Shaw Has Questions for Hunter

When the Lakers met a month ago with Billy Hunter, head of the players’ union, they were told there was no way the union would allow the first round to be expanded to best of seven, according to Brian Shaw.

On Wednesday night, Shaw, the Lakers’ player representative, said Laker players were “blindsided” by Commissioner David Stern’s announcement. A bigger piece of the playoff revenue and a few days off in October didn’t seem like a fair exchange to Shaw, and he was eager to speak to Hunter.

“Nobody really knows the things that went down yet,” Shaw said.

Robert Horry said it was kind of the league to give the veteran Lakers three days off during next camp, which the Lakers will spend in Hawaii. He laughed.

“We care, but there’s nothing we can do about it,” Horry said. “You do what you gotta do, right? Me, personally, I don’t mind.”

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Sometime between Tuesday night’s victory over the Nuggets and Wednesday night’s victory over the Nuggets, Phil Jackson and Shaquille O’Neal came together on the issue of Monday’s practice, and why O’Neal would not call Jackson personally.

O’Neal was fined an unspecified amount and did not appear to be angry with the decision. Asked if their discussion satisfied his curiosity, Jackson said, “Well, as satisfied as you can be.

“It was just the fact of being responsible. He faced the fine he received, but it’s not anything that approximates what you guys make in a single day.”

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Nugget forward Chris Andersen has a tattoo on his right shoulder that resembles Dunkman, the rim-hanging logo O’Neal uses for his shoes and other products. Andersen’s guy is skinnier, but it’s close.

“I should sue him,” O’Neal said, laughing.

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The only Nugget to play well in the back-to-back games against the Lakers was veteran forward Juwan Howard, who had 18 points (though only one rebound) on Tuesday and 22 points Wednesday.

No wonder.

Howard, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, has told friends in Denver that he would consider playing for the Lakers next season for the mid-level exception, approximately $4.5 million. Count Scottie Pippen among the other veterans hoping to apply for the same work.