Nervous debut

Luke Walton had one question before making his debut as a color analyst on the Lakers’ radio network tonight. “Are we on the air during commercial breaks? Does that mean I can’t say anything?” Play-by-play man Spero Dedes then took Walton aside and explained the ins and outs of radio to him.

Jackson talking about Rambis

Here’s some of what Lakers coach Phil Jackson had to say today about former assistant coach Kurt Rambis, who brings the Minnesota Timberwolves to face the Lakers on Friday night for the first time since he became their coach last summer:

Question: What’s it like to go against a former coach?
Answer: “You try to bust ’em really hard, give ’em no quarter. No, it’s nice to see this team starting to play well. They got over the hump, so to speak. I’m warning these guys not to take them lightly.”

Q: Is there an emotional aspect to the matchup?
A: “We’re both professionals, so it will be easier to go through this. You look at the team and you hope his players perform well and they do a good job and learn what they’re trying to learn out there. They are (running the triangle). They’re still running the single guard and giving their young guard a lot of open opportunities but they still run their offense. They’re doing a good job.”

Q: Kurt had a lot of opportunities to coach elsewhere. Did you support his decision to go to Minnesota?
A: “Whatever he wanted to do, I was supportive of it. There were a couple of them that were rumored. I was hopeful last year that Chicago would have been an opportunity. Then there was the Sacramento job and the Minnesota job. Except for the fact that it’s cold up there and it’s a whole different climate, and Kurt has been a Californian his whole lift, it’s going to be a good fit for him, I think.”

Q: What advice did you give him?
A: “He’s learned everything. He doesn’t need any advice. He saw all the mistakes I made over the years, I’m sure. You just have to be yourself. You have to follow your instincts.”

Q: Have you talked to him much?
A: “We text back and forth. I think he’s got his head on his shoulders as far as the record goes. He knows this is a team that has to grow and however they grow and whenever they do it this year is important. It’s not one week or one month. It’s a season-long project. … You’re going to learn some sleep when you’re a head coach. You have all those things you want your team to do better. The big key is not to get worn out by losses or depressed by them. That way you can keep your team active and keep them going. I think he’s done that.”

Inside the locker room

Here are some of the best and brightest postgame quotes tonight:

Coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers’ 10-game winning streak: “Oh, we’ll lose. We have a loss coming somewhere down the line. We just have to enjoy this (streak).”

Jackson on the fourth quarter, when the Lakers outscored Utah, 28-6: “That was an amazing quarter. … We were able to apply some pressure. They gave Deron (Williams) a rest out there. We were able to get a little pressure on the ball and get some things happening. (We forced them) into tougher shots, 24-second violations, turnovers and things happened for us. I think once that happened, it kind of just became like an avalanche.”

Utah coach Jerry Sloan on the Lakers’ defensive play in the fourth: “They came out and just destroyed us. We were hanging in the ballgame, but that just shows you what a great team they have — the ability to get up and make us turn the ball over as much as we did. I believe that was time times in the fourth quarter.”

Pau Gasol on what changed for the Lakers in the fourth quarter: “We were much more aggressive defensively. We came up with a bunch of great stops. They were kind of out of whack. They didn’t exectue well enough to get good shots in the fourth quarter.”

Lakers 101, Jazz 77

The Lakers turned a 63-55 deficit into a 24-point victory tonight thanks to a 46-14 flurry to end the game. Utah seemed to be giving the Lakers serious trouble midway through the third quarter, but suddenly couldn’t score and couldn’t keep the Lakers from scoring. The Lakers sprinted away for their 10th consecutive victory, outscoring Utah by 28-6 in the fourth quarter. Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, grabbed six rebounds and added eight assists for the Lakers (17-3), and Pau Gasol had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Deron Williams led Utah (12-9) with 17 points and eight assists. The Lakers shot 46.2 percent; the Jazz shot 33.7 percent.

Halftime: Jazz 52, Lakers 48

Utah last won at Staples Center when William Howard Taft was President. No, not really, but the Jazz had lost five in a row at the Lakers’ home court. They took a modest lead in the first half in hopes of ending their streak. Mehmet Okur had 12 points and Deron Williams and C.J. Miles added 10 apiece. Pau Gasol had 15 points and Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum each scored 10 for the Lakers. The Lakers shot 52.6 percent but still trailed.

Top of the list

The Lakers were the NBA’s most valuable franchise in 2008-09, according to figures released today by Forbes magazine. The franchise is worth $607 million, ending the New York Knicks’ four-year reign as the most valuable team in the league. New York dropped to second for 2008-09, worth a hefty $586 million.The Chicago Bulls ($511 million), the Detroit Pistons ($479 million) and the Cleveland Cavaliers ($476 million) comprised the rest of the top five. The Clippers, the Lakers’ co-tenants at Staples Center, were 23rd ($295 million).

Bumps in the road???

Shannon Brown was guilty of relying on the old cliche about being wary of the bumps in the road as the Lakers prepare to hit the road Saturday to start their first extended trip of the season. A wise reporter (not me) pressed Brown, “Bumps? What bumps have the Lakers hit so far?” Brown smiled and shrugged before answering, “We’ve got good shock resistance, man. We’re riding kind of smooth.” The Lakers are 16-3, after all.

Mbenga tweaks ankle

Backup center DJ Mbenga tweaked his right ankle near the end of the Lakers’ scrimmage this afternoon and could not continue. His status is day-to-day. If he can’t play Wednesday against the Utah Jazz, the Lakers would be down to 11 healthy bodies. Reserve forward Luke Walton continues to be sidelined by a back ailment.

Is the Pacific race over?

Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry delivered what sure sounded like a concession speech after the Suns lost to the Lakers, 108-88, on Sunday. “I don’t think our top priority is beating them right now,” he said. “Our emphasis is not on how the heck we’re going to beat the Lakers. There’s Denver, Houston, New Orleans, Utah — a lot of other teams that we’ve got to try to beat before we think about the Lakers.” The Lakers also hammered Phoenix by 19 on Nov. 12.

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Lakers 108, Suns 88

Tough to find fault with the Lakers’ ninth consecutive victory, a 20-point rout tonight of their closest rivals in the Pacific Division. Kobe Bryant scored 26 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added three assists for the Lakers, who never trailed. Ron Artest had 15 points, five assists and five steals. Pau Gasol added 14 points and Andrew Bynum had 13. The obvious mismatch for the Lakers against the Suns was in the paint, and the Suns tried to make up for it by double-teaming in the low post. The Lakers moved the ball into and out of the post as well as they have all season. As a result, they hit 10 of 21 3-pointers (47.6 percent). Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with 18 points and eight rebounds. The Lakers held the Suns to a season-low 88 points. They were averaging 110.4 points.