O’Neal, Jackson Enjoy Playing This Little Game

Shaquille O’Neal lovingly calls Phil Jackson his “white father” in one breath, a terrible vulgarity in the next, and that, apparently, is the joy of coaching the lug.

That, and the 27 points and 13 rebounds every night.

Three weeks ago, Jackson grinned when O’Neal said he was “mad about everything,” then had no problem narrowing it all down to Jackson, who fined him for missing practice the day before.

“That ... knows what he can do with that fine,” O’Neal spat.

Over the weekend, O’Neal told a television camera that he’d quit when Jackson did, a statement he’d made before, and Jackson grinned at that too.

“It goes both ways for us,” he said.

After taking the weekend off along with the rest of the Lakers, O’Neal stood in a parking lot in El Segundo on a gray Monday afternoon and paid special tribute to his dichotomous side.

“I’m the type of guy,” he said, “if something goes down on Tuesday, I leave it on Tuesday.”

He added: “I won’t play for anybody else. Well, unless I get traded, or something.”

He laughed and said, “I really don’t think about the end of my career.”

Jackson, who is under contract for three more seasons, including this one, said he and O’Neal would give the relationship at least another couple of years before anybody did something rash, such as walking away from tens of millions of dollars.

“Maybe in the last year of my contract, if things are going really well, and Shaq’s pivoting back and forth, maybe we’ll sit down and talk about it,” Jackson said, playing along.

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Jackson keeps an eye on the New York Knicks, a habit formed when he played for the club and reinforced when a rivalry developed between his Chicago Bulls and Pat Riley’s Knicks.

So, it was with some sadness that Jackson watched the unraveling of Jeff Van Gundy, who resigned over the weekend.

“You don’t want anyone in the coaching ranks to feel like this is such a difficult job and the pressure’s so great that your life is better off leaving it,” Jackson said. “He’s in one of the most highly pressurized places in the world. It’s quite obvious. I haven’t seen a young man age as quickly as Jeff, as happened to him in the six years he coached this team.”

That being said, Jackson added: “It’s great for a person to stand up and say, ‘The dollars aren’t what matter. It’s my wife that matters and my family.”’

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The Knick job could come open after the season. The timing wouldn’t appear to be right for Jackson this time, but he often has said that five years is long enough in one place.

“In New York City?” Jackson said. “I’m never going to say never about a situation, but I can’t see myself coaching anyplace else besides here, and for the rest of my career.”

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Kobe Bryant said his sinus infection was clearing, thanks to the weekend off. He got out of bed long enough to buy a Christmas tree, he said.... Lindsey Hunter continues to play with a sore shoulder. As a result, he has made only 10 of his last 32 three-point shots.

TONIGHT

vs. Seattle, 7:30, Fox Sports Net

Site--Staples Center

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 16-2, SuperSonics 9-14.

Record vs. SuperSonics--1-0.

Update--The SuperSonics have lost four in a row and six of seven. The Lakers beat them by 15 on Nov. 30, basically without Shaquille O’Neal, who took two technicals late in the first quarter and was ejected So, Kobe Bryant scored 30 and Derek Fisher scored 14.

Tickets--(800) 462-2849.