Mike Brown: Ramon Sessions will be a backup for the foreseeable future

Tomorrow’s story tonight …

Steve Blake started his second straight game as the Lakers’ point guard, with Ramon Sessions serving as his backup Sunday against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. It’s likely to stay that way for the rest of the season, coach Mike Brown said.

At least that’s Brown’s plan, anyway.

“Right now, Steve Blake is my starting point guard, and he’s my starting point guard for the foreseeable future until there’s a time I think I need to make a change and right now I don’t see a time right now, but who knows?” Brown said.

Is that because Brown likes Blake as his starter or Sessions as a backup?

“Both,” Brown said.

“Basically, Steve Blake has taken Derek Fisher’s spot and Ramon Sessions has taken Steve Blake’s spot,” Brown added.

Presumably the rotation will change once Sessions becomes more comfortable in the Lakers’ offensive and defensive schemes and the team plays against the sort of young, fast and athletic point guards that hurt them in the past.

It’s no secret the reason the Lakers acquired Sessions from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday and traded Fisher to the Houston Rockets was to match up better with point guards like Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Wouldn’t sitting Sessions behind Blake defeat the purpose of the trades?

Brown said he envisioned splitting the minutes between the two players, or he might even decide to use one of them as a backup to shooting guard Kobe Bryant. So, it’s possible Blake and Sessions could be on the court together.

One thing is for certain, however. Brown has no concerns about getting Sessions up to speed despite the Lakers’ lack of practice time during the lockout-compressed season. He had Sessions working overtime during Saturday’s workout, for instance.

“He’s an intelligent player,” Brown said. “I think he’ll pick things up sooner rather than later because of his intelligence. … Right now, I’m trying to make sure (Sessions and Blake) both get time on the floor because they both can help us.”