SAN ANTONIO VS. LOS ANGELES PHILADELPHIA VS. MILWAUKEE

Wednesday, May 30 Jackson also says Spurs' defense is zone Associated Press EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson more than made up for Shaquille O'Neal's silence Tuesday. O'Neal, obviously aware of his third-place finish behind Philadelphia's Allen Iverson and San Antonio's Tim Duncan in the NBA's Most Valuable Player voting, waved off reporters following practice, quickly walking off the court. Jackson had plenty to say on the matter, and also labeled the Spurs' defense as continually illegal. In addition, he set the record straight -- his words -- about having said the Spurs' championship of two years ago should have an asterisk next to it in the record books because they won their lone title during the lockout-shortened season. With the defending champion Lakers and Spurs gearing up for the Western Conference finals, which begin Saturday in San Antonio, Jackson took the offensive, as he is wont to do in these situations. "Shaq was third? That's a real slap in his face as the most dominant player in the game," Jackson said, making it clear he was taking nothing away from Iverson or Duncan. "It's a reflection on our team, we should have won 65, it's reflective of how we played. "I'm actually pleased for him because I think it's a carrot in front of his nose for next year. To earn the most valuable player award in the playoffs is what I'm looking forward to, that's the most important award." Lakers forward Rick Fox called O'Neal's third-place finish "a little firepower for Shaquille, not that Tim Duncan isn't a viable candidate." "Play it up for us, please," Fox said to reporters. "He definitely played better in the second half than the first. There's a lot to be debated this year, it's a vote of opinion." O'Neal came within one vote of becoming the first unanimous MVP in league history last season, when the Lakers won 67 games. They won 56 this season, the same total as Philadelphia and two less than San Antonio. When asked about the Spurs' highly regarded defense, Jackson replied: "San Antonio won't have to change their defense next year, they've played a zone all season. They play a 1-2-2 zone, nobody calls it." Concerning the well-publicized asterisk comments, Jackson explained that on Jan. 25, 1999 -- shortly before the beginning of the lockout-shortened season -- he told the Chicago Bulls upon being asked to return as coach that he wasn't interested in coaching in a condensed season. It was at that time, he recalled, that he first said an asterisk should accompany that season's champion, although he did repeat that opinion on several occasions later, including last season. "If they want to feel maligned, that's fine," Jackson said, "What we think is San Antonio is a fine team." Jackson added the series wouldn't be decided on the emotion he creates, but on the games are played on the court and how they're officiated. "This is about basketball at its best," he said. Jackson also said he expected Derek Anderson, San Antonio's second-leading scorer, to play sometime during the series. After Anderson sustained a dislocated right shoulder following a flagrant foul by Dallas' Juwan Howard on May 5, it was estimated he would be sidelined 3-to-6 weeks. Jackson also said he expected backup Lakers center Greg Foster, who didn't play against Sacramento because of a sprained right foot, to be ready to return sometime during this series. Foster hasn't played much lately, but Jackson indicated he'd see action if healthy against the Spurs because of their size. "We want them to have the best team, I'm sure they want us to have the best team," Jackson said. Notes: The Lakers aren't scheduled to practice again until Thursday, and leave for San Antonio following Friday's practice. ... Kobe Bryant, who returned to the Los Angeles area between the third and fourth games of the Lakers' sweep of Sacramento because his wife was hospitalized with severe pain in her left side, said everything was fine now. ... Bryant, who scored 36 and 48 points in the two games at Sacramento, said he doesn't expect the Spurs to change despite the absence of Anderson, who would generally defend against him. "I think they'll probably mix it up a little bit," Bryant said, mentioning Antonio Daniels and Sean Elliott as players he would expect to see guarding him. "They seem to be doing pretty well without him." Bryant averaged 37.7 points in the three games he played against the Spurs this season. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

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