O’Neal Has That Old Look to Him

It probably meant nothing when Shaquille O’Neal, The Big Sportsman, grabbed Orlando Coach Doc Rivers and hugged Darrell Armstrong and Tracy McGrady after the Lakers were through with them on Sunday evening.

Probably just, you know, wishing them safe passage, telling them to say what’s up to the Orlando Sentinel columnist who wrote that he wanted to go back to Orlando, to finish his career there, to play with that unselfish McGrady dude.

O’Neal, who pounded the Magic for 37 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks in the Lakers’ 106-100 victory at Staples Center, said that, indeed, a few Magic players mentioned what he later claimed he didn’t say.

“They said a lot, but I never kiss and tell,” O’Neal said.

He laughed. He could. The Lakers won their fourth in a row, the last three without Kobe Bryant, who has a sprained right ankle. They have won nine of 11, three of those wins without O’Neal, who is gathering momentum since he sat out six games because of a strained arch.

Believe it, some of them keep count.

Though O’Neal snapped at a person who asked about the Lakers playing well without Bryant, saying, “I’m not answering that question. I’m tired of you people trying to start controversy,” he did go on.

“It’s just that, uh, right now we’re playing good team basketball and we’re playing good, smart basketball,” he said. “I’m taking it upon myself to get my teammates involved. When I get double- and triple-teamed, I’m going to hit the open guys. They’ve been making me look good. Everything else is irrelevant. It’s all about winning.”

The Lakers have been without O’Neal or Bryant for nine of their last 14 games. They have won 10 of the 14, and have pulled to within a half-game of Portland, which leads the Pacific Division.

The Lakers, Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs have 18 losses. Utah has 17. So, while O’Neal and Bryant fought it out, while Coach Phil Jackson waited them out, while the rest of the world counted them out, here they are, in a dead sprint over the next 27 games for home-court advantage.

And, soon, perhaps Wednesday, they get Bryant back.

The Lakers clearly missed him against Orlando, whose quicker players outrebounded the Lakers, 52-46. The Magic had 22 offensive rebounds, and therefore attempted 99 field goals to the Lakers’ 70. The Lakers attempted 53 free throws, to Orlando’s 25.

Brian Shaw scored 20 points, his second consecutive game with at least that many, and Rick Fox scored 17. Fox’s swollen left middle finger required X-rays, which proved negative.

Otherwise, only Isaiah “J.R.” Rider reached double figures. McGrady, O’Neal’s kind of guy, scored 25 points, but needed 20 shots to get them.

Bryant sat on the bench, willing his right ankle to heal.

The Lakers, without Bryant, Shaw said, “It’s a different team. It’s like when Shaq missed the games he missed, it’s an entirely different team.

“The offense has been a lot more fluid, but that’s not to knock Kobe. He has the ability to create and do things with his athletic ability. With him not being in there, we have to allow the offense to work for us. We’re doing that now, and he’s getting an opportunity to see that the offense does work if we execute it well.

“There’s times when we miss his creativity on the floor, when we’re stuck and we don’t have the other options. [But] I think it’s working out for him and for us, with him being out, so it allows him some time to rest and observe.”

In the meantime, Shaw said, there are players flourishing in the fresh opportunity. Mike Penberthy, while missing all six shots Sunday, appears to be finding his NBA range. Rider has scored in double figures for seven consecutive games. Fox’s game, in particular, has grown.

“It’s helping our confidence a lot, the rest of the guys having to get it done, especially missing a superstar player like Kobe,” Shaw said. “I think it’s really helping us to recognize what the offense can do for us if we allow it to work for us.”