and fourth quarters really keyed the rally for us.”

Counting the Kings game, the Lakers now are 11-6 this season when Howard gets 10 shots or more from both the floor and the free throw line. Howard’s rebounding and blocks numbers in those games? Thirteen boards and three rejections, so there’s certainly a correlation.

The other thing Bryant didn’t do was play those 23 seconds at the end of the third quarter.

D’Antoni took him out when there was a timeout, throwing Darius Morris in the game so Bryant could get a little extended rest before the fourth quarter started.

Bryant had told D’Antoni at the end of the first quarter that he wanted to play the whole game.

“Mike looked at me [to sit to start the second quarter], and I said, ‘Nuh uh,’” Bryant said. “I’m going 48 tonight.”

It was a tough-minded gesture, but it also was one that could be construed as selfish: I’m going to tell the coach how much I play and I’m going to play the whole damn game.

When D’Antoni took Bryant out at the end of the third, Bryant said he didn’t ask for it but agreed, “It made sense.”

It goes back to D’Antoni’s quote about passing: “Everybody will step up if everybody will trust everybody.”

Even if D’Antoni is the offensive “genius” Bryant declared him to be when L.A. hired the coach, D’Antoni will not be worth a damn on the sidelines if his players don’t trust what he’s asking them to implement.

Just like Steve Blake wouldn’t be able to fill in for the injured Steve Nash with 15 points or Jodie Meeks wouldn’t be able to be plugged into the starting lineup for Metta World Peace and score 14 points if their teammates didn’t trust them to shoulder the load left behind by Nash and World Peace.

Rather than Blake and Meeks just being fillers out there so L.A. had the requisite five men on the floor as Bryant or Howard or Gasol looked at it as an opportunity to gobble up all those shots that used to belong Nash and World Peace, they were incorporated and relied on to contribute just as much as the so-called stars.

It was the same trust that had the Lakers sticking to the game plan after giving up 37 points in the first quarter and trailing by 12, instead of letting doubt creep in that they needed to change things.

"Basically we were just saying, 'Stay with what we're doing,'" Blake said. "Because we were communicating really well; they were just knocking down shots. I mean, they shot the ball incredible. We figured if we could continue to talk like that and communicate and play hard, they'd eventually start missing. That's what happened."

That's what needs to continue to happen over the final eight games of the season if L.A. is to have any hope of sneaking its way into the playoffs.

Otherwise the only thing truly historic about this season for L.A. will be the 2012-13 Lakers being one of the biggest busts in professional sports history.

And there's certainly nothing heroic about that.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Here's a capsule-sized look at how the Los Angeles Lakers salvaged a 2-2 road trip with a rousing, come-from-behind win, beating the Sacramento Kings 103-98 on Saturday night at the Sleep Train Arena:

How it happened: Things looked pretty grim to start as L.A. trailed by 12 after the first 12 minutes and gave up a whopping 37 points in the first period. Making matters worse, Steve Nash could play just two minutes before ending his night because of a right hip strain. But the Lakers persevered. Kobe Bryant scored 10 of his 19 points in the second quarter to get L.A. back in it before halftime, and the Lakers used a 14-1 run to end the third to put control of the game in their hands. It got tight late in the fourth quarter, but L.A. was able to strip Tyreke Evans to break up a layup attempt, Dwight Howard blocked a potential game-tying 3 from DeMarcus Cousins (yes, you read that right) and the Lakers survived.

What it means: There's life in these Lakers yet. Coach Mike D'Antoni said at shootaround Saturday that his team's goal was to finish the season 9-0, hoping Utah would falter somewhere along the way and the Lakers would be able to vault back into a playoff spot. There's plenty more work to be done to get eight more wins, but if L.A. plays with the same sense of team effort it did from the second quarter on, the Lakers will have a shot to do it.

Hits: Bryant passed Wilt Chamberlain to move into fourth on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan are ahead of him now. Pretty incredible company he keeps.

Bryant just missed a triple-double, with 19 points, 14 assists (one shy of his career high) and nine rebounds.

Howard was dominant, shooting 10-for-14 for 24 points and adding 15 rebounds.

Steve Blake filled in for Nash to score 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting.

Pau Gasol had 10 assists along with 12 points.

Jodie Meeks had 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting, after shooting 6-for-19 in his first two games starting for Metta World Peace.

Misses: Free throws were a sore spot again, with Bryant missing a technical free throw early and going 1-of-2 from the line with less than 30 seconds to go, putting L.A. up by just three instead of four. Howard shot just 4-for-10 from the stripe.

For the game, Bryant played all but the final 23 seconds of the third quarter, 47:37 overall. You could say he's leaving it all out there, or you could say D'Antoni needs to be more disciplined in resting him. Bryant shot just 5-for-18 on those tired legs, which are still playing through a bone spur in his left foot.

Stat of the game: After coughing up 39 turnovers combined in their previous two games, the Lakers had just seven miscues Saturday ... and only four over the last three quarters after having three in the first period.

What's next: On Tuesday, the Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks, a team that is closing in on them fast. The Mavs have won 11 of their 16 games in March, including an impressive victory against Chicago on Saturday. Tuesday also is Shaquille O'Neal's jersey retirement ceremony at Staples Center.

MILWAUKEE -- Here's a quick look at how the Los Angeles Lakers failed to go 2-0 in a back-to-back for the 15th time in 15 tries, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks 113-103 on Thursday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center:

How it happened: In a word? Turnovers. A night after giving it away 21 times and coming precariously close to blowing a game in Minnesota, the Lakers had 18 turnovers against the Bucks leading to 22 Milwaukee points. It was the one thing on coach Mike D'Antoni's mind before the game, too; that's the rough part. "We've got to find the energy necessary to maintain some concentration and not turn the ball over," D'Antoni said. "These guys are really good at turning you over and also leading into the open court. If we can stop that, get our defense set, then we'll be better."

They didn't do any of those things and they weren't any better.

What it means: With just nine games remaining in the regular season, L.A.'s lead over Utah for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West is down to just a half-game.

Hits: All five Lakers starters scored in double digits, led by Kobe Bryant's 30 points.

Misses: Bryant shot just 6-for-17, and Jodie Meeks shot 4-for-12, making his two-game shooting total 6-for-19 since filling in for the injured Metta World Peace in the starting lineup.

Dwight Howard shot 3-for-10 from the free throw line.

Stat of the game: The Lakers led by 13 points in the first half and ended the game down by 10.

What's next: The Lakers finish off their last multigame trip of the season Saturday in Sacramento. They'll try to salvage a 2-2 trip.

MILWAUKEE -- Former Los Angeles Lakers coach Bill Sharman had enjoyed relative anonymity for years, as the 86-year-old continued to serve as a consultant to the team and attend games with regularity.

Well, ever since the Miami Heat threatened his 1971-72 Lakers' record 33-game winning streak, Sharman became relevant on a national scale again.

Apparently Sharman is using all that attention for good.

Sharman is raffling off his 2010 Lakers championship ring to raise money to be spread across eight charities of his choosing.

Metta World Peace engaged in a similar endeavor, raffling off his 2010 ring and raising more than $650,000 for mental health charities. While World Peace's ring was special because he earned it by scoring 20 points in Game 7 of the Finals against Boston, Sharman's NBA credentials are even more impressive. Sharman is one of just three people to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.

More details about the raffle will become available after a news conference Wednesday. The fundraiser is being put on thanks to NetRaffle.org by Celebrities For Charity.

MINNEAPOLIS – Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said it best at shootaround Wednesday when asked about Metta World Peace going down with a knee injury:

“Nobody is feeling sorry for us and we got plenty [of talent remaining] to win anyway, so let’s just do what we’re supposed to do and go out and play as hard as we can and see what happens.”

Later that day the Lakers learned they will be without World Peace for at least six weeks as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.

Even with the bad news, L.A. did what its coach wanted it to do, what it was supposed to do.

It beat up on an inferior opponent (for the most part).

It shared the ball (for the most part).

It played with energy (for the most part).

It acted professional (for the most part).

It acted like a team that still has the best shooting guard-center combination in the league, even if World Peace is hurt.

As it’s been this whole Lakers season, it didn’t go off without a hitch, of course.

It missed its free throws (for the most part).

Dwight Howard was 2-for-8 on Hack-a-Howard situations in the fourth quarter, as the Wolves crept back from 15 down to get within three points.

But Kobe Bryant was able to can a jumper and a few free throws in the final minute, and Steve Nash tacked on two freebies, as well, to barely keep Minnesota at arm’s length.

Bryant missed a free throw with 3.4 seconds left that would have put L.A. up by four. Ricky Rubio streaked upcourt after the miss and let go a potentially game-tying 3 at the buzzer that fell short.

The replay showed that Bryant hit Rubio on the arm, but the officials didn’t call it.

L.A. survived.

How it happened: L.A. started off hot, opening up a quick 11-6 lead by shooting 5-for-5 from the floor. The Lakers made just three of their next 13 attempts to allow Minnesota back in the game. Bryant scored his first bucket of the game on a rousing dunk late in the quarter that put L.A. up 26-23 after one. The Lakers were only able to extend that lead by one at halftime before breaking it open in the third quarter, leading 91-79 after three as Bryant scored 16 in the period. It got interesting (er, ugly) there in the fourth, but a win is a win.

What it means: L.A. stopped the bleeding. If L.A. extended its losing streak to four games with an upset to the Kevin Love-less Wolves, it could easily be the tipping point for major problems down the stretch. Instead, Bryant (31 points, seven assists) and Howard (25 points, 16 rebounds, five steals, five blocks) looked like a formidable 1-2 punch once again. Granted, the Lakers were playing against a Wolves team that came into the night 25-44, but that’s not the point. L.A. played the right way and it showed.

Hits: Pau Gasol had his best game by far since returning from his plantar fascia injury in his right foot. After shooting just 27.8 percent from the field in his first two games back, Gasol was an efficient 8-for-12 from the field en route to 17 points and nine rebounds.

Antawn Jamison looked just fine gutting through his sprained right wrist for the majority of the game. He scored 18 points and shot 6-for-10 with five rebounds, but subbed out midway through the fourth clutching his wrist and wincing in pain after tweaking it on a layup attempt.

Misses: The Lakers had 15 first-half turnovers, leading to 13 points for Minnesota. That’s unacceptable. It got better in the second half, with L.A. finishing with 21 turnovers overall leading to 20 Minny points.

Howard shot 7-for-17 from the free throw line overall.

Steve Blake fouled out, picking up six whistles against him in 23 minutes, while shooting 3-for-9 form the floor and finishing with eight points and three assists.

Stat of the game: Jodie Meeks shot 2-for-7 overall and 1-for-4 from 3 in his first start in World Peace’s place, finishing with five points, four rebounds and three assists.

What's next: The Lakers will look to sweep a back-to-back for the first time all season, as they play in Milwaukee on Thursday. The Bucks will be playing a second night of a back-to-back themselves after facing Philadelphia on Wednesday. Even though Milwaukee is a decent home team, it should be prime for the taking for L.A. as the Bucks came into Wednesday having lost six out of eight games.

Here we meet again, Lakers season.

At the corner of frustration and disappointment.

Monday marked the team's first three-game losing streak since late January, which led to that air-it-out meeting in Memphis.

Tuesday marked getting the last card in a poker hand nobody wants as Metta World Peace was diagnosed with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, making him the fifth out of L.A.'s five opening day starters to miss some time because of injury this season.

"Disappointing obviously and our backs are against the wall once again when we gave ourselves a touch of breathing room," Steve Nash said after L.A.'s 109-103 loss to the Warriors in game they trailed by 23 at halftime. "Now we really got to fight and things aren't looking good in terms of our rhythm is a little off, morale is a little down, guys are banged up and we got to really fight now."

They also have to fight against in-fighting, it would appear.

First, there's the tried and true Kobe Bryant vs. Dwight Howard score to settle.

Howard has just 17 shots total in his last two games, connecting on 12 of them (70.1 percent). Bryant has 45 attempts in those two games, making 19 (42.2 percent).

"I don't even want to talk about it," Howard said after the Warriors game. "We have to figure out what we need to do to play. If you want to win games, you have to play the right way."

Howard has just three shots total in the fourth quarters of the five losses L.A. has in the month of March.

Bryant spoke up in Golden State, saying that they need to feature Howard more.

"I think he's playing phenomenal," Bryant said. "We have to figure out a way to get him some more looks down low though. I tried to step back as much as I possibly could and allow that to develop. He was in foul trouble and all of the sudden it's a 19-point game and we can't sit around much longer. But we got to figure that balance out."

When told about Bryant's comments, Howard seemed to sniff out the hypocrisy.

"He said what happened?" Howard asked, almost incredulously, before sticking to a diplomatic response. "When we lose, everything is magnified. We just got to play the game the right way, do what we did coming out of All-Star break to get some wins and go from there."

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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Count Kobe Bryant as one Los Angeles Lakers player who was uninspired by coach Mike D'Antoni's postgame rant last week.

"I don’t think it’s time to get emotional," Bryant said Monday after the Lakers lost 109-103 to the Golden State Warriors, extending their losing streak to three games. "We got to just maintain our poise and just think about, [from an execution standpoint], what are we going to do. We got to look at what teams are doing against us in terms of spreading us out and rolling a big and now we collapse and now we’re late to the shooters.”

“This is about the third game in a row where that’s happened to us,” he said, “so we got to figure out defensively what we’re going to do. Not really get overly emotional, but we just got to look at what’s going on and make adjustments."

When a reporter told Bryant that D'Antoni's postgame remarks after the Warriors loss were more subdued than the coach’s "sham-mockery" comments following the Wizards loss, Bryant looked bemused.

"Stark contrast from the other night, I guess," Bryant said. "He was a little calmer tonight."

The loss dropped the 36-35 Lakers' lead over the Utah Jazz for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference playoff standings to just one game with 11 games left to play.

Is Bryant concerned about the big picture and the Lakers' chances?

"I’m terrified," Bryant deadpanned. "Do I look terrified? Not at all."

Where Bryant did express legitimate concern was in making the proper adjustments to correct what has been happening out on the court, which led to consecutive losses against the Phoenix Suns, the Washington Wizards and the Warriors.

"It’s really not an emotional thing," Bryant said. "It’s just X’s and O’s. If you look at the game, it’s just strategy and adjustments. They put us in positions where we have to pick and choose, and we weren’t able to counter that. It’s really that simple."

Bryant volunteered to steer that learning curve.

"I probably have to take the lead a little bit in that department," Bryant said. "It’s not really like a rah-rah situation when I communicate with the guys. It will always be about what the team did to put us in positions where we had to pick our poison and give up something.

“We just got to look at the film and make some adjustments where we’re putting them on their heels a little bit."

D'Antoni, for his part, was much more even-keeled Monday, pointing out the damage L.A. did in outscoring Golden State 27-15 in the fourth quarter with a smaller lineup and rationalizing that L.A. is still trying to reintegrate Pau Gasol into the lineup after the big man missed 20 straight games.

"We have to figure it out and get back a little bit," D'Antoni said.

That is certainly a message that seems to resonate with Bryant.

"Just look at the film," Bryant said. "Break down the next opponent and go on with a solid game plan."

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The second quarter was so ugly that Kobe Bryant decided he had seen enough even while there was still time left on the clock.

Bryant left the court and stalked off to the locker room with 0.5 seconds remaining after the Golden State Warriors had upped their already ample 19-point lead to 23 with two tip-ins in the span of 1.4 seconds.

There was a comedy of errors from the Los Angeles Lakers to end the quarter, from Dwight Howard picking up a technical foul after getting smacked in the face by a David Lee elbow (causing a cut to his lip that required three stitches) to Metta World Peace nearly stealing a ball, only to deflect it to a wide-open Klay Thompson for a 3-pointer, to World Peace throwing a full-court inbound pass away, which led to the second of the aforementioned tip-ins by Andrew Bogut.

Sham-mockery, indeed.

The second half was better, as L.A. held Golden State to 44 points after allowing 63 in the first two quarters, but too much damage was done early on.

How it happened: The Warriors used runs of 8-0 and 7-0 in the first quarter to open up a 12-point lead after the first period. That was the closest L.A. would get the rest of the way. The last time the Lakers came to Golden State in December, they erased a 13-point fourth quarter deficit to win. That was not the case Monday. The Lakers attempted a rally, cutting the Warriors' lead all the way down to six, but a win wasn't in the cards.

What it means: "We’re in a fight for our lives, and let’s act on it," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said before the game.

If the Lakers didn't know that going into the night -- having lost consecutive games to the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards -- they should certainly be well aware of it after getting embarrassed by Golden State.

It's the Lakers' first three-game losing streak since that air-it-out meeting they had in Memphis back in late January.

For a team that has said its strategy to get into the postseason is to win three out of every four games the rest of the way, that constitutes a crisis.

As bad as Utah has played, with a 4-9 record in March so far, the Jazz are just a game behind L.A. for the eighth seed in the Western Conference and hold the tiebreaker over the Lakers.

Hits: Dwight Howard had 15 rebounds.

Steve Nash neared a triple-double with 21 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

This dunk by Bryant.

Misses: Three Warriors players -- Lee, Thompson and Stephen Curry -- scored 20 or more points.

Bryant, while scoring a game-high 36 points, shot 11-for-27 overall and 2-for-10 from 3.

Stat of the game: Jarrett Jack, who scored 29 points the last time the Lakers played in Golden State, scored 19 Monday and nearly matched the 21 points scored by the Lakers' bench contingent of Jodie Meeks (13), Antawn Jamison (five), Steve Blake (three) and Earl Clark (zero). The L.A. bench shot 7-for-26 overall while Jack was 9-for-16.

What's next: The Lakers continue their four-game road trip with a back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday in Minnesota and Milwaukee, respectively, and then finish it up in Sacramento on Saturday.

SAN FRANCISCO -- When Dwight Howard is open for a mid-range jump shot and chooses to pass instead, assistant coach Dan D'Antoni mutters the same phrase under his breath every time.

"Chicken s---."

As good as Howard is in the post, the Lakers coaching staff is encouraging him to extend his range, figuring it will make the All-Star center even more of an offensive threat.

"I just want to continue to get better," Howard said after shootaround on Monday, as the Lakers prepared to play the Golden State Warriors. "It’s not like I can’t shoot the ball from out there. I just got to have the confidence and belief in myself to do it in the game. So, I’ll just continue to practice on them and the better shape I get into, the more legs I’ll have to take those shots."

Howard was the last Lakers player on the court Monday, practicing one-dribble, pull-up jumpers from the top of key just beyond the foul line. He then worked his way to bank shots from either wing, looking like Tim Duncan -- his rhythmic flick of the wrist leading to the ball hitting the window with a thud and then falling silently through the net time and time again.

According to NBA.com StatsCube, Howard is shooting 21-for-88 on jump shots this season (23.9 percent) and 4-for-18 on jump bank shots (22.2 percent). So it's still slow going for Howard when he's not on the block. However, there's been some progress -- he's hit jumpers in both of his last two games.

Howard has joked this season that his motto is, "If you need a 3, give it to me" and even though he is just 1-for-5 from 3-point land this season, he genuinely believes in his outside shot (he hit a rather memorable 3 in the All-Star game). However, unlike Andrew Bynum who bucked against being told not to shoot it from deep, Howard knows that isn't his role on the Lakers.

"I can shoot the ball from anywhere," Howard said. "I just got to have confidence in myself to get out there and shoot it. I don’t think this team needs me to be a 3-point threat, but the more comfortable I get with shooting the ball out there, I think it’s going to make it harder for guys to guard our team.

"Instead of just worrying about me getting down low in the paint and banging, just step out, hit a couple jump shots and then that leaves the defense (where) they got to be honest. So, I’m just going to continue to work on them."

The nine-year veteran said he's been practicing jump shots for "awhile" and he worked with one of the most offensively gifted big men ever to play the game, Hakeem Olajuwon, in the summer of 2010 to hone his all-around skills.

Whether we'll see Howard shooting those shots and shutting up Dan D'Antoni during games will be up to Howard's mindset more than the defense dictating his action.

"It doesn’t matter what they do," Howard said. "I just have to be confident in myself. I shoot the ball all the time in practice when we’re scrimmaging and playing. I just got to transfer all that to the game, just like my free throws. So, I’m going to continue to practice, continue to gain more confidence, continue to get my rhythm and all those shots will start to fall."

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Antawn Jamison was able to participate in non-contact drills during Lakers practice Sunday and despite his sprained right wrist, plans to play against the Golden State Warriors on Monday.

"It will take a lot for me not to be out there," Jamison said. "I should be OK."

A MRI exam taken Saturday revealed Jamison suffered a slight tear in his right wrist in the second half of the Lakers' 103-100 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday.

"It's sore, but as long as I'm able to shoot it and put it on the ground for one or two dribbles, I should be fine," Jamison said. "It's just the initial shock of it taking place and trying to get over the soreness and the swelling, but nothing is slowing me down. I was able to shoot the ball."

Jamison wore kinesiology tape on his wrist during practice and is treating the injury with ice and electro-stimulation, as well as wearing a brace when he is off the court.

"The one thing I like about it is each day it's feeling a lot better," Jamison said. "I'm able to get the range of motion to go a little bit more and I've played through pain before, so I just think initially these first two road games (in Golden State and Minnesota) I might have to play with a little pain, but after that I should be back to normal."

The 15-year veteran is averaging 9.2 points and 4.7 rebounds this season.

Jamison said the MRI exam also showed he had injured the same wrist earlier in the season unbeknownst to him.

"This is not the first time," Jamison said. "I had some soreness in it a couple of weeks ago. I tried to break my fall and I kind of felt a little bit of tightness, but nothing to the point where it prevented me from lifting weights or even participating in practice. The MRI did show some scar tissue there. This is probably something that happened earlier in the season.

"It's a positive that it has happened before and I was able to still continue to play."

Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said Jamison's injury is similar to what Dwight Howard has to play through with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

"You're always concerned, but if he says he's fine, he's fine," D'Antoni said. "The biggest problem is probably re-injuring it or getting hit again. It will sting -- a little bit like Dwight's injury where there's going to be pain and if he can play with it, or if it doesn't hinder him, then he'll be OK. If not, then he'll have to rest."

The Lakers said Jamison's wrist will be re-evaluated after the season, something the 37-year-old Jamison says will be a measure to try to extend his career.

"The biggest thing is I don't want this to be a problem the last year or two (in the league) I have after this season," Jamison said. "So, I want to make sure I'm healthy. We'll look at it after the season and make sure no further damages have taken place and it's something that won't continue to happen."