LAKERS SEE PAST, MOVE FORWARD O'NEAL VISITS STAPLES CENTER; BRYANT'S LAST-SECOND FREE THROWS CAP RALLY OVER BOBCATS LAKERS 99, CHARLOTTE 98.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

Whether a bet with Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw was the impetusor not, Shaquille O'Neal showed up in the second quarter of Sunday night's game at Staples Center. Too bad it took a little while longer for O'Neal's former team to do likewise.

After a drive-by appearance at his old home, O'Neal was long gone by the time the Lakers had to scratch out a 99-98 victory over the second-year Charlotte Bobcats, the ugly prelude to a six-game roadtrip that begins Tuesday in Milwaukee.

If he had stayed, O'Neal would have watched as the Lakers overcame a six-point deficit in the final 2 1/2 minutes to win. Kobe Bryant hit four free throws in the last 17.4 seconds to salvage a game in which he shot just 9 for 30 on the way to 29 points.

It was just enough to avoid a second dose of Shaq O'Neal fate, so coined by the MVP center after last season's Christmas game, when Bryant missed a shot at the buzzer in overtime against O'Neal and the Miami Heat.

The Bobcats led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter and blew what looked to be a game they had in hand. But Charlotte point guard Brevin Knight, a 79.8 percent foul shooter entering Sunday, missed two free throws with 11.8 seconds remaining.

That left the Lakers the opening they needed to finally win a game late. With the Bobcats leading 98-97, the Lakers called timeout and put the ball in Bryant's hands, much as they did last season in a game at Charlotte.

He inbounded the ball to Chris Mihm, who handed it back to Bryant as the Bobcats switched from Keith Bogans to Bernard Robinson guarding him. Instead of pulling up for a long jumper, Bryant drove the lane and was fouled.

Bryant went to the line and hit both free throws - he made 11 of 12 from the foul line in the game - and the Lakers survived even as Knight drove the length of the floor and kicked a pass to Gerald Wallace for a wide-open 3-pointer.

Wallace missed everything, however, and Bogans could not follow up before the buzzer sounded. The Lakers had escaped, barely, and did not want to consider the alternative.

Mihm finished with 21 points while Melvin Ely led the Bobcats with 20 points. Brian Cook, who hit two big jumpers in the final two minutes, chipped in with 11 for the Lakers.

For the first time since the 2004 NBA Finals, Shaq, Kobe and Phil were all back together. They will be again on Christmas Day when the Lakers play O'Neal's Heat in Miami.

O'Neal, who gave Lakers officials only a half-hour notice of his arrival, walked to his courtside seat during a timeout with 8:36 left in the second quarter and was greeted by cheers as soon as he was recognized by the crowd.

The Lakers put O'Neal's image on the video board and played the Superman theme as the cheers grew into a standing ovation. O'Neal was greeted by a stream of well-wishers at his seat, including equipment manager Rudy Garciduenas.

His former team led 35-30 at the time but struggled the rest of the quarter and went into halftime trailing 48-46. Bryant was on the bench when O'Neal arrived, but shot just 2 for 11 in the half and got caught in midair before throwing away a pass at the buzzer.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Lakers' Chris Mihm, right, dunks over Charlotte's Gerald Wallace.

(2 -- color) Former Laker Shaquille O'Neal watches the Lakers' game on Sunday night.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer