FOX TAKES ONE FOR THE TEAM FORWARD RISKS FURTHER INJURY BY STARTING PLAYOFF OPENER.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

Rick Fox is the most docile Laker, the one who doesn't have spats or public controversies and actually seems to enjoy speaking with the media. Yet as the playoffs began Saturday night, the Lakers arguably needed Fox's fire and competitiveness more than anybody else's.

Fox attempted to play through a dislocated right thumb with nothing more than a soft bandage on his hand, and before the game, coach Phil Jackson acknowledged the possibly that Fox could further injure himself by playing. But there never seemed to be any question that Fox would play.

``No doubt about it,'' Fox said before the game.

Fox's insistence would seem to have two-fold motivation. First, this could be his final chance at his fourth championship. And within that context the Lakers, who are already shaky on defense, need his defensive ability against Houston small forward Jimmy Jackson.

With Lakers forward Devean George considered questionable at best with a strained calf, the Lakers need all the help they can get against the versatile Jackson.

In the teams' final regular-season meeting on April 1, Jackson took 15 shots but made only five, grabbed 12 rebounds and committed five turnovers.

Fox suffered his thumb injury eight days later and missed the final three regular-season games. The initial diagnosis had him missing up to two more weeks, but Fox pronounced himself ready to play Saturday night, and without the splint that he had been using in practice this week.

``The apparatus was more of a precautionary measure, to prevent anything else from happening,'' Fox said. ``I'm at the point right now where I'm just going to tape it up. There may be some times when it gets hit, but it's not going to be enough to stop me from playing.''

Fox also provides an intangible boost for the Lakers, given his 95 games of playoff experience. George has displayed moments of brilliance, but during the course of a pressurized playoff run, the Lakers need to be able to depend on Fox's leadership.

``These are two teams with some great matchups,'' Fox said. ``Shaq (O'Neal) and Yao (Ming), Kobe (Bryant) and Cuttino (Mobley), (Steve) Francis and (Gary) Payton ... a lot of individual games within the big game. We're excited. We've had our share of success, as have the Houston Rockets, but right now this is playoff basketball and we have a lot more experience than they do, so we have to hope to exploit that.''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Rick Fox (17) started the Lakers' playoff opener against Houston and played without the splint he had used since dislocating his thumb.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer