O’Neal’s Wrist Is Latest Cause for Concern

Shaquille O’Neal has what team medical personnel suspect is a sprained right wrist, a grim accessory to his arthritic big toe, so he did not play for the Lakers against the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.

And while the immediate impact was a thoroughly entertaining game that concluded in a 94-92 defeat, there is, of course, the grander scale to consider. That is, the Lakers’ chances of a third consecutive championship and O’Neal’s rather central role in it. How involved the Nets are in that remains to be seen, though they are accomplished enough to lead the Eastern Conference and game enough to bring out one of Kobe Bryant’s most enduring games.

Bryant led the Lakers from 19 points back to eight points ahead, from dismal to remarkable with fantastic charisma.

He balled his fists and tightened his jaw and nearly paralyzed the Nets, and their fans at a sold-out Continental Airlines Arena pointed and sighed at what Bryant could do, struck by how desperately he would play without O’Neal. He scored 33 points with 11 Lakers on his back, including 15 points in the third quarter, when he scared the stink right out of the swamp.

Then the Lakers lost, and the only thing that mattered as they poked through this end-to-end affair was O’Neal, whose wrist turned up injured when he awoke Wednesday.

As he trudged through the hallway, toward a bus that would take them all away from their second loss in eight games, secured when Bryant’s put-back at the buzzer hit the heel of the rim and after Net Coach Byron Scott nearly fainted at the sight of Bryant so close to tying the score, O’Neal had no answers about a wrist too sore to hinge.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with it,” he said. “I couldn’t lift it.”

The Lakers will have O’Neal undergo diagnostic tests today in Boston, where the team was to fly after the game. He was examined by two Net physicians in the afternoon, and they apparently recommended he not play.

“I thought both must have had points on the game,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said with a tight smile.

According to Laker officials, the arena had no X-ray facilities.

O’Neal said he broke both of his wrists as a child, and that those felt much worse than this. He agreed that he probably would be able to play sooner rather than later, which would be a good thing for the Lakers, because they are running out of regular season.

The playoffs are scheduled to begin two weeks from Saturday, technically when their three-peat bid begins in earnest. It very likely just got harder. The Laker loss and the Sacramento King win in Detroit put the Lakers three losses behind in the Pacific Division with seven games to play, and it is possible O’Neal hasn’t missed his final game, for toe or wrist.

“Concerned?” Jackson repeated. “Yes.”

The popular notion is O’Neal was injured when he tumbled over the first row of seats at Staples Center on Friday, but O’Neal could not confirm that. At this point, the Lakers assume O’Neal will reoccupy the lane when asked, or when absolutely necessary. They play again Friday in Boston, then Sunday in Miami.

“Shaq has had so many injuries,” Bryant said. “When we need him to play, he’ll suck it up and play.”

It was the general assessment in a locker room weary from the back-to-back games. Half of their 22 losses have come in the second of such series, but perhaps none quite so dramatically.

Overrun by a full-court, trapping press, the Lakers trailed by 51-32 in the second quarter and 55-40 at halftime, when the Nets spent more time at the rim than a Grand Canyon tour bus.

Still, Bryant returned to the floor with an oddly confident demeanor, and he shook his fist as he passed center court. He then made seven of 10 shots in the third quarter.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, the Lakers caught the Nets at 76-76, and then led, 78-76, a minute later on a Devean George layup.

Though Jackson said he expected the press, Bryant said, “We weren’t ready for a full-court press, the trapping. It took us a while to get adjusted.”

In a timeout in the final moments, behind by 94-91 with 5.4 seconds left, Jackson gave the Lakers the option of a three or a fast two and a foul.

Rick Fox took a pass from Robert Horry and went straight to the rim, where the layup did not fall, but he was fouled by Kenyon Martin.

With 2.5 seconds left, Fox made the first free throw, missed the second intentionally, and the crowd gasped when Bryant sneaked along the baseline, caught the rebound and was long with the putback from a foot or two.

Bryant believed he was fouled by Jason Kidd, but hardly complained.

Of course, they could have larger problems if O’Neal’s injury proves serious. Already hindered by an arthritic big toe since the start of the season, O’Neal appeared to be gaining mobility in recent games.

He had 18 rebounds against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, as new shoes and orthotics have helped ease his pain.

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