Latest Kobe stopper could be whistle away

By Mike Bresnahan

March 28, 2008 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Technically speaking, the Lakers are in trouble, and not just because they’re in a three-way logjam for second place in the Western Conference.

Kobe Bryant is collecting technical fouls in a flurry and will be automatically suspended by the league for one game if he picks up one more technical in the Lakers’ last 10 regular-season games.

He has 15 technical fouls after receiving two in Wednesday’s embarrassing 108-95 home loss to Charlotte.

Bryant had only four technical fouls through Jan. 12, but has since gone on a virtual one-a-week spree, collecting 11 in the last 11 weeks.

It has been an uncomfortable issue for the Lakers at the end of the last few seasons. Bryant had 14 technical fouls last season and 15 in 2005-06.

In addition, he has racked up $22,500 in fines associated with technical fouls this season. He was sent a warning letter by the NBA after he picked up his 12th technical foul earlier this month.

If Bryant received his 16th technical in the last game of the regular season, against Sacramento on April 15, he would be suspended for the first game of the playoffs.

Bryant left without talking to reporters after Thursday’s practice.

“I’m sure he’s aware of it and I know that he’d be concerned about it,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “He did not intentionally or in any way or degree think he was going to get that last technical. He’s been kind of punting the ball over to the referees for about the last week-and-a-half. This one, the referee just wasn’t going to take it.”

On top of being suspended if he picked up a 16th technical foul, Bryant would be suspended for another game if he reached 18 in the regular season.

“We don’t want to lose him, but it could happen,” Jackson said. “We wouldn’t want to lose him for a playoff game, that’s for sure.”

Players are allowed six technical fouls in the playoffs before being suspended for a game after picking up a seventh.

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Center Pau Gasol might return Sunday against Washington after a pain-free day with his sprained left ankle.

He did some one-on-one drills Thursday with assistant coach Kurt Rambis at the team’s training facility. Some post moves still bothered him when he made quick turns, but he felt “pretty good,” he said. “I’ll just wait until probably Saturday to go through a full practice, see how it feels.”

Gasol has missed seven games because of the ankle and is disappointed he will not play against Memphis, his former team, tonight. “It was hard to accept that I was not going to be a part of the game,” said Gasol, who spent 6 1/2 seasons with the Grizzlies before being traded Feb. 1 to the Lakers.

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Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton return to Staples Center tonight with Memphis, although only one of them might play.

Brown has not gotten off the bench the last four games and barely played five minutes the two games before that. He is averaging only 2.5 points and 3.4 rebounds with the Grizzlies. As Jackson noted, “He doesn’t play except for blowouts.”

Crittenton has shown spurts of strong play, scoring 22 points against Houston and 17 against Chicago. Overall, though, he is averaging 6.9 points, one assist and 16.6 minutes a game with the Grizzlies.

Crittenton, Brown, Marc Gasol, Aaron McKie and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 were sent to Memphis in return for Pau Gasol and a second-round pick in 2010. McKie never reported to the Grizzlies and Marc Gasol is playing in Spain.

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The Lakers are almost better on the road (25-13) than they are at home (24-10), which puzzles Jackson.

“On our home court, we’re not stepping up and carrying the punch early in the ballgame,” he said. “We have a terrific road record. I’m not pleased with our home record at all.”

Any theories?

“It could be just Staples itself,” he said wryly. “It’s a dingy, dirty kind of place. I think there’s methane gas or something in the building.”

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Jackson thought Bryant was slowed Wednesday against Charlotte because of a sprained right ankle suffered Sunday against Golden State. “Guys were taking him to the basket,” Jackson said. “Those type of things were really apparent [Wednesday] night.”...Center Chris Mihm did some half-court scrimmaging at Thursday’s practice but is not expected to play tonight. He has not played since Dec. 23 because of an injured right foot.

TONIGHT

vs. Memphis, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 49-23, Grizzlies 18-53.

Record vs. Grizzlies -- 2-0.

Update -- Memphis comes in with one of the worst road records in the league (5-30) and is 5-20 since trading Pau Gasol to the Lakers.

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LAKERS TONIGHT

vs. Memphis

Record: 18-53

at Staples