Burglary Leaves Mobley Soul-Searching

Family and friends have often cautioned swingman Cuttino Mobley about being too trusting, and Mobley wondered Monday whether someone he trusted burglarized his home.

Thieves stole $500,000 in cash, jewelry and other items Saturday from Mobley’s Bel-Air residence, according to authorities. No more details were released, and Mobley declined to discuss specifics, but he expressed concern someone he knows might have committed the crime.

“My mom let me have it this morning about that, about being good to people and people are not good to you,” Mobley said before Monday’s 118-114 loss to the Miami Heat.

“I don’t know any other way to be. I am who I am, so if I’m punished because of that, then that’s just what it is. I’m not going to stop being who I am because everybody else is mean, evil or whatever. I guess I’ll just have to live with those type of mistakes that I make.”

Mobley said his personal assistant and a close friend were not home when the robbery occurred.

“I’ve got people on it, looking into it, right now,” Mobley said. “There’s no news yet, but they’ll figure out something sooner or later. It would be a bad thing, a really bad thing, if it’s somebody you know.

“My mom and my friends always say that I’m very kind to people, I just want everybody to get along, but you never know. If it happened to other people in my area ... maybe it’s not personal.

“With all they got, hopefully it will help them. Hopefully, they won’t have to do this to anybody else. Whatever it is, we’ll handle it.”

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Although center Shaquille O’Neal didn’t have a big game by his old standards, scoring 25 points with eight rebounds, the Clippers said his presence was key to Miami’s victory.

Center Chris Kaman, who had been playing at the highest level of his career, was in foul trouble early and had only four points and three rebounds before fouling out with 3:55 left.

Power forward Elton Brand, with help, primarily guarded O’Neal, and did as well as could be expected for someone giving up about five inches and probably 100 pounds.

“Shaq is so big,” Kaman said. “You’ve just got to try to get him out of the lane as best you can. If you can’t, and he gets easy opportunities late in the game, you’ve just got to foul him.”

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Starting small forward Corey Maggette, sidelined since Dec. 6 because of a left foot injury, will have a cast removed today, Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

If Maggette’s foot responds to rehabilitation, he might return after the All-Star break. A setback, however, might prompt him to undergo season-ending surgery.