If Plan Isn’t Unusual, It’s Not Nelson

The Lakers expect something unusual.

Why wouldn’t they?

The opposing coach wore a red clown’s nose before a game last season, then got a hug from Shaquille O’Neal, who showed admirable restraint and stopped squeezing.

The Dallas Mavericks tinker, hoping to catch the Lakers for all time. But a moment might do.

They have developed the formidable core of Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and Steve Nash, and added Juwan Howard and Tim Hardaway, but have not the vaguest notion what to do about O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, nor the road losing streak that dates to 1990.

The Lakers have won 21 consecutive home games against the Mavericks. Overall, they’ve won 23 of 24, and 38 of 41, and, well, it doesn’t get a lot better after that.

While owner Mark Cuban thinks up new ways for Jerry Buss to spend the Lakers’ money, Coach Don Nelson has been granted the NBA’s new defensive rules, or his own laboratory in which to concoct a defense that will stop O’Neal.

Most expect a 2-3 zone, leaving O’Neal to look like a large, baggy shorts-wearing maypole, and then the Hack-a-Shaq, given O’Neal’s recent distress at the free-throw line, and finally a sniper’s rifle, if all else fails.

“I can’t spent time--or waste time--thinking about it,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said after Tuesday’s practice. “There’s any number of things that are a possibility. So, it’s not worth the energy. We just have to be able to make adjustments on the move.”

Jackson and his staff have studied the Mavericks, but there will be new wrinkles. There always are.

“We have Shaq, and no one else does,” Jackson said. “It’s obvious that whatever defenses they’ve arrived at for other teams, they probably won’t use against us.”

The Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves used zones against the Lakers in the last eight days and were beaten by 19 and 26 points, respectively.

“No one has a guy like [center Shawn] Bradley, either,” Jackson said. “He’s a very unique player, a specialty-type player. You know we considered a Hack-a-Bradley, but he’s shooting 98% from the free throw line, so that wouldn’t be a big advantage.”

Something unusual, indeed.

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O’Neal has not scored as many as 24 points in a game since Nov. 18. In the seven games since he put 28 on the Sacramento Kings, he has averaged 17.7 points.

He said it is by design, and that he could score 40 any time he chooses.

“But, that’s not necessary,” he added. “I’m not going to try to do too much.”

He will make no extra scoring effort against the Mavericks, O’Neal said, even with friends Cuban and Nelson on the sidelines.

“I never predict before a game,” he said. “Besides, they’re probably going to come up with some crazy kind of defense.”

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The feud between Jackson and Cuban has eased, to the point where Jackson felt compelled to compliment the owner on the state of the Mavericks.

“I haven’t paid attention to them since that comment I made about him minding his own business, and he’s done that; he’s done a good job,” Jackson said. “They’re a popular team. They’ve got a lot of players. They brought in some good additional players in [Danny] Manning and Hardaway.”

After all of the sniping about whose payroll was what, here is where they stand: Lakers, $52.7 million; Mavericks, $56.5 million. The difference is about Bradley’s annual salary.

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Much of a lawsuit against trainer Gary Vitti by his former fiancee for battery, among other allegations, was allowed to proceed in Torrance Superior Court. Vitti had asked for a dismissal.... Ten teams in league history have started a season as well as 16-1. The 1969-70 New York Knicks started 23-1, the best. Jackson, who spent 11 years with the Knicks, sat out that season because of back surgery.

TONIGHT

vs. Dallas Mavericks, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

Site--Staples Center

Radio--KLAC-AM (570)

Records--Lakers 15-1, Mavericks 12-6.

Record vs. Mavericks--(2000-01) 4-0.

Update--In four victories over the Mavericks last season, Shaquille O’Neal averaged 29.3 points. Kobe Bryant, who missed one late-season game against the Mavericks because of a sore left foot, averaged 30.7. Dirk Nowitzki averaged 25.8 against the Lakers, four points better than his season average. Steve Nash played in three games and averaged 19.7.

Tickets--(800) 462-2849.