O’Neal Expects to Play Tonight

Shaquille O’Neal, who did not play Saturday and estimated his fitness at “42%” when he returned to the lineup Sunday, said Tuesday his sprained left ankle and strained Achilles’ tendon were improved and that he intended to play tonight against Golden State at Staples Center.

O’Neal participated in most of Tuesday’s practice, even running the sprints at the end. Though he pointed out slight swelling on the outside of the ankle, O’Neal said his flexibility was improved.

“I can do it,” he said. “I’m going to be all right.”

Despite those injuries and sore thumbs, O’Neal ranks fourth in the league in scoring and blocked shots and second in shooting percentage and rebounding.

“We ran him a little so he could get back toward game shape,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “I didn’t think he ran very well [Sunday] night at all. He was still a force for us, but he was limited in what he could do.”

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Forward Slava Medvedenko spent Monday night at a friend’s in Encino after Jackson called to say police were lobbing canisters of tear gas into the Marina del Rey apartment building Medvedenko has lived in for two months. Assistant coach Frank Hamblen also lives in the complex.

A U.S. marshal and a Los Angeles police officer were wounded Monday afternoon when a man opened fire from his apartment. The gunman was on the fifth floor. Medvedenko, who said his place was not damaged, lives on the third floor.

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Jackson said he would prefer to have four or five players scoring in double figures, rather than having O’Neal and Kobe Bryant at about 30 points each and everybody else scrounging for a shot or two.

“We have to be working toward that area,” Jackson said. “Circumstances will make things change for us sooner than you guys think.”

It is possible Jackson was referring to Ron Harper’s plan to leave the club after tonight’s game to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Rayfield Harper, who died this week at 97. Harper is expected to miss Friday’s game against Minnesota and return for Monday’s against the Clippers.

TONIGHT

Golden State

7:30, Fox Sports Net

* Site--Staples Center

* Radio--KLAC (570)

* Records--Lakers 7-4, Warriors 3-8.

* Record vs. Warriors (1999-2000)--4-0.

* Update--The Lakers have won five in a row in the series, and are 16-3 against the Warriors in the last five seasons. Antawn Jamison averages 21.1 points but the Warriors miss Danny Fortson, who averaged 16.7 points and a league-best 16.3 rebounds before injuring his foot. He will have surgery today.