O'Neal on injured list

[Tammo29@xxxxxxx]

  O'Neal is starting the season on the injured list, no surprise.  The news 
is that he could possibly be back in time for the Celtics game.
And while on the subject of the Lakers.....
Kobe Bryant has very quietly been having a horrid preseason.  It's funny how 
no one seems to be saying it, but maybe Kobe's finding it a little more 
difficult to be the man without the most dominating player in the league 
playing beside him?



O'Neal out 5 games
By Howard Beck
Staff Writer
SAN DIEGO -- Shaquille O'Neal will open the season on the injured list and 
miss, at a minimum, the first five games of the Lakers' season, coach Phil 
Jackson said Tuesday.Jackson had hoped O'Neal, recovering from September toe 
surgery, might be available in early November. But he conceded O'Neal 
probably needs two more two weeks -- one to recover, one to practice with the 
team -- before he's ready to play."We're pretty comfortable that we'll be 
playing a week and a half or two without Shaquille, and we'll have to hold 
the fort, so to speak, until he gets back," Jackson said before the Lakers' 
exhibition game against Cleveland at the Sports Arena.O'Neal will be placed 
on the injured list when rosters are submitted Monday afternoon. The Lakers 
open the season Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs.O'Neal also will miss a 
home game against the Portland Trail Blazers and road games against the 
Clippers, Blazers and Cavaliers. He'll be eligible to be activated after the 
game Nov. 5 at Cleveland, the first of a three-game road trip. But Jackson 
figures O'Neal might miss the next two games -- at Boston and Washington -- 
as well."Just looking at when he had the operation, I kind of figured the 
first seven (games)," Jackson said. "If you remember, I said we'd be 0-7 to 
start with. I kind of figure the first seven, at least. But I'm not going to 
jump ahead of that."Kobe Bryant, who figures to carry a heavier load with 
O'Neal out, said the Lakers are prepared for his absence."We expected that," 
he said. "We expect him to take his time and recuperate fully. When he's 
ready to play, he's going to be regular old Big Fella."O'Neal plans to meet 
with his podiatrist, Dr. Robert Mohr, on Thursday and hopes to be cleared for 
light running. But he said he's "taking it slow.""I'm in 100 percent 
treadmill shape, probably about 85 percent basketball shape," O'Neal 
said.Also: The Cavaliers won the game 102-101. Derek Fisher led the Lakers 
with 18 points. Bryant and Rick Fox scored 16 apiece. Jannero Pargo added 14, 
and Slava Medvedenko scored 11 points to go along with eight rebounds. ... 
Mark Madsen (hamstring) and Tracy Murray (hip) are also candidates to open 
the season on the injured list, Jackson said. ... The Lakers, carrying 16 
players, will cut at least one by Thursday afternoon. ... Although he's 
talked about starting Soumaila Samake in O'Neal's place, Jackson is hedging 
on the decision, saying Guy Rucker is also in the mix to make the roster. 
"They're still competing for a job," he said. Samake started Tuesday night's 
game. ... Samaki Walker, also a candidate to start in O'Neal's place, opened 
Tuesday's game at his customary power-forward slot. ... Devean George 
strained his back in practice Monday and did not make the trip to San Diego. 
Jackson expects him to play Thursday night against Milwaukee. ... Brian Shaw, 
suffering from a groin strain, missed his third consecutive game.