LAKERS NOTEBOOK: JACKSON FOCUSED ON FEAT, NOT AUERBACH.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - Red Auerbach no doubt has a cigar with Phil Jackson's name on it, to be puffed on the occasion of the Lakers' demise, if that event comes to pass in the next two weeks.

Ever since Jackson joined the Lakers and began collecting championships again, Auerbach has been there to deride and belittle his achievement. It's a rite of spring, the Boston Celtics icon emerging to repeat his contention that Jackson simply walked into ready-made teams and rode them to titles.

In the meantime, Jackson upped his ring count to nine, tying Auerbach's record.

Now, with the Lakers facing Detroit in the Finals, Jackson stands four victories away from breaking the tie. Despite Auerbach's yammering, and his one-time rivalry with Jackson's mentor, the late Red Holzman, Jackson won't frame the Finals in those terms.

``That'd be a real feat,'' he said of a 10th title. ``But it's not about Red so much as about just to hold the record, I think, would be an awesome thing. But I've got a lot of respect for Red and what he's done in basketball. He's got an organization that he carries, basically. And not just (with) his coaching.

``I think actually he could have probably, easily coached another two championships, but he handed the team over to Bill Russell (in 1966), when Russell was starting to lose interest. And I think it kept Russell interested in getting those last two championships for them in (1968 and 1969).''

--Pain: Derek Fisher and Karl Malone were both held out of practice Thursday to rest their injured knees. Jackson hopes both will practice today.

But it's possible neither Malone nor Fisher will get more than one day of work before Sunday, leaving them rusty at best for Game 1.

``They won't be at the top of their game, but they might be able to play an aspect of their game very well,'' Jackson said. ``We're asking Karl to rebound and defend and hit some open shots. He may not be in rhythm to hit the open shots. He can rebound and defend. That's something that we know he's really dedicated himself to doing in this playoffs.''

--The books: No team has won four championships in five years since the Celtics' run ended in 1969, so the Lakers are in position to make history on that front as well.

``You guys (in the media) have your own minds and you have your own trickery with your pens, so I don't know what you guys are going to write or where you guys are going to rank us,'' Shaquille O'Neal said. ``I wouldn't start ranking until I stop playing, in about 10 years.''

By then, O'Neal hopes to have at least seven rings.

--Some other time: It's pretty clear that Gary Payton is not among the world's most enthusiastic Jackson fans. He has been loudly unhappy about playing time and his role in the offense, but still, someone wanted to know his opinion of Jackson's coaching acumen.

In the kindest response he could muster, Payton laughed. ``I don't want to comment on that,'' he said. ``I've got to wait until after we win a championship ... and then we can talk about all that.''

--Deep thoughts: Without Malone, O'Neal said his season would have been ``less funnier'' and probably not as successful. ``Probably not. That's why if he was a woman, I'd kiss him,'' O'Neal said.