[0] LAKERS SLIP UP AGAIN WITH SHAQ OUT, BULLS SWEEP L.A. CHICAGO 97, LAKERS 89.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

They left the fight in Chicago, left Shaquille O'Neal on the bench, and left so much else in a forgotten corner somewhere, buried under a pile of dust bunnies and worn-out theories.

The Lakers closed out the first half of the season Wednesday with another stunning, and yet strangely appropriate clunker. With a 97-89 loss to the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center, the Lakers head into the All-Star break without the momentum they desired, nor the revenge they sought.

Instead, just the same old questions. The loss was their sixth to a last-place team, and their second to the Bulls, who at 11-36 are the NBA's worst team by a mile.

O'Neal, ejected from the Jan. 12 loss in Chicago for fighting, sat this one out to rest his toe, figuring the Lakers could handle things without him.

But aside from Kobe Bryant's 38 points, the Lakers were punchless. And even Bryant's game came with an asterisk, owing to eight turnovers.

The Lakers trailed 81-72 with 5:24 to play, but put together a 10-2 run to make it a one-point deficit with less than a minute to play and appeared poised to take control. But Bulls rookie Trenton Hassell got an easy layup to make it 85-82, and the Lakers faded from there.

Ron Artest blocked Bryant's 8-foot jumper, and it only got worse. Artest made 1 of 2 free throws to extend the lead to 4 points with 27.7 seconds left. Bryant airballed a 3-pointer. Next possession, Derek Fisher airballed a 3-pointer. The Bulls easily pulled away on free throws.

Twenty-five days after O'Neal threw the punch that nicked Brad Miller's ear, there was little emotion or intrigue left. The subplots were drained by time and distance, and the fact that O'Neal and Chicago's Charles Oakley were both in street clothes.

``It's over three weeks ago,'' coach Phil Jackson said. ``We've been through San Antonio a couple times, and some rivalries that we really have long, deep commitments to. So this game is another stop along the (way). As they say, the caravan stops, the dogs will bark and the caravan moves on. That's what happens.''

Still, the Lakers had work to do, and momentum to build for a post-All- Star run.

``I'm looking forward to the game,'' Jackson said. ``I really looking forward to see how they play. They've been off a couple days. ... It's an opportunity for them to play up to their level here. We're a little undermanned (without O'Neal) and yet it's a challenge for us because we're sitting in a position that's pretty good in the league right now. We're pretty happy with where we're at.''

Samaki Walker started at center and pulled down a season-high-tying 14 rebounds to go with 8 points. He fouled out, against Miller, with 1:14 left to play.

While O'Neal sat and watched - a task that couldn't have been any less painful than taking a hammer to his toe - Miller was treated to his newfound villain status, as Lakers public enemy No. 1.

Miller was the last Bull to take the court before tipoff. Not a single Laker offered the customary fist-tap or handshake. Fans booed his introduction, then turned up the volume every time he touched the ball.

And given the chance, with Miller between him and the basket in the second quarter, Bryant went straight for the dunk ... except he got fouled three feet short of the basket and had to settle for a couple of free throws.

It was left to Samaki Walker, Mark Madsen and Slava Medvedenko to man the middle, and punish the Bulls by proxy. That trio was not up to the task, although Medvedenko did score 9 points in the first half.

Bryant, left to carry the scoring load, got 14 points in the first half, but committed three of his team's nine turnovers as the Lakers went into halftime down 43-40. Bryant scored 16 points in the third quarter, but added another pair of turnovers and the Lakers trailed 66-64 heading into the fourth.

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Photo:

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

Kobe Bryant tries to split Chicago's Ron Artest, left, and Brad Miller in the first half.

Box:

GAME RECAP