Horry Takes a Three Ride

Robert Horry made a three-point basket Tuesday night at SBC Center, about six months too late to help the Lakers, but soon enough to put a familiar smile on his face the morning after.

“My first one,” he said. “It stayed in.”

Horry finished last season’s playoffs with 24 consecutive three-point misses, most memorably at the end of Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals, when his shot near the final buzzer hit, hovered and bounced out. The San Antonio Spurs were 96-94 winners who easily closed out the Lakers at Staples Center in Game 6.

“To be honest with you,” Horry said after the shot, “it was so disappointing it made me want to shed a tear.”

Horry signed a two-year deal with the Spurs. He gets home to Houston to see his family more than ever, loves Coach Gregg Popovich and, when the NBA championship is decided, he’ll probably be nearby. He has won five and is again on a title contender.

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Horry’s reaction to the rekindled feud between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant: “That’s them.”

Still, he added, “I was kind of surprised, especially with all the stuff that’s going on with Kobe. I was shocked that they would even be worried about some little ... stuff like that.”

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TONIGHT

at San Antonio

6:30 PST, TNT

Site -- SBC Center.

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

Records -- Lakers 4-0, Spurs 3-2.

Record vs. Spurs (2002-03) -- 0-4.

Update -- Tim Duncan (sprained ankle) won’t play tonight and could be out three weeks. Tony Parker (ankle) is on the injured list until at least Monday. Manu Ginobili, the Spurs’ sixth man last season, averages 11.8 points a game. Spur Coach Gregg Popovich returns after serving a one-game suspension for bumping a referee.