Grant Can’t Get Away From Marbury

A charter bus whisked the Lakers away, with Horace Grant, one eye out for Stephon Marbury, leading the cheers down the New Jersey Turnpike.

It was Marbury who accidentally opened a lengthy gash over Grant’s right eye on a drive late in the fourth quarter. Grant had the cut, which might otherwise have taken as many as five stitches, glued closed and he returned to the game.

Then, Marbury pushed the game into overtime, scored 50 points and made life miserable for the Lakers until his final shot, a 33-footer, clanged off the rim.

Assuming the worst was over, Grant stood in the parking garage under Continental Airlines Arena when a silver luxury car nearly backed into him. Grant had to be shoved out of the way.

A valet stepped out of the car, apologized, and handed the keys to the car’s owner--Marbury.

“Geez!” Grant cried and pointed. “He’s trying to kill me!”

*

Grant wore three butterfly bandages above his right eye, which had swelled. He said he would be reexamined today, at which point doctors could choose to stitch the cut.

*

Because of Kobe Bryant’s foul trouble, Laker Coach Phil Jackson had Tyronn Lue run the point and guard Marbury.

The results were varied. Lue made two late turnovers, the first of which cost the Lakers a possession with less than a minute left in regulation.

But he was a game defender of Marbury, who was too quick for veterans Brian Shaw and Ron Harper. And, with inside a minute left in overtime, Lue drove hard to the basket on a fastbreak and scored over Keith Van Horn, 10 inches taller.

“I’m glad Coach put me back into the game to let me redeem myself,” Lue said.

*

J.R. Rider suffered from an upset stomach and did not participate in Tuesday’s shoot-around, sitting with a towel over his head for much of it. He played only 13 minutes, and made one of seven shots.

*

Shaquille O’Neal, who was born in New Jersey and counts it among a handful of his “home states,” on why he won’t live here when his career is over: “There’s too much to do here. I’d get in trouble.”

And once and for all, O’Neal said, he did not tell anyone he preferred to play in Orlando.

“I’m not the type to say I don’t want to be here,” he said.

TONIGHT

at Philadelphia

5 PST, Ch. 9, TNT

* Site--First Union Center.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 32-16, 76ers 37-14.

* Record vs. 76ers--1-0.

* Update--The 76ers have the best record in the NBA, but the Lakers beat them Dec. 5 at Staples Center, 96-85. Eric Snow (right ankle) and Toni Kukoc (lower back) are expected to play for Philadelphia. Center Theo Ratliff is out at least a month because of a stress fracture in his right wrist.