Hearings a Playoff Concern

HOUSTON —  Kobe Bryant could miss a game or two of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series, a possibility that brought a wounded expression from Coach Phil Jackson and a one-word response: “Ouch.”

Judge Terry Ruckriegle scheduled pretrial hearings for April 26, 27 and 28, should they be necessary. The playoffs begin April 17.

The Lakers probably would open their first-round series April 18, a Sunday. Assuming a Sunday-Tuesday-Friday-Sun- day schedule of recent years, Bryant’s hearings could fall during Game 5 or 6, or both.

The first round, for the second year, is a best-of-seven format. There is a chance for further motions hearings in Eagle, Colo., later in the postseason, causing more conflicts.

Bryant, who missed Tuesday’s game in Atlanta because of a hearing and has more scheduled for March 24-25, has missed only one hearing since they began in the fall, and that was because of illness. If the court gets through the pretrial motions in April, jury selection could begin in May, though Bryant probably would not have to attend.

“It is disturbing,” Jackson said. “We’ll have to use some influence somewhere along the line to hopefully get some kind of work stoppage or something for the trial. It’s going to change the complexion of how we play. It’s important for us.”

On Dec. 19, Bryant attended a hearing in Eagle and returned to Los Angeles in time to play against the Denver Nuggets, entering the game after one quarter and making the game-winning shot at the end of the fourth.

Because of injury, illness and his legal schedule, Bryant has missed 15 games. The Lakers have won seven of them. The playoffs, however, are a different game, and the Lakers have held their breaths all season, hoping the playoffs would come between the hearings and a trial.

“The adjustments we make are the same,” Jackson said. “Every playoff game is a magnitude of 10 from the regular season. You just can’t recover from that.”

Laker players avoided comment on what has become a sensitive issue. Told of the April dates, however, several players were shocked, one saying, “I guess we better sweep.”

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Horace Grant was unable to play because of a sore right hip and groin, ailments that have grown worse, he said, over the past week.

He will be examined today. Grant said he expected to have an MRI exam and X-ray.

Jackson called the injury “unusual.”

“We’ll shoot him at the end of the season and be rid of him,” Jackson said with a grin.

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Karl Malone hopes to be cleared to increase activity, and perhaps play, today during an examination by Dr. Ralph Venuto. Malone has not played since Dec. 21, when he suffered a torn ligament during a game against the Phoenix Suns.

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Bryon Russell’s thighs are so large, strength coach Jim Cotta has taken to calling him “Quadzilla.”