Nonchalant but Prepared

If the Lakers were concerned about which team they would play in the Western Conference finals, they did not show it Wednesday.

Karl Malone said he’d watch the Discovery Channel, or “SpongeBob SquarePants,” before he tuned into Game 7 of the Sacramento-Minnesota series. Gary Payton said playing with his kids took priority. And Shaquille O’Neal?

He told a reporter that he’d rather see him walk nude down Sunset Boulevard than watch a basketball game on television.

“We know that we have to stay dominant at home and win some games on the road,” O’Neal said following a spirited 90-minute workout at the Lakers’ HealthSouth training facility in El Segundo.

“Whatever team makes it is the team that we want to play. It doesn’t really matter to us because we’re going to be well prepared.”

With his team playing its best basketball of the playoffs and riding a four-game winning streak, Coach Phil Jackson stuck to basics during practice, including some full-court scrimmaging and sprints.

“It was just getting ourselves back in motion,” Payton said. “We’ve been off some days and it’s important to get our wind back, work on our fundamentals and keep ourselves sharp.”

Although the Lakers lost three of four regular-season games to both the Kings and Timberwolves, the Lakers said there is a difference between regular-season games in January and playoff ball in May.

“We’re playing with much more poise, at least most of the time, and with a lot of enthusiasm,” O’Neal said. “We’re also playing much better defense. The regular season was what it was and now this is the playoffs.... We found out that if we play near perfect ball, we’re unbeatable.”

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Rick Fox opened the playoffs starting at small forward. But three games into the first-round series against Houston, Fox was benched after he missed seven shots.

Although he is still considered a key defensive specialist by Jackson, Fox was replaced by Devean George, who has kept that spot with 54.3% shooting and energetic defense.

But Jackson said George’s status isn’t etched in stone.

“You don’t make those type of commitments,” Jackson said. “Devean has shown since he’s stepped back into the starting lineup that he can help us out.... But there’s always situations that present themselves. You may have to change things up.”

George credits his recent success to understanding his role better while playing with Kobe Bryant, Payton, Malone and O’Neal.

“The key for me is to really stay spaced and wait for them to come off of pick and rolls and the swinging of the ball,” said George, who has made 14 of 27 three-point shots in the playoffs. “There’s also opportunities when they double-team on Shaq.”

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Payton on the Lakers’ offensive changes: “We were coming down being tentative. We wanted to go right into the triangle instead of taking our opportunities, coming off pick and rolls, going to the bucket and making things happen, breaking people down. We weren’t playing basketball; we were thinking too much.”

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For the fourth time in five years, Laker road playoff games will be shown live at Staples Center. Entertainment, including performances by the Laker Girls, will be provided with the game being shown on the arena’s 1,200 television monitors, including the four giant scoreboard screens. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 13. Proceeds will be donated to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation and the Staples Center Foundation.