They Might Be Green, but They Wear Purple

A luxury bus heaved to a stop in the garage beneath Arco Arena on Friday night and the Lakers climbed off, Phil Jackson followed by assistant coaches, followed by players whose faces tugged on the recollections of bystanders.

One of the charms of the building is that visiting teams cross the gym floor to reach their locker room. This time, however, there were no lingering security guards and a paucity of designer suits. Many of the players carried their own sacks of clothing, their eyes set upon the building for the first time.

Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Rick Fox and Horace Grant were not on the bus. There were no miraculous recoveries. Fox remained on the injured list, his progress not yet satisfactory to Jackson, the team not yet requiring a small forward as injuries and circumstance have piled up at every other position. And Grant apparently remained in Georgia, caring for his father, Harvey, who recently took ill.

The Lakers expect O’Neal, Bryant and Malone to be examined tonight, before the Lakers play the Clippers at Staples Center. Dr. Steve Lombardo, the team’s physician, will have a look at O’Neal’s calf, Bryant’s shoulder, Malone’s knee, the assembly line of superstar ailments.

In his pregame address, Jackson was asked if there were anyone along he hadn’t expected, and he smiled and shook his head.

“No,” he said. “We have 10 players. We’re ready to go.”

There was, however, some excitement in the eyes of the younger Lakers. Jamal Sampson, the 20-year-old center, prepared for his first start since playing at Cal two years ago. As he pulled leather shoes on his feet and a purple headband over his cornrows, he admitted this was kind of special.

“It’s different when you start,” he said. “There’s a lot more pressure. I’ve got to be more focused.”

He played eight minutes for the Milwaukee Bucks last season. Through Jan. 4, he played eight more for the Lakers. Then, ESPN’s cameras swung around, the Lakers walked into Arco, the Kings awaited, and Sampson jumped center.

“I’m definitely excited,” he said.

As Gary Payton grinded along his routine, and Bryon Russell joked with reporters, and Derek Fisher followed the steps he’d followed for years, Kareem Rush and Brian Cook and Luke Walton bounded around the locker room.

“It’s going to speed their process -- the learning process -- of some of the young players,” Jackson said. “It’s going to put us in a little bit of jeopardy as far as running players down. You know, some of our other players are going to have to play longer minutes. ... Finally, we need to find a way to survive this, ultimately to win, in some form or fashion. We don’t expect to go undefeated. But we certainly want to win our share of games.”

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McDonald’s allowed Bryant’s contract to expire Dec. 31, according to espn.com.... Laker assistant Tex Winter is the “most underrated coach” in sports, according to Sports Illustrated for Kids. Winter, who has coached 57 seasons, is not yet in basketball’s Hall of Fame.... Fox, in Sports Illustrated, on whether Peja Stojakovic is the NBA’s best shooter since Larry Bird: “Peja is the best shooter in league right now. But, is he the best since Larry Bird? No. I think you’ve got to be able to make them in the playoffs too.”