LAKERS NOTEBOOK: WALTON TO BE OUT 1-2 WEEKS.

Byline: ROSS SILER Staff Writer

Lakers forward Luke Walton was encouraged Sunday when he was able to do a little walking on his sprained right ankle. He also was secure in his father's love, even if he has to miss a week or so with the injury.

Walton offered a window into life as NBA great Bill Walton's son, telling reporters that his father had called twoor three times since he was hurt in Friday's loss to Charlotte.

``He loves me no matter what,'' Walton said. ``That's what he told me. He said, `Your body doesn't know it's in the middle of the season. Make sure you get healthy before you come back.' Some good fatherly advice.''

The younger Walton was relieved the swelling in the ankle was minimal and there was little bruising. The hope is he will return in about a week, although the Lakers play fourgames in five nights to open an eight-game road trip.

``This morning, I'm able to put a little bit of weight as I walk, and I couldn't do that yesterday,'' Walton said. ``Hopefully, the healing process will just keep getting better.''

Blame game: Having run out of explanations for his team's inability to beat the NBA's lightweights this season -- see Friday's loss to the Charlotte Bobcats -- Lakers coach Phil Jackson took responsibility himself.

``It's a lack of focus. It starts with the coach,'' Jackson said. ``That's one of the things I have to continue to remind myself is not to expect that they understand.

``We take them through sessions, videotape or whatever, watching the other team, and we try to emphasize points, but I think it's re-emphasizing all the time sometimes that perhaps I'm lax at.''

Jackson said he was trying not to be ``overbearing,'' fearing that it ``wears players out.'' But Jackson said he also delivered the message that players would lose minutes if things didn't change.

``That's not so overbearing,'' Jackson said. ``That's just taking them out of the game. You don't even have to say a word. That speaks volumes.''

Friendly foul: Former Laker Robert Horry missed a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds left in regulation that could have won the game for the Spurs. He complained that Kobe Bryant fouled him on the shot, which Bryant took pleasure afterward in admitting was true.

``What's he going to get, a clean look? I don't think so,'' said Bryant, who stuck out his tongue at Horry heading to the bench. ``He knows what I did to him. No way he's going to get a clean look.''

There was some payback for the Spurs at the other end. Bryant had a potential winning shot blocked by Manu Ginobili, though he did accidentally hit Ginobili in the face on the play.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

The Lakers' Luke Walton sprained his ankle Friday against Charlotte.

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images