SOLID PREMIERE FOR BIG SHOW.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

It was part premiere, part debut, part exhibition game.

The Big Man was back, and true to the words of Lakers coach Phil Jackson - ``It's not a panacea to have him back'' - but it wasn't bad.

Shaquille O'Neal, with a little more muscle and beef, returned at last Friday night against the Bulls, looking part savior and part slightly rusty dominating center.

The Lakers had gone all out to give his return the feel of a major event. The theme was of a movie premiere. Outside searchlights bounced off the skies. There were red carpets placed on the sidewalk.

Then just before the game on the overhead video board, the Lakers showed a preview to the ``Rocky'' theme that included plenty of shots of Shaq working out, punching hanging beef in a meat locker, and hitting a punching dummy that wore a T-shirt that said something not very nice about the Sacramento Kings.

Then when the game started, the star was on the bench. It was a different kind of premiere.

Just more than 3 minutes into the game, came the first ``We want Shaq'' chant, but it took another 3 minutes before Shaq and his surgically improved big toe made their season debuts.

The sellout crowd rose, giving the man who is to lead the Lakers from the darkness of their 3-9 start, a standing ovation. Shaq looked very serious.

The Lakers, who had struggled without Shaq, managed to hold back tears.

But this was their first actual game with Shaq since last June in New Jersey, and everyone understands the Lakers will have to get used to him again.

``It'll be an adjustment,'' Jackson said.

So immediately after Shaq entered, an eager Rick Fox forced a pass into him that went for a turnover. Fox would make up for it later.

There were early moments he looked very much the Shaq last seen at Staples, and others where his timing was clearly off. One moment he was exploding to the basket, the next he was fumbling a rebound off his hands.

``I missed a couple of shots I don't normally miss,'' Shaq said. ``I'm playing with 10 toes again, so I just have to get used to being out there.''

The crowd acted like he'd never been away. During one timeout, to the Beatles' tune of ``All You Need Is Love,'' a group started singing, ``Shaq, Shaq, Shaq. Shaq is all you need.''

He played 6 minutes in the first quarter, and 4 more in the second. By the half he already had 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. And sure enough, he was not the answer to all the Lakers' ills. He was the only Laker hitting. The rest of the Lakers at the half were 11 of 36 (30 percent).

Some of the other stuff seemed a struggle, too. Shaq was twice called for goaltending, and he didn't agree with either call. Donyell Marshall, a 6-9 forward, twice blocked his shots. There was one airball on a baseline turnaround.

He started the second half but missed his only shot. He was running up and down the court OK, but he was searching for his stride.

``He brings a certain amount of levity and intrigue to the game,'' Jackson said.

The Lakers, actually knocking down a few jumpers, took their first double-digit lead with Shaq on the bench.

But they started warming up to him when he returned in the fourth quarter and showed more flashes of finding his rhythm.

The Staples crowd has been almost mute this season with Shaq on the sideline, but in the fourth quarter Fox let fly a pass from the left side of the baseline that Shaq one-handed well above the rim and slammed through the net.

It was a rare early-season sighting - the Staples crowd exploding. The Big Fella could still play a little, even if this is something of his exhibition season.

The spectacular slam started a nice little Lakers spurt that had them up 81-65 and Shaq heading to the bench, a first night's work done. He finished with 17 points (8 of 13) and seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

The crowd was alive and believing, even if Shaq had sort of handpicked his return Friday against the Bulls, and not games during the week at Dallas and San Antonio. These are the young, 4-9 Bulls, and stronger tests are to come.

But a frustrated Lakers team had early reason to believe their recent struggles would soon be a thing of the past. An 86-73 victory didn't hurt, either.

``Now with everybody back, no excuses whatsoever,'' Shaq said. ``Now it's all about going out and playing hard and getting back what we lost.''

They are plenty more steps to take, but the Lakers' confidence swelled the moment Shaq stepped his size 22s on the court.

Three rings will give a team a certain confidence. Also the return of the most dominating player in the game.

As a premiere, it got mostly strong reviews, with the promise of better raves still to come soon.