Penberthy Is Blocked Out

Apparently it is one thing to be 6-feet-3-ish, blond and play for the Lakers.

It is another thing to be so encumbered and then try to talk your way past an LAPD barricade.

And that is why Mike Penberthy did not make it to the Laker shoot-around at Staples Center on Sunday morning, when most of downtown was blocked off because of the L.A. Marathon.

“It’s part of my wonderful heritage,” Penberthy said, smiling.

Penberthy said he tried a handful of streets over about 45 minutes, but got the same response every time.

Short, blond guy: “I play for the Lakers.”

Police officer: “Yeah, right.”

Short, blond guy: “Really, I do.”

Police officer: “Move along.”

He finally returned home.

Horace Grant was the only other player to miss the shoot-around, and he claimed not to have tried to talk his way through. Ron Harper said he passed through two barricades after a policeman gave him permission.

“The truth will set you free, Horace,” Harper yelled across the locker room. “Were you home in bed?

“Mike had a true, legitimate answer,” Harper said. “Horace Grant? Suspect answer.”

Grant, though, claimed to be a man of the people, and if no one could pass through those barricades, then neither would he.

*

Former Laker Coach Del Harris, the last to weigh in on Shaquille O’Neal’s claim that owner Jerry Buss ordered a young Kobe Bryant into games, denied the accusation.

“Though someone may have told Shaq that such was the case, I can assure you that no one at any time ever told me to play any player a certain amount of minutes and no one ever sent a message to me during a game,” Harris said via e-mail. “As you may know, I stand during all the games and someone would have had to come onto the court to talk with me, or they would have had to relay a message through an assistant.

“Somehow, like Jerry Buss [said], I would suggest that Shaq got his information from somebody incorrectly, as opposed to just making it up.”

On the subject anyway, Harris said O’Neal and Bryant have not reached their combined potential.

“I can assure you that there never was any question as to who the centerpiece of the team was when I was there,” Harris wrote. “But I also could see that Kobe would become a true superstar. There is no reason that he and Shaq cannot be the best one-two punch in the league, so long as no one cares who is the one and who is the two at any given time.”

*

The Lakers are mulling resting Robert Horry (knees, back) on the injured list. . . . The jury trial involving Laker trainer Gary Vitti begins today in a South Bay Superior Court. Vitti, accused of battery upon a co-habitant, will continue his club duties, when possible.