Payton Sits and Says ‘I’m Cool’

Gary Payton, unhappy that he sat out the entire fourth quarter Monday night, sat out the fourth quarter Friday night, and afterward he smiled and shook his head.

On that subject, Payton said, “No comment, man. I’m cool. I’m not answering that question.”

There are doubts that Payton will return to the Lakers if Coach Phil Jackson does, both within the Laker organization and the Payton camp, despite Payton’s recent promise to play where Karl Malone does next season.

Payton can opt out of his contract at the end of the season, and Jackson does not have a contract past this season.

Derek Fisher again played the final quarter in place of Payton, according to Jackson, because Payton’s jump shots are not falling. Payton was three for 12 from the field in Game 3 and is 10 for 30 in the series. Fisher made all three of his shots, two of them three-pointers.

“We needed that three-point threat,” Jackson said.

Asked if he feared Payton’s reaction, Jackson said, “Not at all. He’s a professional. He’s going to do a job for us.”

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Two hours before the game, Shaquille O’Neal ordered two cars, which ferried O’Neal, Malone, Bryon Russell and other team personnel from the team hotel to the Toyota Center.

As technicians dragged cables across the gym floor and ushers brushed debris from the floor-level seats, O’Neal scrimmaged Malone, one-on-one, and then the two shot free throws, O’Neal from a foot behind the line.

O’Neal shot free throws well into Monday morning in preparation for Monday night’s Game 2, then invited a couple of teammates to join him Friday.

In their scrimmage, O’Neal dribbled between his legs and Malone shot step-back jumpers. They laughed at the misses and the makes, particularly when O’Neal’s left-handed jump hook rimmed out.

“He was coming over,” Malone said. “I said, ‘I’ll come over with you all.’ It was pretty cool.”

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Prodded perhaps by a league-office request that he end his general media silence, Kobe Bryant spoke briefly with a reporter from Associated Press on Friday afternoon.

On his boycott, Bryant was quoted as saying, “One thing, I am stubborn.”

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Russell didn’t play for the second time in the series.