LAKERS NOTEBOOK: SPASMS KEEP DIVAC COMEBACK IN LIMBO.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

The first setback came in mid-September, when Vlade Divac attempted the now-infamous spin move during workouts that sidelined him with a herniated disc for all of training camp and the first 11 games of the regular season.

The second setback came 10 days ago, when Divac woke up suffering from back spasms and returned to the injured list. It is the latest misfortune in what is fast becoming a snakebit season for the 36-year-old Lakers center.

Divac needed the better part of two months to recover from the first injury. He has no timetable for returning from the second, other than wanting his return to happen as soon as possible.

``It's so frustrating to me,'' said Divac, who played eight games before the second injury. ``I felt pretty good, I started running and it got me again. I feel so bad. It's frustrating when you have a pain all the time.''

As was the case with the herniated disc, the Lakers are reluctant to make any pronouncements about when Divac will return. But Divac said he would go to greater lengths this time to rest his back.

If he needs another two months to recover, Divac likely would not play again until after the All-Star break in February. He is eligible to return from the injured list Wednesday but almost certainly will be sidelined for much of January.

Divac signed a two-year, $10.3 million contract with the Lakers in July and was expected to be their starting center come November. But he has not played more than seven minutes in any game this season.

--Take a seat: The Lakers will make a concerted effort as they move into January to reduce Kobe Bryant's minutes. Bryant is averaging a league-high 43.7 minutes per game. He played 46 minutes with an injured left shoulder Tuesday against Toronto.

He has been battling plantar fasciitis in his left foot since the second week of the season and has all but carried the Lakers late in games. Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said he and Bryant had a ``really good talk'' about the minutes situation Monday.

``I have so much confidence in the guy, I think he's Superman,'' Tomjanovich said. ``He plays point guard, he plays like a two-guard, he plays like a power forward. I love that. When I got the job, that's what I talked about, using him and letting him be creative and all that.

``But he's got to get some rest. Usually, I haven't been substituting him in the second half and I did (Tuesday). We talked about it, didn't knock it down a whole bunch but we're going to try to get it down a little bit so he has some gas at the end.''

Tomjanovich sat Bryant for the first two minutes of the fourth quarter Tuesday and he hit 5 of 6 shots after returning. The problem is that opponents have outscored the Lakers by an average of 0.4 points every minute Bryant has spent on the bench this season.

--Add Bryant: After waking up Wednesday, Bryant called trainer Gary Vitti and reported no soreness in the shoulder he injured the night before, according to a team spokesman.

--Holiday break: Tomjanovich often bemoaned the lack of practice time earlier this season, particularly in November. But with four days between games this week, Tomjanovich elected to have his team take both Wednesday and Thursday off.

``I could overkill it, I could overkill this stuff,'' Tomjanovich said, ``and I don't think that's the right thing to do. I remember as a player, in the course of the year, if you could get a couple of days off, how it rejuvenated your body.''

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com