Horry Better Late Than Webber

SACRAMENTO —  Two of the more open players on the floor in Game 1 were Robert Horry and Chris Webber, which made sense, since they were supposed to be guarding each other.

Horry made shots early, Webber made them in the middle of the game, and then Horry scored on a late dunk after the Sacramento Kings had drawn within five points. Horry had 18 points after averaging eight in the Lakers’ first eight playoff games.

Webber, the Kings’ best player, did not score in the final 51/2 minutes. He put himself at a tremendous disadvantage in that regard by not shooting.

“You’re happy you win the game, but you’re kind of upset he got 28 points,” Horry said. “He basically did what he wanted. Hopefully, that will be different in the next game.”

The Laker defense on Webber was similar to their defense against Tim Duncan in the last series. Duncan averaged 29 points, many on jump shots, and the Lakers concentrated on keeping him from the rim and the other Spurs from scoring.

Asked if he would defend Webber closer in tonight’s Game 2 and perhaps risk allowing him a step to the basket, Horry said, “I haven’t figured it out yet. I’ll sleep on that.”

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The most quotable Laker even before he started pointing out the flaws in Sacramento’s system, Rick Fox has spent the last few days defending his views and his right to express them.

“That’s where I stand,” Fox said. “I stand on the fact I know what we’re capable of doing. I know what I’ve watched the Kings do the last three years, their style of play, which I still don’t understand how, at this time of year, that style is going to be successful. I’m not a coach. I haven’t had success coaching in this league. I just know what I’ve seen work. And I think it’s difficult to keep a tempo like that consistent in a playoff atmosphere and win a series. It’s something I’m sure they struggle with because it’s something they’ve had success to get to this point doing.”

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Devean George watched friend Tyronn Lue turn a few strong playoff minutes with the Lakers into a two-year contract with the Washington Wizards.

A year later, George can be a free agent, but he hadn’t done much offensively in the playoffs before scoring nine points in 12 minutes Saturday. He picked up five fouls, or he would have been on the floor longer.

“I wasn’t really concerned,” he said. “It’s a learning process. Things are a little different when the stakes are a little higher.

“The last series ... I was in a little shooting slump. I was playing too tight, probably, on the offensive end. I played hard on the defensive end. On the offensive end I wanted to make sure I was hitting my shots. I was like, ‘Forget it.’ ... It’s OK if I miss a shot.”

George was kicked in the right shin in Game 1 and played the second half with it padded and taped. He said it would not bother him tonight.

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Kobe Bryant had his bruised right knee taped during Game 1, but didn’t even wear a sleeve for Sunday’s practice. “I’m good,” he said.... Horry, banged twice in the head and once in the thigh in Game 1, was chipper and unbruised Sunday.