The Free-Throw Debate Continues

Shaquille O’Neal. Free-throw shooting. Intentional fouls. Retaliation promises. Old story, new dynamics.

Though O’Neal declined comment--saying with a grin that he didn’t want to answer “the same dumb questions”--it all kept percolating Monday, two days after he was ejected for his reaction to Portland’s hard fouls, and a day after Dallas had sent him to the line 23 times in a failed comeback effort.

Of course, if O’Neal weren’t making only 39.2% of his free throws this season--he was 10 for 23 Sunday--most of this would be irrelevant.

“I think he’s playing great in all aspects of the game except free throws,” Coach Phil Jackson said Monday. “And I don’t know if he can do anything about that until he absolutely changes his mind as to how he’s going to approach shooting foul shots.

“Sometimes, it’s like an alcoholic, they have to seek help, or a person that’s in need, they have to actively seek the help to get the response from what they’re trying to get.

“At this point, I think Shaq has to really want to do this at a level which he’s going to change whatever pattern he’s in that he can’t break.”

Jackson suggested that Dallas Coach Don Nelson’s intentional-foul tactic could merit a rule change and referred to the old three-to-make-two policy.

” . . . You shouldn’t be able to gain by fouling,” Jackson said. “That’s away from the intent of the game.”

After Sunday night’s game, the Laker center said he would get his revenge on Portland’s Jermaine O’Neal (no relation) for Saturday’s hard fouls, saying, “I’m going to get him back, I promise you that.”

On Monday, Jackson put a light-hearted spin on it.

“Obviously, they’re cousins at some level,” Jackson said. “Two O’Neals, they’re from down South. . . . I’m sure they’ll mend it up before the next time we see Portland in December.”

Meanwhile, Jackson said he expects to be fined for criticizing the officials Saturday.

“I never like for money to be taken away from me,” Jackson said. “I think that’s inappropriate for the league to do that. But that’s their policing activity. And if they want to control the game as much as they do and want to, I kind of anticipate that it’ll happen.”

*

Kobe Bryant, having already received medical clearance to start dribbling and shooting with his broken right hand, might be ahead of schedule in his comeback.

“I think if you would’ve asked the doctors, ‘Would I be dribbling right now?’ They’d probably say, ‘Hell, no,’ ” said Bryant, adding that he only feels a “tweak” at times in his hand while dribbling and hopes to return by Nov. 24 at the latest.

TONIGHT

at Dallas, 5:30 PST

(Ch. 9, 6:30 delay)

* Radio--KLAC 570.

* Site--Reunion Arena.

* Records--Lakers 3-1; Mavericks 2-2.

* Record vs. Mavericks--1-0.

* Update--Sore-kneed forward Robert Horry practiced Monday and is eligible to be activated from the injured list for this game but Jackson says Horry won’t make it back until Wednesday’s game at Houston, at the earliest.