Bryant’s Defense Is Sorely Needed

Besides nursing a tender ankle, Kobe Bryant has a sore index finger on his shooting hand.

After practice Saturday, Bryant said the ankle is fine, that he is able to go “full bore� once he gets some treatment on it and warms up. He said the finger, which he hurt a couple of weeks ago, still flares up for a minute or so, sometimes when he catches a hard pass.

However, the finger doesn’t appear to be hampering his shooting. He made 12 of 26 shots while scoring 29 points in the second half against Seattle on Thursday night.

But making shots wasn’t all Bryant did against Seattle. On defense, he frustrated the SuperSonics’ Ray Allen most of the night. And once when Allen did break loose to score late in the game, when the outcome had already been settled, Bryant was visibly upset.

Bryant, who has been named to the NBA’s all-defensive team five times but didn’t make it last season, was asked Saturday if making the team again was an important goal.

“Sure, why shouldn’t it be?� he said. “I want to be a great defensive player. I don’t want people to just look at me as someone who can score with a basketball.�

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Brian Cook, who had a season-high 17 points in the victory over Seattle, left practice with flu-like symptoms. His status for tonight’s game against New Jersey will be determined today. ... Coach Phil Jackson said Luke Walton, who has been sidelined more than six weeks with a hamstring injury and then a hip strain, is likely to be activated before tonight’s game. Jackson said he didn’t know if Walton would play. ... While Walton and other reserves stayed after practice for a three-on-three scrimmage, Lamar Odom stuck around to shoot free throws. Odom, who made two of seven free throws in a loss to the Clippers on Nov. 18 and one of six in a loss to Chicago a week ago, made nine of 10 in the victory over Seattle. Odom said he has been working hard on his free-throw shooting since the Chicago loss. “Free-throw shooting for us is like putting for golfers,� Odom said. “You have to practice it.�

TONIGHT

vs. New Jersey, 6:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 5-6, Nets 5-7.

Record vs. Nets (2004-05) -- 1-1.

Update -- This is the fourth game of a five-game trip for the Nets, who have lost three in a row. The Nets lost at Phoenix, 92-81, Friday night after trailing, 44-30, at halftime. They made only 12 of 41 shots in the first half. In last season’s meetings with the Nets, the Lakers lost at home, 109-103, and won at New Jersey, 104-103, in overtime. Vince Carter leads the Nets, averaging 20.9 points a game. Richard Jefferson is averaging 19.3 and Jason Kidd 13.7, with 6.5 assists.

Tickets -- (800) 462-2849 or ticketmaster.com