George Learning Cold Reality of NBA Life

Rick Fox, 12 seasons in the NBA, looked across the locker room at Devean George, whose right foot was in eight inches of ice water. This was before the Saturday night’s game.

George suffers from tendinitis in his ankle, an ailment that has wrecked most of the last six weeks for him, so the Lakers await his athletic -- and, now, expensive -- game.

Fox said he’d seen the expression before, the body language of a young player dealing with nightly, nagging pain for the first time.

“After the first two or three years in this league, you never play at 100% again,” Fox said. “You have to get used to it. His body’s too young to be introduced to Advil.”

While the Lakers generally have become healthier in the past few weeks -- Shaquille O’Neal, Robert Horry, Samaki Walker and Fox were being treated for one thing or another -- George has Coach Phil Jackson worried. Even with five days between games and two full days out of the gym, Jackson said, “Devean I’m still concerned about.”

George had seven points, six rebounds and fouled out in 21 minutes against Phoenix.

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Jackson, on wry observations the 13-20 Lakers are positioning themselves to draft LeBron James: “Really? That’s a good one. We haven’t had a good draft pick since Magic, right?”

Actually, they last had the No. 1 overall pick in 1982, selecting James Worthy. Magic Johnson went No. 1 in 1979.

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Walker, on antibiotics for most of last week because of tonsillitis, said Saturday he’s finally starting to feel like himself again. He started at power forward and had five points and four rebounds.

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In the wake of what apparently will be a landslide All-Star victory for Yao Ming in the Western Conference center balloting, O’Neal has only been gracious.

His teammates wonder.

“It’ll bother him when he gets there,” Fox said of the Feb. 9 game in Atlanta. “I think it’ll bother Yao when we play [in Houston].”

The Lakers play the Rockets in Houston on Jan. 17.

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TONIGHT

vs. Phoenix, 6:30, Fox Sports Net

Site -- Staples Center

Radio -- KLAC-AM (570), KWKW-AM (1330)

Records -- Lakers 13-20, Suns 21-12.

Record vs. Suns -- 0-1.

Update -- The Lakers are 1-6 in the second of back-to-back games. The Suns are 2-6 on the back end. Most of the Suns’ early-season success has come in Phoenix. On the road, they are 6-9.