SO FAR, ONLY GLIMPSES OF GARY'S GLITTER.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

HOUSTON - Searching for Gary Payton ...

For his contribution, for his game, for his presence in practice, media sessions and in the fourth quarter.

Right now there are only glimpses of Payton. Flashes of his ability in games. Brief appearances of the presumed Hall of Famer.

This is supposed to be the payoff for Payton, the veteran point guard who passed up millions to sign with the Lakers for a chance to capture an NBA title.

The Lakers' regular season went far from smoothly, but now the postseason has arrived with all its promise. And three games into it, Payton might never have felt so frustrated.

In the Lakers' past two playoff games, Payton sat the entire fourth quarter. Watched it all from the bench. Watched the Lakers blow by the Rockets in Game 2, watched them struggle in a loss in Game 3. Not a sneer to be seen.

He was unhappy to sit in the double-digit victory, and angrily let general manager Mitch Kupchak know it afterward in a chance meeting by their cars following the game.

Now imagine how giddy he is to sit in a loss.

The Lakers are hardly in need of more controversy, and publicly Payton has tried not to stoke the fire.

``Whatever coach (Phil Jackson) wants to do, let him do it,'' Payton said Friday night after Houston's 102-91 victory. ``I'm just here to play basketball. I'm not really concentrating on that.''

Payton skipped Saturday's media session, so offered no additional insight. He also skipped the two sessions last week after sitting in last Sunday's game.

More important, he skipped both practices, which had all the makings of a Payton pout. There was a hyperextended lower back in Sunday's game, but it was not considered serious.

Since his game has been off against Houston, missing practice did nothing for him to regain his shooting. He is just 10 of 30 in the three games against the Rockets and has been to the free-throw line once.

Jackson said after Friday's loss that Payton's shooting problems, lack of practice time and benchings were all related.

``A lot of it's about rhythm, about being in rhythm, to shoot the ball and getting in the flow of what's going on,'' Jackson said.

Jackson and Payton do not have a close relationship. Barely have one at all. But knowing his volatile star, Jackson met with him Saturday before practice to explain the benchings.

``I didn't tell him during the course of the game, I told him this morning,'' Jackson said. ``He knows the reason why.''

Jackson said there was no particular reaction and was uncertain how it was received by Payton, though unconcerned.

``I don't know,'' Jackson said. ``He didn't say anything. I just told him, 'Be ready on Sunday.'

``It's not my job to worry about that. It's my job to do what I think is best for the team.''

As to the explanation, Jackson was not in a sharing mood.

``You don't need to know that,'' he said. ``That's my business, that's his business.''

This is a long ways from the day after Payton's first fourth-quarter benching, when Jackson said a combination of Payton's struggles, Derek Fisher's strong play, the back injury and a comfortable lead made it an ``obvious'' call.

Now it's obviously a growing problem that needs to be headed off before it festers further.

Brian Shaw, the ex-Laker who is currently the team's assistant director of scouting and player development, is a longtime friend of Payton's from their days growing up together in Oakland.

Shaw said Houston's ability to force the Lakers into a half-court game and control the tempo has thwarted Payton's open-floor talent. Payton didn't earn his reputation as a spot-up shooter.

``I'm sure it's kind of frustrating for him, because he feels like he's not really involved, contributing,'' Shaw said. ``The competitor he is, he wants to be out there all the time. He's an aggressive player and this style of play is not allowing him to be aggressive.''

It also hasn't helped Payton that the Lakers are shooting poorly as a team, hitting just 40 percent of their shots. Shaw said Payton can post up Houston guards Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley, but the Rockets excel at doubling down low.

``He's getting double-teamed and making the right passes to guys, and if they're not making shots that's frustrating, too,'' Shaw said.

While Payton sat in Game 2, the Lakers played well and won. But in the fourth quarter Friday, they struggled while Mobley and Francis made several successful drives to the basket to cement the victory.

A team that has done most things the hard way throughout the season continues to struggle.

``Everybody at the beginning of the year thought it was going to be pretty simple,'' Shaw said. ``You put these four guys together and just step on the court and it was all going to happen. But when you have four guys who are all alpha males, that are used to being the go-to guy, it's a lot harder job trying to coach that and make it happen.''

Payton, 35, needs to find his game quickly before his ego overcomes his good sense to refrain from criticizing Jackson. The Lakers don't need Payton going off anywhere but on the floor.