Harper Scheduled for Knee Surgery

Veteran guard Ron Harper is scheduled to undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

Harper, who turned 37 in January, has been on the injured list for a month. When he showed little improvement after rest and then experienced increased soreness after a light workout Saturday, the Lakers sent Harper home to be reexamined.

In the best scenario, Harper, who averaged 6.5 points and 2.4 assists in 47 games, will be ready for the playoffs.

Team physician Steve Lombardo will perform the surgery.

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According to a report in the New York Post, Kobe Bryant’s hecklers Sunday in Orlando included none other than Philip Harrison. Sarge. Shaquille O’Neal’s daddy.

Harrison, it was reported, at one point shouted at Bryant, “Pass the ball! Pass the ball! Pass the damn ball!”

Bryant responded by pressing his palms to the floor, as if to say, “Chill out.”

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Brian Shaw, on the games the Lakers have given away: “There’s anger and frustration. You start to think back, ‘Aw, look at all the games we messed up,’ like [Monday] night [against the Atlanta Hawks]. There are probably 10 games this season we should have won and didn’t. Then you look at the standings and see where everybody is, and shake your head.

“It’s almost like they’re trying to give it to us, and we don’t want it.”

TONIGHT

at Milwaukee

5 PST, Channel 9

* Site--Bradley Center.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 45-22, Bucks 41-25.

* Record vs. Bucks--0-1.

* Update--The Bucks beat the Lakers, 109-105, Dec. 12, when Kobe Bryant missed 23 of 31 shots and his man, Ray Allen, scored 35 points. In what has since become a theme for the Lakers, the Bucks scored 61 points in the second half.