Defeats come at end of time

By Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner

Jan. 16, 2009 12 AM PT

If the Lakers could have shortened some of their games to 47 minutes and varying degrees of seconds, their record would be that much better.

It’s akin to saying some baseball teams would look better in eight innings of play, or that some football teams would be just fine if an opponent’s final 83-yard drive had been wiped off the record.

But for conversation’s sake, of the losses suffered by the Lakers (31-7), four have been in the waning seconds, including Wednesday’s 112-111 loss in San Antonio, with the key moment being Roger Mason’s three-point play with 10.5 seconds left.

The Lakers lost in Miami last month, 89-87, when Kobe Bryant’s 12-footer rimmed out as time expired, and followed it up with a 106-103 loss in Orlando a night later when Sasha Vujacic’s three-point attempt experienced a similar fate with 3.9 seconds left.

They also lost in Indiana, 118-117, on Troy Murphy’s last-second tip-in.

“We’ve had a few of them,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. “Many things happen in these games. It’s not football, the ball doesn’t take funny bounces, but sometimes things go awry, there’s no doubt about it.”

Of course, the Lakers have been on the other side of last-second luck, fortunate to see Caron Butler’s three-point attempt go astray in a 106-104 victory in Washington and elated that Indiana failed to get off a last-second shot in a 121-119 victory at Staples Center last week.

You again?

Many eyes will be on Andrew Bynum tonight when the Lakers get a chance to even their record against Orlando.

In their earlier loss to the Magic, Bynum stalled because of foul trouble and was overwhelmed on the stat sheet by Orlando center Dwight Howard.

Bynum picked up his second foul 1:05 into the game and never found any semblance of rhythm. He finished with three points, one rebound and five fouls in 12 minutes.

Howard also had five fouls, but he managed to stay on the court for 31 minutes and totaled 18 points, 12 rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals.

Bynum’s strategy tonight?

“Stay on the court and just don’t get in early foul trouble,” he said. “Then make him have to spend some energy in defense.”

Bynum’s confidence appears to be growing on offense, where he has averaged 18.2 points and is shooting 59.7% in his last five games, including 18 points on nine-for-15 shooting against San Antonio.

His rebounding, however, has dropped considerably, down to 5.2 a game over the same stretch. He had three against San Antonio and only one in 27 minutes against Houston.

He’s everywhere

The versatile Trevor Ariza just may find himself being pushed to the limit.

He is part of the Lakers’ “Bench Mob,” a unit that has become depleted because of injuries. He has been asked to defend wing players and point guards, something the 6-foot-8 Ariza has welcomed.

He may be asked to do even more, such as facilitate the offense now that Derek Fisher has a minor groin injury he suffered during the fourth quarter against San Antonio.

Vujacic (back spasms) didn’t make the two-game trip to Houston and San Antonio, and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. Forward Luke Walton (sore right foot) hopes to play tonight, but the Lakers want him to practice first, and Thursday’s session was canceled by Jackson. Guard Jordan Farmar (recovering from left knee surgery) still is out.

“We’ve got a lot of versatile players,” Ariza said. “Kobe, Lamar [Odom]. You can throw me in there if you want to. I just play basketball, man, and just try to do what I can do.”

Against the Magic, a team Ariza spent about two years playing for before the Lakers acquired him last season, he could find himself all over the court.

Ariza will enter the game and be asked to defend one of Orlando’s forwards, either Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis. He also might spend some time guarding 6-foot point guard Jameer Nelson.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ariza said. “I don’t care as long as I’m contributing and helping our team.”

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