Jackson Calls Shaq Half Bad

Coach Phil Jackson made his point--Shaquille O’Neal, after grabbing 12 rebounds in the first half of the Lakers’ victory Friday over Minnesota, was a rebounding disappointment in the second, finishing the game with 13.

“Shaq didn’t rebound at all in the second half,” Jackson said, when asked how Kevin Garnett was able to grab 14 second-half rebounds for the Timberwolves. “I think he got one rebound. He had a lackadaisical effort the second half.”

But O’Neal also had his own point to make--he was robbed by the Minnesota statistical crew.

“I had more than that,” when asked about his one-rebound half. “The local statisticians just don’t want me to get the league lead. I had more than that.”

O’Neal is second in the NBA rebounding race, averaging just over 14 a game.

“The local statisticians don’t want me to lead, they won’t give me any rebounds,” O’Neal said. “I know I had more than one rebound.”

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Guard Derek Fisher, who had been struggling with his shot since Kobe Bryant replaced him in the starting lineup, made his first four shots against the Timberwolves off the bench, and finished with 11 points on four-of-five shooting in 26 minutes.

Jackson, as promised, got rookie Devean George in for a cameo appearance at the end of the first half in his hometown debut as a professional. With about 30 friends and family in the stands, George, from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, played one minute and did not return to the game.

“Well, Devean’s learning basketball,” Jackson said, “and he’s learning it the hard way.”