Lakers Miss Their Daddy

He received a standing ovation in the second quarter, his visage splashed across the video scoreboard as his trademark song played, a reminder of times that were eminently more palatable for Laker followers.

Kobe Bryant? No, he was busy playing against the Charlotte Bobcats when Shaquille O’Neal strolled to a courtside seat at Staples Center with 8:36 left until halftime.

O’Neal, walking with his bodyguard, was back in town for tonight’s Miami Heat game against the Clippers, carving out just enough time to watch part of the Lakers’ wobbly 99-98 victory Sunday over the Bobcats.

O’Neal left at halftime, but not before the scoreboard showed a close-up of him, accompanied by “Superman” theme music, as he sat down almost directly across from Laker Coach Phil Jackson.

At halftime, as the Lakers trailed the Bobcats, 48-46, O’Neal declined to be interviewed.

“No comment,” he said. “Just sitting here next to a business partner, trying to sell some shoes.”

Laker officials found out about O’Neal’s plans half an hour before he arrived.

What they couldn’t plan for was the home team’s rickety performance against a second-year franchise.

The Bobcats, 18-64 last season and now 5-13, took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter and almost made it stand up.

Former Laker guard Kareem Rush, the Bobcats’ second-leading scorer, did not play because of a sprained finger, but points weren’t tough for Charlotte against a Laker defense that continued to be an appeaser.

Bryant had another poor shooting night, but he hit two free throws with 7.2 seconds left to prevent the Lakers from losing to a team that had been 1-9 on the road.

Bryant scored 29 points on nine-for-30 shooting and heard about his shot selection from Jackson after the game.

“To survive a shooting night like this with Kobe is difficult,” Jackson said. “When he’s nine for 30 and we win a ballgame, that’s a difficult thing to do when a person takes that many shots over the course of the night. He has to shoot better than that if he’s going to take that many shots. It’s just imperative.”

Jackson told Bryant to stop pump-faking so often and shoot sooner if he felt he had created enough space.

Bryant, who has made more than half his shots only once in the last 12 games, said his lower body felt heavy.

“My legs felt like they were in cement,” he said. “It’s always an adjustment to the start of the season. Usually ... you start getting heavy legs right now. You just kind of work your way through it, continue with your weight-training program, practicing and just doing your normal thing. Then you come out of it, you kind of get your second legs, and that can carry you for a long, long time.”

With the former Laker center looking on, Chris Mihm had one of his strongest games of the season, scoring 21 points and taking nine rebounds.

But Bryant had to finish it off.

After Brevin Knight missed two free throws with 11.8 seconds left, Bryant drove down the right side, drew a foul on Bernard Robinson, and hit both free throws. Charlotte guard Gerald Wallace air-balled a three-point attempt as time expired to ensure a Laker victory.

Bryant and O’Neal, embittered combatants by the time the latest Laker dynasty slammed to a stop, play Dec. 25 in Miami, but the questions began after Sunday’s game.

“No, I didn’t see him come in,” Bryant said, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, I saw him. Don’t really matter to me.”

Bryant said it didn’t impede his performance or distract his teammates.

“Zero,” he said.

Said Jackson: “I didn’t see him but I heard the noise, wondered what was going on and was told they just had Shaq on the Jumbotron. That was great that he came back.”

Sasha Vujacic, a difference-maker in the Lakers’ overtime victory Thursday in Utah, had 10 fourth-quarter points to help the Lakers overcome an 81-71 deficit. Vujacic finished with 12 points, making all three of his shots and all four free throws.