O’Neal: No Tutor Needed

Shaquille O’Neal and his free throws are, for now, on their own.

Shooting coach Ed Palubinskas and his agent, Salt Lake City-based Steve Gasser, approached the Lakers recently about Palubinskas returning as O’Neal’s personal tutor and were turned away.

In the proposal, Palubinskas asked for payment based on O’Neal’s success, with incentives starting if O’Neal shot more from the line than 51%, or just above his career percentage.

The better O’Neal shot, the better Palubinskas was to have been paid. O’Neal made 35.3% in the preseason, but he was nine for 16 from the line in Tuesday night’s opener.

While Palubinskas still hopes to work with him, O’Neal said Tuesday he would not, because he believes he has retained Palubinskas’ lessons.

“I know what I have to do,” he said. “I just have to execute.”

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Rick Fox, named a tri-captain with O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, has done this before. He remembered serving two terrible Boston Celtic teams in the same manner, and that it exhausted him.

“I felt each night I had to bear the brunt and responsibility of what happened,” he said. “That was one of the reasons I had to get out of there. I thought it would kill me.

“I’d get into an emotional depression, and go into a place that really wasn’t healthy.”

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Ruben Patterson, the self-described “Kobe stopper,” did not travel with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The former Laker is serving a league-imposed, five-game suspension for entering a modified plea to attempted rape in May.

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In honor of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, Bryant wore shoes decorated with colors of the American flag.

In a statement issued by his agent, Bryant said he requested adidas make the shoe, “in order to show my patriotism and support for the relief efforts and our troops.”

Bryant said he also made a donation to the disaster-relief fund.

“In this time of tragedy, I am proud to show my patriotism and hope others will continue to do so,” he said.

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Derek Fisher, who in July had his second foot surgery in less than a year, had encouraging news from a bone scan Tuesday and remains on track to return to the floor by the end of November.

The stress fracture in his right foot was found to be healing well, and he was cleared to begin running the court and shooting jump shots.

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Coach Phil Jackson, who read a pithy poem during last year’s ring ceremony, was not a part of Tuesday night’s program.

He said he would abstain in deference to the somber moments, honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy, that came after the celebration.

“There was joviality in that,” he said. “And, it’s a long enough program the way it is.”