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Tuesday, Feb. 20 8:30pm ET
Lakers await word on Bryant's ankle

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DALLAS (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal played along with Don Nelson's pregame plan by clowning around with a red foam nose. He wasn't as cooperative after tipoff.

Kobe Bryant
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant had 19 points but twisted his ankle in the Lakers' win.

O'Neal defused Nelson's favored Hack-a-Shaq strategy by scoring 29 points, including 11-of-15 free throws, to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the Dallas Mavericks 119-109 in Nelson's first game back from prostate cancer surgery.

"When Shaq makes his free throws like that, then the Hack-a-Shaq goes right out the window," said Nelson, who had been gone for 21 games and 52 days.

Kobe Bryant scored 19 points but injured his right ankle in a collision with O'Neal in the final minutes. Although he continued to play on it, he was unavailable for comment after the game while getting treatment and X-rays.

O'Neal and Bryant got off to slow starts as Dallas took an early 10-point lead. The pair got hot in the middle quarters as the Lakers eventually went up by 18 en route to their 22nd win in 23 tries against the Mavericks.

Bryant's first point was Los Angeles' 40th and he didn't make a field goal until midway through the second quarter. The Lakers survived, though, because Rick Fox tied his season-high with 22 points and Isaiah Rider had 20. Los Angeles also improved to 3-2 on a six-game road trip that ends Wednesday night in San Antonio.

Dallas was motivated early because of Nelson's return.

He received a warm ovation, then lightened the mood by pulling the toy nose out of his pocket to look like "a clown," which is what O'Neal called him the last time the teams met.

Dallas sent O'Neal to the line 20 times that game, usually by guys at the end of the bench who were sent in specifically to foul him. His anger blew over, though, and he even called Nelson during his recovery and wished him well.

Nelson targeted this game for his return because he knew it would make good theater. He added to the drama by arranging for O'Neal to come over and take the nose off the coach's face and put it on his own. Assistant coach Del Harris popped one on, too, and a few more were seen throughout Reunion Arena.

"I knew he wouldn't forget my comments," said O'Neal, who was presented one of the 89-cent toys in the locker room. "I didn't expect the whole arena to have them. That was excellent marketing."

O'Neal still had to endure a fair share of abuse from the Mavericks.

He was fouled 59 seconds into the first quarter, 54 seconds into the second quarter and 11 seconds into the fourth quarter. He even had to do a cartwheel to save himself from injury following one foul by Christian Laettner in the fourth quarter.

But the big guy had the last laugh by making five straight foul shots in the second quarter and 6-of-8 in the second half.

"That's been my mantra during the year -- that when Shaq starts making his free throws, we're a different ballclub," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Tonight, he made them under duress."

Steve Nash led the Mavericks with a career-high 31 points and had seven assists, but it wasn't enough to continue a five-game home winning streak.

"We came awfully close to beating the Lakers the first two times we played them," Nash said. "Tonight, we weren't as close. Shaq hit his free throws and that was a big part of the game."

Michael Finley had 22 points, including devastating dunks over Bryant and Mike Penberthy. Dirk Nowitzki scored 25.

Game notes
Dallas owner Mark Cuban wrapped up his two-game suspension for running onto the court to break up a fight. ... Nash "won" a jump ball with O'Neal when the center was whistled for stealing the tip. Nash, who gives up more than a foot to O'Neal, smiled at the Dallas bench and said, "That's right!" ... Dallas is 8-8 at home against Western Conference teams.

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RECAPS
Toronto 113
Golden State 102

Vancouver 116
Washington 104

Phoenix 110
Orlando 104

New York 76
Miami 74

Milwaukee 101
Chicago 92

LA Lakers 119
Dallas 109

Houston 101
Boston 84

Portland 104
Denver 94

Sacramento 94
Atlanta 80

AUDIO/VIDEO
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 Despite the loss, Dallas coach Don Nelson enjoyed being back.
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 Shaquille O'Neal's modesty was missing in action after the Lakers' victory over Dallas.
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