‘Baryshnikov’ Still Confident From Foul Line

Leave it to Laker center Shaquille O’Neal to come up with another nickname for himself.

After Thursday’s afternoon practice, O’Neal said he has been known to be called “the Big Baryshnikov” because of his ballet-like footwork.

“For me basketball is a game of reaction,” O’Neal said. “I’m always going to go with my strong move first. If they take that away, then I have to go with all my other 47 countermoves that I have on each block.”

One area of concern for the Lakers in tonight’s Game 3 at Phoenix has to be O’Neal’s free-throw shooting. In Game 2, he struggled at the line, missing eight of 14, which led the Suns to intentionally foul him in the fourth quarter.

O’Neal, however, is not worried about whether Phoenix Coach Scott Skiles, a former teammate in Orlando, decides to go to a full “Hack-a-Shaq” tactic tonight.

“[The Suns] might do it, but [his free-throw shooting] can only get better. . . . it can’t get any worse,” O’Neal said. “I am not going to make any changes in my routine. Usually I hit them in situations like that. I didn’t miss badly. They were good misses. I don’t have Olden Polynice-type misses. My misses are in and out.”

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When Kobe Bryant got into early foul trouble in the first half of Game 2 on Wednesday, Coach Phil Jackson turned to reserve guard Brian Shaw because former starter Derek Fisher had flu and was not available. (Fisher practiced Thursday and will be available for tonight’s game.)

Shaw didn’t disappoint, stepping up with 12 points and five assists in 31 minutes.

“The opportunity was there,” Shaw said. “I got a chance to increase my minutes. I just wanted to be productive and to gain Phil’s confidence that I can get the job done in that situation.”

Shaw said he doesn’t mind his play being judged game by game, even though he is an 11-year veteran.

“That’s what makes this season such a challenge,” Shaw said. “For me, it’s a daily thing. . . . I don’t think having [a strong Game 2] will get me any more minutes [tonight]. All it did was allow me to stay in the game [Wednesday night].”

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Ten more Laker playoff victories and power forward A.C. Green will earn his third NBA championship ring. But even if the Lakers do win it all, Green will not consider this season more special, even though it has been 12 years since he last played on an NBA title team.

“It’s just the hand of God that has been over my life. I firmly believe it,” Green said. “It was like that in college and I’ve always looked at it that way. These things that have taken place since then are just blessings from above. I try to keep it all in perspective. Not too high on the good things and not too low on the bad things. I would love to experience it again, but it is definitely not a guarantee.”