Abdul-Jabbar Goes Off Into Another Dimension

What’s bugging Kareem?

My first thought when I read that question in a magazine recently was that the author was going to need more than one article to answer it.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the most intelligent, articulate and sensitive men to strap on a pair of goggles in anger, but you could fill a book with what bugs him. For starters, everything.

In the current of edition of “Men’s Journal,” the author writes, “Shaq, for starters.”

I could understand that if Abdul-Jabbar, a jazz lover, was talking about Shaquille O’Neal’s music. But no, Abdul-Jabbar was talking about O’Neal’s game.

“His offensive play is one-dimensional and predictable; he’s a good defensive player only in certain situations,” Abdul-Jabbar said.

“He doesn’t understand teamwork; and if you foul him, he can’t make free throws. . . . He could use some variety in the post. I see him shooting the jump shot more, because it’s something he can get off at any time.”

There’s more, enough to make me appreciate how astonishing it is that the Lakers are up, 2-0, in their playoff series against Portland with such a limited center.

All O’Neal contributed Friday night at the Forum was 46 points and 11 rebounds. On Sunday at the Forum, the Trail Blazers changed their strategy, deciding to guard O’Neal, and held him to a mere 30 points. He compensated with five assists, a couple on passes to teammates cutting to the basket that couldn’t have been better executed by Magic Johnson.

“Everybody knows my game,” O’Neal said Sunday. “I go to the block. If they take my move away from me, I go to my fadeaway. If they take my fadeaway away from me, I go to the hook. If they double me, I like to get my other guys open.”

Predictable? Perhaps. But he’s hardly one-dimensional.

He doesn’t play the game exactly like the Hall-of-Fame center who preceded him with the Lakers. He is, however, doing what he’s paid to do: filling the Forum seats and winning playoff games. So back off.

Isn’t that what Abdul-Jabbar used to tell Wilt Chamberlain?

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In the only nervous moment of the fourth quarter for the Lakers, O’Neal was shoved by Arvydas Sabonis on a breakaway and landed out of bounds, barreling over a cameraman. . . .

O’Neal received treatment for a small cut on his shin. The cameraman appeared unhurt. . . .

“If he’s not OK, he can come see me,” O’Neal said. “I’ll take him to any gentleman’s club he wants to.” . . .

If only Dennis Rodman had been so gracious, that cameraman in Minnesota named Amos wouldn’t have become famous. Or wealthy. . . .

O’Neal’s only Rodmanesque moment came when he belched at the start of his postgame press conference. . . .

Maybe he stopped first at the Forum concession stands. According to the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine, the only NBA arena food worse for you is at Madison Square Garden. . . .

The healthiest fans are those who eat at Orlando Arena. . . .

Del Harris says his assistants deserve consideration as candidates when NBA coaching jobs come open, specifically mentioning Larry Drew. . . .

“Some teams out there are looking at college coaches, but they take two or three years to learn the NBA game,” Harris says. . . .

In his third year since leaving Seton Hall, P.J. Carlesimo will either have it down by Wednesday night or the Portland season will be over. . . .

Paul Kariya’s overtime goal Sunday delayed the start of an offseason in which he’s bound to become an extremely rich man. He’s a restricted free agent, which means the Ducks can--and will--match any offers. . . .

Kariya is worth at least as much as Colorado’s Peter Forsberg, who recently signed for $4 million for next season and between $5 million and $6 million for 1998-99. . . .

Tom Kite, rallying after a four-year slump, could earn enough points to play for the U.S. Ryder Cup team that he has already agreed to captain. . . .

The European captain, Seve Ballesteros, says he would like to do both. He has flown Tiger Woods’ coach, Butch Harmon, to Spain to help him with his game. . . .

Now that Woods has accepted Fuzzy Zoeller’s apology for his tasteless jokes, shouldn’t Tiger apologize for the ones he made in that GQ article? . . .

It was an exciting weekend for Angelenos. There were earthquakes, “Volcano” and a meltdown in the Dodger clubhouse.

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While wondering if Penny Hardaway still thinks the Orlando Magic is as good without Shaq, I was thinking: NHL playoff games have more drama than the NBA’s, same old Dodgers, I like the Forum food.