HE'S HAD PRACTICE DOING THIS: IVERSON HAS AN ANSWER FOR KOBE.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE NBA 

It is now year two of Kobe's life without Shaquille O'Neal, and nobody knows better than Allen Iverson what Bryant is going through.

The balancing act of carrying a team and sharing the load - Iverson's been there.

The need to take charge added to the responsibility of getting others involved - Iverson's spent a career doing it.

The pressure of having the fortunes of a franchise rest squarely on your shoulders - who knows better than Iverson in Philadelphia?

``I definitely can relate to what he's going through, just in terms of not having that marquee name on your team, or being able to play with another all-star,'' Iverson said. It's hard on you.''

Iverson understands because he's been doing it his entire career.

``When you're a player like myself and a player like him you get the praise when things are going well, '' Iverson said. But you better believe you better know how to handle it when the criticism comes because it's going to come.''

Even at age 30 with 10 seasons in the league, Iverson still has the devastating quickness, even though too many games over too many seasons have cost him a step. He still has the ability to bust an opponent off the dribble or pull up for a deep three over the outstretched hands of a defender.

Iverson is averaging 33.1 points per game - a fraction behind Bryant's 33.2 - and hasn't lost any of the skills that make him the best little man to ever play the game.

He still wears his hair in cornrows and the tattoos that cover hisarms, back and neck are as defiant as ever.

But those things just make him one of many rather than the trendsetter he was a decade ago.

What's missing is the chip on the shoulder Iverson played with and lived with for so long, the one that thrust him into the role as the baddest player in the league almost the minute he arrived.

Michael Jordan was corporate. Magic Johnson was a breath of freshair. Larry Bird was middle America.

Allen Iverson was the streets, talking big, walking tall, stirring things up on and off the court.

He butted heads with coaches. He crossed paths with the police. At times he seemed out of control, and more than a few people wondered if he'd stick around long enough to tell about it all.

Now look at him. Not quite mellow, but definitely calmer.

In other words, he's growing up.

Maurice Cheeks was a 76ers assistant when Iverson first arrived in Philadelphia from Georgetown 10 years ago. Cheeks returned this year as head coach and discovered a different Iverson than the one he first encountered.

``He's older, he's more mature,'' Cheeks said. ``It's something everybody goes through, and not just players. It's people, period. When I first came into the league I had to grow up, too.''

Maybe that's why Iverson sounded downright scholarly as he talked about Bryant Friday night, advising him to roll with the flow as equal measures of praise and criticism comes his way.

It's something Iverson himself struggled with earlier in his career. But with age comes perspective.

``It's something I've learned to accept over the years,'' he said. ``I'm strong enough to handle it now.''

Not that Iverson would ever sit Bryant down and school him directly.

``That's up to him to figure out how to do it by himself,'' Iverson said. ``He's so good and so smart that he'll find his way on how to get it done. It's tough and it's a learning process, but it's something that he's going to have to figure out.''

--No surprise here: Good guy Bob Weiss took the fall forthe chaos in Seattle, becoming the first coach to be fired this year when the Sonics axed him on Christmas eve and replaced him with former Indiana, San Antonio and New York coach Bob Hill.

Weiss was a dead man walking after the Sonics started horribly, then refused to even pretend like they were playing hard for him.

It was a curious revolt considering it was the players who lobbiedthe hardest for Weiss after Nate McMillan bolted for Portland afterlast season.

The Sonics were tired of McMillan's tough-guy style and openly embraced Weiss' kinder, gentler approach. The Seattle brass, confusing fondness for respect, gave Weiss the job, then lived to regret it after the players got so comfy in their new surroundings they stopped working hard.

It didn't help that defensive standouts Jerome James and Antonio Daniels weren't re-signed, and that young players such as Vladimir Radmanovic, Vitaly Potapenko, Luke Ridnour and Nick Collison regressed after promising seasons.

How Weiss coaxed 13 wins out of the madness is actually a tribute to the well-liked NBA lifer. But it wasn't working and everyone knew it, so Seattle quickly pulled the plug.

Now it's Hill's problem.

Of course, Weiss was just the first of what could be a number of coaching changes. Here's a look at coaches who might want to consider updating their resumes:

Sam Mitchell, Toronto: The recent five-game winning streak notwithstanding, John Wooden would have a hard time winning with the collection of talent poor Mitchell isworking with.

Word up north is that the Raptors brass won't make any changes until after the season, but that's just delaying the inevitable. By this time next year Mitchell will be on another team's bench as an assistant, and likely enjoying every minute away from the misery in Toronto.

--Rick Adelman, Sacramento: He's in the last year of his contract so that might by him the rest of the season, but it doesn't look like this relationship will extend any longer than that.

The Kings, once one of the most entertaining teams in the league,don't scare anybody anymore and they're downright awful at home,losing 10 of their first 19. The best bet for everyone at this point is a change of scenery.

And don't worry about Adelman. He'll immediately be the most sought after coach heading into the offseason.

--Scott Skiles, Chicago: And things look so promising for Skiles and the Bulls after they broke through to the postseason last year for the first time since Jordan retired.

That didn't last long. The Bulls are 12-19, Eddy Curry now plays for New York and center Tyson Chandler was recently diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma and is taking medicine for a hiatal hernia.

And that was before he sprained an ankle Wednesday, aninjury that's expected to sideline him more than a week.

Skiles deserves better, but unless he gets the Bulls turned around he could be looking for work soon.

--Eddie Jordan, Washington Like Skiles did in Chicago,Jordan guided the Wizards to their first playoff appearance in adecade last year. Unfortunately, Larry Hughes signed with Cleveland and Antawn Jamison appears stuck in a season-long slump.

Washington is second in the Southeast Division, but its 12-17 record tells the real story.

--Olympic Fever: Jerry Colangelo says he has met with no resistance from players regarding the required three-year commitment to play in the 2008 Olympics, and it looks like might get a surprising commitment from Shaquille O'Neal.

Colangelo, the managing director of the U.S. Senior Men's National Team, made his pitch to O'Neal and teammate Dwyane Wade this week when the Heat were in Phoenix.

``He's a well-respected man, he had a lot to say,'' O'Neal said of Colangelo. ``I told him I would consider it. I've got to go home now and talk to Mama (wife Shaunie). I'm having a baby in May, so I've got to talk to her about it so we'll see."

Now for the really interesting part: Kobe Bryant is already committed to play in 2008. Hmmmm. Bryant and O'Neal, together again?

Wade said he's seriously considering the offer to participate, although he's got some misgivings after his experience in Athens in 2004. Wade wasn't happy with the USA's bronze-medal finish, nor the heavy-handed coaching style of Larry Brown.

``There is a side of me that wants to go, and there is a side of me that of course wants to win the gold,'' said Wade. ``But there is a side of me that wants to make sure that things are different this time around.''

A team of 20 players will be selected, with practice beginning in July followed by exhibitions in the Far East before going to Japan to play in the World Basketball Championships.

The selected squad will gather again in 2007 for practice and one or two exhibition games.

CAPTION(S):

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(1) OFF THE GLASS

- Vincent Bonsignore

(2) Daily News/CBS 2/KCAL 9 SPORTS CENTRAL POWER RANKINGS

- Ross Siler