LAKERS NOTEBOOK: BUTLER DOES IT FOR L.A.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO - A sore lower back kept Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen from playing in Monday night's exhibition game at San Diego Sports Arena. An injured little finger, by comparison, was the last thing that would stop Lakers forward Caron Butler.

On a night that was supposed to belong to Allen's eagerly anticipated meeting with Kobe Bryant, Butler ended up stealing the show. He scored a game-high 18 points, including 16 in a row for the Lakers during the first quarter, in an easy 117-91 victory.

Butler played without a splint on his injured finger and was nothing short of sensational. He hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with the shot clock expiring, then followed with a pull-up jumper over Nick Collison.

He also went to the foul line 12 times in the quarter and converted 11 free throws. By the time he headed to the bench with 22.4 seconds remaining, the Lakers' fears about Butler and the partially torn tendon in his right pinky had been eased.

``I just got to get used to it, man, four to six weeks it's going to be like this,'' said Butler, who tried playing with the splint Sunday in Las Vegas.

``I know it's tougher and I know it's easier to play with it ... but I just feel more comfortable with it off. So that's a battle I had with (trainer Gary) Vitti. I didn't win, I was just disobedient.''

Bryant and Allen, meanwhile, will have to wait until Dec. 14 in Seattle to settle scores. Allen had called Bryant ``very selfish'' after their exhibition opener earlier this month and Bryant offered a profane response when asked about Allen on Sunday.

But Allen did not dress for the game and Bryant had to settle for matching up against Antonio Daniels.

``I'm tired of talking about Ray, to be honest with you,'' said Bryant, who played only nine minutes and finished with two points. ``I'm tired of talking about Ray. Next question.''

Allen said: ``It was funny, but it's a dead issue to me.''

--Grant in aid: What made Brian Grant's 22-point, 11-rebound performance Sunday night against Phoenix especially pleasing wasn't that Grant led the Lakers in scoring or went 10 of 12 from the field. It was that the 32-year-old forward logged 24 much-needed minutes.

Grant hadn't played more than 18 minutes in any of the five previous games. Even when Grant did play, Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich said he often asked to come out.

But Grant believes he is making progress with a week to go before opening night.

``My playing schedule hasn't been Rudy T. at all, it's been me,'' Grant said. ``He'll look at me, kind of give me a nod, 'Do you want to go or not?' I've kind of stayed back, just trying to kind of build myself up. (Sunday) he wanted me to keep going, I went out there and had a pretty decent night.''

--For comparisons sake: The Lakers improved to 5-2, guaranteeing a winning exhibition season for the first time in seven years, and Bryant has had his two highest scoring games in the losses.

There are reasons to explain the phenomenon, namely that Bryant has played longer in the losses than wins. He also had to shoulder much of the load with the Lakers out of sync in their opener.

``This is four games in five nights,'' Tomjanovich said. ``I haven't analyzed anything like that. I don't see any correlation at all.''

--Odds and ends: Kareem Rush returned from a foot injury and had 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting in 26 minutes. ... Slava Medvedenko could return from a bruised heel Thursday against the Washington Wizards in Oklahoma City.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

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CARON BUTLER

Lakers forward scores 18 points in Lakers' 117-91 win Monday.