Shaq Will Spend All-Star Weekend in L.A.

Staying off his feet also means staying in Los Angeles, so Shaquille O’Neal, in a decision that began to come into focus the day before, on Wednesday officially dropped out of the NBA All-Star game to be played Sunday in Cleveland because of the knee injury that also cost him the final two games before the break.

Dallas’ Chris Gatling was named as his replacement, but the Lakers, of course, are more concerned with whether they will need a replacement for O’Neal when the unofficial second half of the season begins Wednesday at Minnesota. They played Tuesday against the Clippers at the Pond of Anaheim and Wednesday against the Bulls at the Forum with Elden Campbell at center and rookie Travis Knight at power forward, the first pro starts for Knight.

Those could turn out to be the only games the superstar center has to sit out because of the sprained ligament in the right knee, suffered Sunday against the Washington Bullets when he planted in the lane to try a spin move around Gheorghe Muresan and instead banged legs with Muresan. For that, the Lakers have the schedule to thank, aware that if the injury had occurred during a busy stretch, the same week could have cost O’Neal four or five games.

“It’s good in this sense,” Coach Del Harris said. “Obviously, we don’t want Shaquille to miss any games, but it’s good that we have a week here.”

That could be enough time to get him back, although nothing will be known until Wednesday draws closer. O’Neal is planning on twice-a-day treatment sessions in the meantime, just as he has done since being hurt, consisting mostly ice and electrical stimulation.

But playing in the showdown against the Bulls, he said, apparently never came close to happening after an examination by team physician Steve Lombardo.

Said O’Neal: “He told me, ‘If you want to play, play. But if you twist it, you could be out the rest of the year.’ ”

It became an issue decision right about that time.

Wednesday also marked the second game in a row Byron Scott sat out because of a bruised right knee, the result of a slip on a floor at home. He is expected back against the Timberwolves.

*

The Lakers, as expected, announced that the name of their team for the Women’s National Basketball Assn. will be called the Sparks.