O’Neal’s Not Planning to Go Away

Shaquille O’Neal, asked again Monday whether he planned to exercise a contract clause that would make him a free agent this summer, gave his most specific answer yet.

“It’s a 97% chance I’ll be back here next year,” he said. “But I’m not even thinking about that.”

And about that 3% left over, should Laker fans brace for O’Neal’s departure?

“That 3%?” O’Neal repeated, grinning. “I wouldn’t worry.”

Meanwhile, O’Neal, who was bothered enough by three missed free throws in the fourth quarter to yell out, “I ain’t missing no more free throws!” as he jogged past reporters immediately after Sunday’s game, took extra time after Monday’s practice at the free-throw line.

O’Neal won Game 1 by blocking Cuttino Mobley’s shot at the buzzer, but also made only five of his 14 free throws and was intentionally fouled by the Rockets twice at the end.

“Yeah, I’m going to hit them,” said O’Neal, who shot 54% from the line in the regular season. “I’m not worried. I’m not worried at all. Do I look worried?

“I like to shut you guys up. You know, you guys think I can’t do certain things. But I can do it all. I’m an all-purpose big man.

“You could see, I got it out, I led the break, threw the lob to Kobe [Bryant], passed on a give-and-go [to Glen Rice]. Played defense at the end.

“I just like to shut people up.”

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Bryant, who got into foul trouble in the third quarter and had a relatively quiet, 28-minute, 17-point, five-assist performance in Game 1, said he was mostly concentrating on guarding Houston’s Scottie Pippen.

Bryant asked for the assignment for days--there was a chance Glen Rice would get Pippen--and got his wish against the future Hall of Famer.

“It’s fun,” Bryant said. “I looked at him and I told him that I was going to come at him with a lot of energy. I think he knew that, too.”

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There is one powerful statistical portent for the Lakers after their Game 1 victory.

In five-game series, they are 12-0 in Game 2 after winning Game 1.

When they have lost Game 1, they are 2-3 in the follow-up.