Aggressive Fox Is Here to Stay

The decision came at the low point of the season, on the heels of the three-game losing streak and immediately after the worst of all defeats, to the Golden State Warriors.

Rick Fox, realizing the Lakers needed greater offensive production from the front court to compensate for the absence of Shaquille O’Neal, and from the forwards under any circumstances, stopped worrying about fitting in with his new teammates and went in greater pursuit of scoring. The response became a huge boost--the starting small forward has averaged 16.2 points and and shot 52.9% in the 10 games since, including 18.4 and 57.1% in the last five.

Except that now O’Neal is set to return. Does that mean the early-season Fox will too?

“It won’t change,” Fox insisted. “I think that without the big fella, it was definitely easier to be more aggressive offensively. But I will continue to have the same mind-set. It’s just going to be hard to keep taking so many jump shots when you have a guy down there who’s 7-2.”

The recent run has pushed Fox to 12 points and 49.6% on the season.

*

Maybe having O’Neal back will help snap the Lakers out of their recent malaise. Maybe facing a team for the first time in a week and a half that comes in better than .500 will do it.

Or maybe they’re open to suggestions.

“Well,” Coach Del Harris said, “it better. Or Atlanta will come in and blow us right out of Inglewood. Forget the arena.”

TONIGHT

Lakers vs. Atlanta

* 7:30

* Fox Sports

West

Site--Forum.

Radio--KLAC (570), KWKW (1330).

Records--Lakers 23-7, Hawks 19-10.

Record vs. Hawks--1-0.

Update--Hawk point guard Mookie Blaylock is questionable because of a strained groin, an injury that kept him out of the second and third outings of the current five-game losing streak. Eldridge Recasner will likely start if Blaylock does not. The Hawks have not won at the Forum since March 19, 1989.