O’Neal Won’t Use Injuries as Excuse

Shaquille O’Neal, dressed in about 6 1/2 feet of denim, stood in an El Segundo parking lot Monday afternoon and announced it might be time to take the anti-inflammatory medication he had sworn off.

He then predicted the soreness in his one sprained thumb and one sore thumb would not linger much longer. He refused to blame them for his weeklong shooting slump and vowed to fight through the discomfort.

O’Neal was concerned enough about his left thumb--not the right, as the club had announced Sunday night--to agree to an X-ray, which was negative.

Though fearful of a potential link between anti-inflammatory drugs and kidney ailments experienced by NBA players Sean Elliott and Alonzo Mourning, O’Neal said: “I just have to get it fixed. If it means I have to open up the bottle, I’ll open it up and take one or two.”

Asked if he meant anti-inflammatories, he responded, “The Indocin bottle, yeah.”

O’Neal confirmed that he first felt discomfort in the thumbs several weeks ago, but that the pain was manageable. He was struck across the hands early in Sunday’s game against Houston, however, and had more swelling, particularly on the left--non-shooting--hand. Still, O’Neal’s shooting has fallen in each of the last five games, from a high of 70% to 54%. His career mark is near 58%.

“I don’t make excuses for missing shots,” he said. “I’m just missing shots. I just have to adjust.”

He claimed he is not limited in any way, despite contrary observations by teammates and Coach Phil Jackson.

*

Jackson feels almost as strongly about a static starting lineup as he does about keeping it a secret.

So, it was unusual that he swapped Brian Shaw for Rick Fox against Houston, but not at all unusual that he did not make it public until game time.

He seemed to suggest Monday that he would return to the regular starters tonight against Denver, and that Shaw’s presence was a matchup decision against the guard-driven Rockets.

Conversely, Jackson said he liked the way the offense turned under the Shaw-Ron Harper backcourt. Also, Kobe Bryant is especially fond of playing the wing, where he was playing when he scored most of his 37 points Sunday.

“That’s the lineup we had today in practice,” Bryant said. “I think it gives us a better flow because Brian and Harp both understand the rhythm of the offense, how to operate it.”

Using Bryant on the wing, O’Neal said “was good.” “The offense looked pretty good, looked pretty solid,” he added. “Now we just have to build momentum.”

TONIGHT

vs. Denver, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

* Site: Staples Center

* Radio: KLAC (570)

* Records: Lakers 4-3, Nuggets 3-4.

* Record vs. Nuggets (1999-2000)--3-1.

* Update: The Lakers have won three in a row over Denver and seven in succession at home.