Jackson Has Grand Time on Rio

Phil Jackson’s contract runs out with the season, whenever that comes, so these could be the final games of his NBA coaching career.

There are as many people, both within the organization and around Jackson, who believe he won’t return as there are who believe owner Jerry Buss will ride in with an acceptable extension package.

“I don’t allow it to creep into my thoughts very often,” he said, “but I recognize it.”

So Jackson experiences his moments of sentimentality, even here, among the tourists and conventioneers. He even planned part of his Sunday around them.

“Well, I love to get tacos in San Antonio,” Jackson said. “So I got one this morning ... so that I could experience another taco in San Antonio.”

Then, of course, he couldn’t help himself. “I like the green water down on the rio,” he said, “so I went down and looked at the beautiful green water down on the river. The little things that remind me of San Antonio, I tried to take advantage of.”

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Shaquille O’Neal, who made 29.5% of his free throws in the five-game series against the Houston Rockets, solved none of those issues in the three days before playing the Spurs.

He was three for 13 from the line in Game 1. While his stroke remains inconsistent, it is at least as big a problem that he changes the length of the shot on nearly every attempt. Sunday, O’Neal shot from anywhere between two and 10 inches behind the line.

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Jackson and Tim Duncan had a brief conversation during the second quarter, Jackson standing in front of the Laker bench, Duncan just this side of confused.

After Duncan fouled Karl Malone on the Laker end, Jackson was up, complaining about something, when suddenly the dialogue was aimed at Duncan.

Duncan turned to Derek Fisher and said, “What’s he talking to me for?”

Bruce Bowen felt the need to step between the two, though they were 20 feet apart at the time.

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Kobe Bryant received a technical foul early in the fourth quarter when he and Rasho Nesterovic had to be separated.

Bryant missed a floater near the basket, and on the rebound Nesterovic caught him with one of his arms. Bryant turned and went chest to belt with the 7-footer and the two snapped at each other.

“I basically told him, ‘Calm down,’ ” Bryant said. “I didn’t think it was that big a deal.”