Grant Back Where He Wants to Be

He has already climbed this Laker mountain once as a resident, from 1988-95, when he not only played for the Clippers, but helped the Clippers to a better record than their cross-town rival, a reality-based term in those days.

Gary Grant is in familiar territory, calling this home again and trying to dump the Lakers all over again, now as a resident of Calabasas and the Portland Trail Blazers’ backcourt.

“I did it so many years when I was with the Clippers, when they [the Lakers] were the team in town,” Grant said Friday before Game 1 of the playoffs at the Great Western Forum. “And now I’m trying to knock them off again. So it’s special.”

Then again, simply being in the playoffs anywhere would be. Grant’s move into journeyman status began after he left the Clippers, Portland marking his third NBA team in as many years. He also had a stint in the CBA with Yakima earlier this season.

That’s where the Trail Blazers found him. Grant signed two 10-day contracts in March, then emerged as a key reserve, averaging 16.3 minutes in 28 regular-season appearances, the biggest windfall coming when Damon Stoudamire sat out 10 games because of an ankle injury.

Next thing he knows, he’s back in town and back in the Forum. He scored five points in 11 minutes Friday.

“Just another series for me,” Grant said. “Playing against the Lakers all those years with the Clippers, it got exciting. That’s how this series is going to be.”

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The night before the Lakers opened the playoffs as favorites against the Trail Blazers, the Rockets shocked the Jazz and the Hornets beat the Hawks after being swept in the season series. Just in case any reminders were needed in the home locker room at the Forum.

“It was not a bad thing,” Laker Coach Del Harris conceded.

“But these are things we all knew. I don’t even have to bring it up. Our guys knew.”

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Tickets went on sale this week for most of the Lakers’ exhibition schedule, one loaded with games in Southern California and for the first time including a four-team competition at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim along with the annual two-day tournament at the Great Western Forum.

The three other clubs for the Forum event have yet to be announced, so tickets are not yet available.

Available so far:

Oct. 25 against the Wizards at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Oct. 27 against the Jazz at Las Vegas.

Oct. 30-31 at the Pond along with the Bucks, Trail Blazers and Hornets.

Tickets can be purchased at the respective box offices, with the Pond games also available at the Forum, or through TicketMaster.

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The 28.7-point average by Shaquille O’Neal was the highest by a Laker in 28 years, since Jerry West led the NBA with a 31.2 average in 1969-70. . . . The Lakers have the fourth-best record in the NBA over the last three years, at 170-76. Only the Bulls (203-43), SuperSonics (182-64) and Jazz (181-65) are better.