Good Feud Has Come to an End

Now what is this league going to do on Christmas?

Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant embraced before Monday night’s game, ending the NBA’s pet blood feud or, at least, making it less likely that they’ll come to blows on your TV set on Christmas Day 2006.

Oops, this just in. We’re back in business with Shaq and ... Andrew Bynum!

The Lakers beat the Heat, 100-92, in a game that will be little noted nor long remembered in the replays of O’Neal and Bryant embracing ... Shaq steamrolling Bynum to dunk an offensive rebound

Somebody tell him that if he wants to live to see 19, he’d better watch where he dances and whom he bumps.

“He banged me, I thought it was a foul,” Bynum said. “He kind of pogo-sticked on me. It was really a little embarrassing, a little ugly, so I just had to go back at him.... I’m growing. I played against one of my favorite players, and I had to go back at him.”

It wasn’t an ordinary night in Staples Center. The Lakers looked great. O’Neal, who was received politely here last season, was booed progressively louder as the game went on.

Bryant went for the now-traditional 37. O’Neal had 18 as the Lakers discovered the joy of hacking Shaq at the end, seven free throws worth in the fourth quarter, of which he missed five.

O’Neal, who had refused to even mention Bryant’s name since he left, ended the feud he created before the game, walking up to Bryant, who was on the floor stretching, and shaking hands. They exchanged handshakes and embraces at the captains’ meeting, and reenacted it to cheers at the center jump.

This came as a distinct surprise. Bryant and O’Neal arrived in the garage area in Staples at the same time before the game. Neither looked at the other -- leading to speculation that Pat Riley suggested to O’Neal that it was time for this to be over.

It was past time. It no longer matters what Bryant and O’Neal think about each other. They each have their own problems to worry about.

Their first season apart was a disaster for Bryant and the Lakers and a triumph for O’Neal and his new team ... right up until Dwyane Wade got hurt and the Heat lost in the Eastern finals.

They’re still trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Coach Stan Van Gundy didn’t even last until this season’s Christmas Shootout for reasons that seem mysterious, unless you factor in O’Neal’s traditional desire to offer input.

A month later, 18 games into Riley II, the Heat is 23-16, nine games behind Detroit. O’Neal is at career lows for minutes (28), points (18.3), shooting (54%) and rebounds (9.5).

Jackson, who has seen O’Neal play his way into shape before -- and take all 82 games of the season to do it -- was asked what Shaq looked like to him before the game.

“I’m not going to weigh in on that one,” said Jackson, laughing. “I think the water’s a little deep.”

Riley says O’Neal is “80% but he’s coming,” but also sounds like he’s trying to challenge Shaq to be more than he has.

It’s still a weird time for Riley. He recently told ESPN he wasn’t sure he’d be back next season and, when asked about it by the Miami beat writers, offered this non-clarification:

“What I said [Friday], there is some truth to that and maybe there might not be any truth to that. However you want to deal with it, deal with it. The important thing is now. I’m here and I’m coaching and I’m going to coach and do the best job I can do. That’s it.”

That’s what?

Before this, Riley’s biggest stars were all-heart guys such as Magic Johnson, who were as gung-ho as he was. Maybe Riles isn’t sure he’d like to try it Shaq’s way, on Shaq’s schedule.