It’s Better Late Than Ever for Tomjanovich

Laker Coach Rudy Tomjanovich was late for his pregame media session -- he apparently chose the wrong rush-hour route from his Pacific Palisades home to Staples Center -- but all was forgiven Tuesday.

Tomjanovich was allowed a few minutes of slack before coaching his first regular-season game since stepping down as the Houston Rockets’ coach in March 2003 because of bladder cancer.

He had eight exhibition games to prepare for the moment, but was more animated than usual throughout the day, burning off nervous energy by delivering punch lines to players at the morning shoot-around.

Tomjanovich’s attitude replaced a more serious demeanor over the days leading up to the game. Two of his adult children had flown in for the occasion, only to find their father laboring over last-minute notes and pregame minutiae. Tomjanovich’s son, Trey, had to remind his father of the larger picture.

“He says, ‘Dad, remember where you were a year ago,’ ” Tomjanovich said. “They were right and I eased up a little ... for about five, 10 seconds.”

*

Before the game, Denver guard Bryon Russell engaged in friendly banter with his ex-teammates -- those he recognized, anyway.

He informed Kobe Bryant that the Lakers were going to lose and later talked about his brief experience with the Lakers.

He was signed last season to supply outside shooting off the bench. It didn’t work out that way -- he averaged only four points in 72 games and was not brought back.

To this day, he regrets what happened in the playoffs, both as a team and personally. Russell did not score a point in 16 total playoff minutes as the Lakers ultimately lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals.

“I can always say we should have done it, but I wasn’t the man pulling all the strings,” said Russell, shrugging. “With all that talent, I would have liked to have seen us win more than one game [against Detroit].”

*

TONIGHT

at Utah, 7:30, Ch. 9

Site -- Delta Center.

Radio -- KLAC (570); KWKW (1130).

Records (2003-04)-- Lakers 56-26; Jazz 42-40.

Record vs. Jazz (2003-04) -- 3-1.

Update -- Utah missed the playoffs by one game and tried to fix that during the off-season by signing free-agent forwards Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. The Jazz also opened the wallet for All-Star forward Andrei Kirilenko, who signed a six-year, $86 million contract extension last week.