Jackson Lectures Against Lethargy

Phil Jackson gathered the Lakers on short sleep Tuesday morning and not-so-gently reminded them what lay ahead.

The regular season is coming, he told them, and efforts like Monday night’s in Las Vegas, where the Lakers lost an exhibition game to the Sacramento Kings, won’t win games in November.

“I know why Phil is getting on us,” guard Brian Shaw said. “We had a tendency last year not to turn it on until we had to.”

A year later, with most of them wearing championship rings, there won’t be as much time for coasting.

“We’re not ever going to have a night off,” Shaw said.

Even as the Lakers work a few newcomers into the offense, even as it has at times appeared frenetic rather than practiced, Jackson was more concerned with their motivation than their triangulation.

“I was a little bit animated on them this morning,” Jackson said. “I didn’t think they played hard enough to win a ballgame against Sacramento, a team that had some residual animation. They were a little bit fired up about playing that game last night. We didn’t seem as fired up as we could have been. As a consequence, our defense got off to a tough start.”

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The Lakers who were around last year get their championship rings on Nov. 1, before the home opener against Utah. Jackson, who knows a thing or two about rings, has seen the Lakers’ and said they were “pretty nice. They’ll like them.”

Only one problem, he said.

“The thing about the Lakers, there’s no symbol of what a Laker is,” he said, grinning. “What do you do, have a guy standing in water? A guy water skiing?”

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With 17 players in camp, a 12-man roster and three spots open on the injured list, the Lakers still have two cuts to make by Monday afternoon.

Derek Fisher, recovering from a stress fracture in his foot, will take one of the injured-list places.

The other roster moves will involve Cory Hightower, Mike Penberthy, Emanual Davis and Tyronn Lue, all guards.

Many clubs will make their final cuts Thursday night, so the players will clear waivers by Tuesday, when the regular season starts.

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An X-ray Tuesday morning on Horace Grant’s sprained right thumb revealed no structural damage. If the swelling persists, Grant could undergo an MRI later in the week.

He is questionable for Thursday’s exhibition game in Phoenix but Grant predicted he would be available for the regular-season opener Tuesday in Portland, Ore.

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On the advice of his neurology specialist, Davis has stopped taking medication that eased the persistent headaches he has suffered for more than seven months.

Davis said he was told to bear the pain, which is expected to subside.

“I guess I’m just going to have headaches,” Davis said.

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The Lakers hosted more than 10,000 school children Tuesday morning at Staples Center, where Michael Cooper, James Worthy and Fisher spoke about staying in school and off drugs.

Jackson then put the players through a spirited practice.

Ask Jeeves, an Internet company, and Scholastic, Inc. donated 7,000 books to the half-day program.

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The L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce Laker Tipoff Luncheon will be held Friday at the Bonaventure Hotel. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Lakers Youth Foundation. Details: (213) 580-7524. . . . The Lakers are scheduled to practice today in El Segundo, then leave for Phoenix, where they will play their final exhibition game Thursday night.

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Final Exhibition Game

When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: At Phoenix

TV: Channel 9, TNT

Radio: KLAC (1570)

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Season Opener

When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: At Portland.

TV: Channel 9, TBS

Radio: KLAC (570 AM)

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Home Opener

When: Wednesday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Staples Center

Opponent: Utah

TV: Fox Sports Net.

Radio: KLAC (570)