Nicholson to Play The Palace?

There’s a courtside seat at The Palace waiting for actor Jack Nicholson, but it might go unfilled because his beloved Lakers aren’t on the marquee.

Detroit radio station WOMC-FM took out a classified advertisement in Tuesday’s edition of USA Today to invite Nicholson to the NBA Finals between the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers.

The invitation was inspired by Nicholson’s presence at the finals the past two years, when the Pistons hosted the Lakers.

Los Angeles won a second straight NBA title in 1988, lost to Detroit in four games last season and was toppled by the Phoenix Suns in this season’s Western Conference semifinals.

“We feel he is probably the NBA fan of all time,” program director Don Daniels said. “With him having no championship team in the NBA to root for, we just felt it would be nice to invite him.”