O’Neal Shows No Sign of Restraint

Shaquille O’Neal expressed no remorse Tuesday, stopping for a moment on his way out of practice at Gund Arena only to say, “No man, including David Stern, can do to me what FICA hasn’t already done.”

On the day he became an All-Star for the 11th time, O’Neal’s words contrasted with the tone of a Laker-released statement the day before, when he apologized for his profanity during a live television interview Sunday in Toronto.

Instead, as reporters filed into a small practice gym, he turned and strung together five obscenities, laughing as he did so, apparently to establish he would not be intimidated by the league or its one-game suspension, which also cost him $275,000.

That was the public O’Neal, still sour over what he often has contended is a double standard among officials, irritated that the league can’t see it.

Privately, when the Lakers left Toronto for Indianapolis on Sunday, O’Neal sought out Susan Stratton, the longtime producer of Laker games for Channel 9. According to witnesses on the charter flight to Indianapolis, O’Neal apologized to Stratton, long before learning of his punishment from the league.

On Tuesday, O’Neal said that he was unhappy with the penalties but felt fine.

“I’m cool,” he said as he boarded an elevator. “You can’t break me. Even with that, you can’t break me.”

Asked whether the penalties were deserved, he said, “Of course not, but they can’t break me.”

Said teammate Rick Fox: “He seemed to be the same. Good problem to have when you make enough money that losing $300,000 doesn’t bother you.”

Horace Grant saw the same in O’Neal, adding, “We’ll keep the microphones away from him, that’s for dog-gone sure.”

While O’Neal is expected to return for tonight’s game at Cleveland, the Lakers continued to wait on Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone.

While Fox reclaimed his ground as an offensive facilitator and defensive grunt, the Lakers wondered where Devean George had gone, put Kareem Rush on crutches, listed Jamal Sampson as questionable and hoped for the best.

Coach Phil Jackson, who has been unwaveringly upbeat about the fluid roster, insisted that dispositions were bright on the practice floor.

“We’re still playing the game,” he said. “It’s still a wonderful opportunity for players. You feel for a kid like Kareem last night, who spent a sleepless ... night in an agonizing situation. But that’s part of the game.”

Rush sprained his ankle Monday night in Indianapolis and will not play tonight. Fox will play some guard, probably against Cavalier rookie LeBron James.

In three games, on an ankle and foot that only recently allowed him back on the floor, he will have defended Latrell Sprewell, Ron Artest and James.

Better than the alternative, he had said. The Lakers have had 12 lineups in 45 games. Tonight, assuming Fox starts at small forward, will be 13.

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Jackson said he did not expect Rush to be available Thursday night in Philadelphia.

Jackson, who has struggled to accurately reflect the nature of his players’ injuries for much of the season, officially gave up in Rush’s case, saying, “We’ll pencil in maybe ‘probable’ or ‘possible’ or ‘questionable’ for Sunday’s game.”

Rush, after describing a tough night with not enough Advil, said, “It’s not what I expected,” then insisted, “It ain’t that bad. I’ll be out a couple more days. I can walk.”

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Jackson said he would continue considering starting Fox over George at small forward.

Asked whether he feared George would react poorly to a demotion, however, Jackson sounded as if he had already chosen Fox.

“It’ll be good” for George, Jackson said. “It’ll take some pressure off him. We need his ability coming off the bench.”

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Publicist John Black left the club Tuesday to tend to a personal matter.... Bryant, who was in Colorado for hearings tied to his legal case, is expected to join the team today.

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TONIGHT

at Cleveland, 5 p.m. PST, Ch. 9, ESPN

Site -- Gund Arena.

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

Records -- Lakers 28-17, Cavaliers 19-29.

Record vs. Cavaliers -- 1-0.

Update -- The young Cavaliers had lost 20 of 25 road games heading to Detroit but have been formidable at Gund, where they are 13-9. The Lakers lost here last year, by 19 points, which was the first clue that those Lakers were not like the Lakers of the previous three seasons. James has been Eastern Conference rookie of the month for November, December and January.