They Hope to Avoid Fall on Trip

Standing on Shaquille O’Neal’s wounded feet, pulling hollow breaths from Kobe Bryant’s tender ribs, the Lakers set out Saturday morning for their first consequential trip of the season.

In seven days they will play five games, including two on successive days.

Generally, the Lakers aren’t much on regular-season back-to-backs--three of their six defeats are in the second of those games, to juggernauts Phoenix, Memphis and Golden State.

By the time their chartered jet clears Chicago airspace late Saturday night, the Lakers will have ground through seven games in seven cities over 11 days. Four of the coming foes--Toronto tonight, Detroit on Tuesday, Indiana on Wednesday and Minnesota on Friday--are assumed to be playoff destined.

The trip concludes in Chicago with Phil Jackson’s former and sorry Bulls, last place in the Central Division. Easy enough, one should think, except the Lakers already have made the seasons for the dregs of the Pacific (Warriors) and Midwest (Grizzlies) divisions.

They left on a three-game winning streak, and with O’Neal rested if not entirely healthy. Bryant will wear his rib pad for another game or two, but ran freer in Friday’s 32-point win over Phoenix than he had in any game since Dec. 21, when he suffered the right-side strain.

“We’re looking forward to this challenge,” Bryant said. “We’re all excited.”

In the meantime, the Lakers have discovered some things about themselves, about the players farthest to Jackson’s right.

With O’Neal in street clothes, Samaki Walker played a decent center and Slava Medvedenko had his moments at power forward, particularly on the offensive side.

With all the extra touches, Derek Fisher shot himself out of his offensive slump, and Mark Madsen had nine rebounds in 13 minutes against the Suns, which is what the Lakers require of him.

“That’s a good way to get off and get onto the road,” Jackson said late Friday. “We feel real good about our bench, being able to go 10 deep. Effectively, guys have played without Shaq and gotten in rhythm, so our game is well-rounded.”

O’Neal asked his teammates for more intensity against the Suns, and the Lakers responded with their most emphatic victory, including a 33-point fourth quarter during which O’Neal was on his feet only to cheer the reserves.

“I think we’re starting to play a little bit better,” Bryant said. “We’re at that time of the year you want to get through those phases of us not executing as well as we should. Now we’re starting to get it back on track a little bit.”

It gets a bit more complicated starting tonight, the payment for a light early schedule that got them this far, with the NBA’s best record. They’ll play only nine home games in the next eight weeks, a road less daunting with O’Neal around.

“The road,” Rick Fox said, “is a lot different when you have him with you.”

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Walker averaged 12.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in O’Neal’s five-game layoff, and then had 11 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes against the Suns.

“I think I showed that I can hold my own, and I think that was a question,” Walker said. “I know that was key in coming here. The question around the league was about toughness. ‘Can he hold his own with the guys? Is he aggressive enough? Is he strong enough to do it?’ I think I did, from a personal standpoint, show that I can.”

Walker jammed his right thumb against the Suns and played the second half with it wrapped. He is expected to play tonight.

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Two deadlines will pass this week, probably without any activity from the Lakers.

Ten-day contracts may be awarded beginning Monday, but the club will not immediately add a player.

Also, all player contracts become guaranteed on Thursday, and no one is expected to be waived.

UP NEXT

vs. Toronto Raptors

Noon, Channel 9 Site: Air Canada Centre

Radio: KLAC (570)

Records: Lakers 23-6, Raptors 18-14.

Record vs. Raptors: 0-1.

Update: In the third of their five Shaq-less games, the Lakers lost by three points to the Raptors at Staples Center. While Raptor swingman Vince Carter did not play the fourth quarter because of a strained left shoulder, the Lakers could not slow guard Alvin Williams. After taking a game off to rest the shoulder, Carter has been back for two. He had 34 points and eight assists in the Raptors’ 101-91 win against Cleveland on Friday night. Forward Morris Peterson is expected to miss at least six weeks because of a fractured right index finger. The Raptors activated center Mamadou N’diaye from the injured list, and he played three minutes against the Cavaliers. Jerome Williams had his first start of the season in place of Peterson.