O’Neal Shows Lighter Side

At his current rate of 20.1 points per game, Shaquille O’Neal’s scoring average would be the lowest of his professional career, and the lowest since he scored 13.9 points per game as a freshman at Louisiana State.

Last week, he averaged 19.7 points.

The fallout: He was named Western Conference player of the week.

“So what, you guys want a comment from me?” he asked as he pulled a yellow jersey over his head before Tuesday night’s game against the New York Knicks. “Whoop-dee freakin’ do. That’s my comment.”

He laughed. He actually does that with some frequency now, even as he has lost nearly eight points from his career and last year’s averages, nearly 10 from his MVP season.

Over the week, in wins over San Antonio, Dallas and Utah, O’Neal also averaged 16.7 rebounds, 4.7 blocks and 4.3 assists. He missed triple-doubles by a blocked shot against the Spurs and by two assists against the Jazz. He is lighter on his feet and quicker off the floor than he has been in any month outside of June in years, and it has shown in the Lakers’ 18-3 start. He’s also shown a measure of patience as negotiations for a contract extension between his agent and General Manager Mitch Kupchak moved into a second month.

Whoop-dee-do, indeed.

“It’s all about winning, and I’m cool with that,” O’Neal said.

“Because of Karl [Malone] and because we’re playing well, I’m not getting beat up as much. Last year, I got beat up. I’m not beat up anymore. I do the beating up.”

The leg and foot injuries of recent seasons have abated, and the locker room with Malone and Gary Payton is a warmer place, and a happy O’Neal has guarded the porch he once left vacant.

“He can play freely and move freely without the kind of discomfort he had in the last two or three seasons,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “Then there’s the responsibility. He doesn’t have as much of a load to carry this year, because he can be active. He can do other things and he doesn’t have to worry that he has to score 25 points or so every night for us to win. I think that liberates him so he can be more active defensively.”

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Kobe Bryant said he is stronger, that moments have come that have reminded him of seasons of his recent past. More than six months after knee surgery, his legs aren’t always with him, but sometimes they are, which is improvement.

“I’m starting to round back into shape,” he said. “Mainly, it’s my legs. Your legs carry you.”

In the meantime, Jackson has little feel for what Bryant will have night to night, which is not yet a problem.

“I don’t think it is [troublesome],” he said. “We figure we’re going to get 19 points. That’s the minimum I think we’re going to get. But, he could have a 40-point game. He could start shooting the ball the way he can shoot the ball.”

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While NBA owners announced Tuesday they had exercised the option year on the collective bargaining agreement, meaning the contract between players and owners would run through 2004-05, Malone said he feared for the 2005-06 season.

“If guys think we got a raw deal on this [contract],” Malone said, “wait ‘til the next one comes.”

As for a lockout or strike, Malone said, “I think. But, I could be wrong.”