LAKERS NOTEBOOK: TOUGH TRIP AHEAD.Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer EL SEGUNDO El Segundo (ĕl sēgŭn`dō), industrial city (1990 pop. 15,223), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1917. Its products include navigation and computer systems, aircraft parts, office machines, telephone apparatus, and - Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). went sprawling for loose balls Sunday, just to set an example for his teammates. By Monday afternoon, he still was trying to set the tone as the Lakers set off for their final, season-defining road trip of the season. Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. is questionable, the Lakers' hopes for winning the top seed in the West even more so, and this four-game set potentially could prove disastrous. But there was O'Neal, cracking jokes with reporters, cackling cack·le v. cack·led, cack·ling, cack·les v.intr. 1. To make the shrill cry characteristic of a hen after laying an egg. 2. To laugh or talk in a shrill manner. v.tr. with glee and setting his sights on a 4-0 trip before dashing off to the airport. ``We're supposed to go 4-0 on this trip,'' he said in a serious moment. ``Anything else is b.s.'' That could very well depend on the health of Bryant, who once again sat out practice Monday, 24 hours after his aborted comeback attempt against the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Knicks. Bryant missed all four of his field-goal attempts, then retired to a bucket of ice after just 11 minutes, his sore left foot too painful to continue. The good news is Bryant did not suffer a setback in his recovery, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. coach Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. . But he's also no better off, and if Bryant cannot participate in this morning's shootaround, he probably won't play tonight at Utah. ``The last thing I'm going to do is put him out there on the floor without getting some shots again,'' Jackson said. ``(We want) a sequence that's somewhat team-oriented so we have an idea exactly where his shooting is. I think (Sunday), although it was all timed up so that he could go out and be comfortable, it still wasn't in a format, so consequently, I think his shooting was awry all that first quarter.'' If Bryant can't play tonight, Jackson expects him back by Thursday, when the Lakers play at Chicago. They play the following night at Boston, then conclude the trip Sunday in Minneapolis. --Harder they fall: O'Neal complained of a slightly bruised left knee, the price he paid for twice diving for loose balls Sunday. It was a rare sight. ``I'm just trying to get everybody going,'' O'Neal said. ``We were down by one, we needed the ball, so I was just doing whatever I could do to get the ball.'' Jackson said he's not worried about the big fella hurting himself: ``No, he's well-padded.'' --Mad Dog not mad: The NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= has rescinded the technical foul technical foul n. Sports A foul, especially in basketball, that is called on a player, coach, or team for unsportsmanlike conduct or infringement of a rule and does not usually involve physical contact with an opponent during play. assessed to Mark Madsen Mark Ellsworth Madsen (born January 28 1976 in Walnut Creek, California) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. After attending San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, California, Madsen, who is a Mormon, served for two years on Sunday. Referee Danny Crawford thought Madsen had thrown the ball at the Knicks' Glen Rice, but it was clear the ball simply slipped from his hands as he was fouled. Crawford later admitted he made a mistake. That means Madsen won't have to pay the standard $500 fine. But the call gave the Knicks a free throw (which Rice made) in a game they won by a single point. ``No big deal,'' Madsen said. ``I mean, big deal in that we lost by a point, but you can't base a game on one play.'' LAKERS vs. UTAH Tipoff: 5 p.m., at Delta Center. TV/Radio: Ch. 9, TBS; 570-AM, 1330-AM (Spanish). Lakers (48-26) update: Their next victory - or a loss by Seattle - will clinch the Lakers a playoff berth. A win tonight would even the season series with Utah at 2-2 and pull the Lakers within a half-game of the Jazz for the third seed in the West. Jazz (49-24) update: Utah just went through a 1-4 stretch before posting wins over Cleveland and Vancouver. It has lost six in a row to teams with winning records and hasn't beaten a playofound team since a March 9 victory over Phoenix. - Howard Beck CAPTION(S): box Box: LAKERS vs. UTAH (see text) |
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