Old Sparring Partners Reunite

The Lakers don’t get the rings the Sacramento Kings were so sure were theirs for another four days, and the large black curtain on the west wall hid the banner torn away from the Kings in a Game 7 overtime last spring.

Since then, the Kings have ranted about 70 wins and how the referees maybe should get those rings, seeing as they were the ones who dictated the critical moments with their terrible calls.

The Lakers, quite confident themselves and also proud they’ve eliminated the Kings in each of their last three championship postseasons, have renamed the Sacramento franchise the “Queens,” in part because one of the Sacramentans admitted to being “scared to death” during those Western Conference finals.

The Pacific Division rivals share a floor tonight at Staples Center, in an exhibition game that would seem to hold little drama for anyone not named Jannero Pargo, Soumaila Samake and Guy Rucker, three Laker campers hoping to make it to the regular season.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be meaningful,” Kobe Bryant said. “Last year, when we played Sacramento in the preseason they kind of took that as a big ol’ challenge, to send us a message, and they beat us. They celebrated. Then we beat them in the seventh game of the playoffs. I don’t think they can take too much from the preseason anymore.”

He laughed, though, and conceded, “It’s going to be interesting, even in an exhibition game.”

Of the primary instigators -- Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Bibby, Chris Webber -- only Webber (groin strain) might play, and he’s doubtful. Bibby broke a bone in his right foot and isn’t expected to play until about Dec. 1, and O’Neal is two or three weeks from returning from his toe surgery.

Still, said O’Neal, who’s getting a lot of mileage from dubbing the Kings Queens, “It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be exciting. They talk. We talk. That’s what this league is all about. We’re selling tickets, creating TV revenue. It’s not personal. Nothing But Actors. NBA stands for Nothing But Actors.”

Who’s not taking it personally? O’Neal grinned.

“They probably will,” he said. “We’ll probably take it personal too.”

Asked at Thursday’s shoot-around if bad blood still existed, Rick Fox smiled and said, “It’s spilled all over the floor.”

Phil Jackson said he’d keep them all in check.

“I just don’t want them to get into that kind of a state right now,” he said. “I’ll keep the roar level down a little bit.”

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The Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 98-93, in an exhibition game Thursday night at Staples Center. Tracy Murray had 21 points, including five-for-six three-point shooting.... Robert Horry awoke with a sore back, was questionable against the Bucks and played anyway.... Devean George (back), Brian Shaw (groin) and Mark Madsen (hamstring) did not suit up.... O’Neal has yet to be examined by Dr. Robert Mohr, and so he has not been cleared to run.... The Lakers waived guard A.J. Guyton. The roster stands at 15.