Bryant Calls Ejection a Rare Slip

Kobe Bryant has spent his basketball life being the cool one.

That is why it was so far from character when he was assessed a technical foul Saturday against the Clippers, and then a second, forcing the Lakers to play almost 19 minutes without him.

“My favorite animal growing up was always the great white shark,” Bryant said. “I loved great white sharks, because they’re just so quiet. They move, stealth-like. When they want to attack, they attack and rip things to pieces. Despite all that going on, they’re real steady, real calm.”

Bryant usually saves his rants for private.

“Aw, shoot. Aw, man,” he said. “I get ma-a-ad. But at an early age, I realized the value of channeling frustrations and anger, so I won’t waste my energy in some tirade.”

*

One of the reasons Shaquille O’Neal has been less dominant is his positioning in the lane, according to Coach Phil Jackson.

“The guys are not totally happy with him coming all the way to the ball,” Jackson said. “He’s holding himself in the lane, trying to stay as close as he can to the basket. It’s something that we’ll get back into this week.”

*

The Lakers play two games--Wednesday against Utah and Sunday against the Clippers--in the next 10 days. . . . Forward Devean George is eligible to come off the injured list.