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          O'Neal scores 24, Bryant has triple double in win

          Nov 25, 2002

            LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Things are getting back to normal for the
            three-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

            Shaquille O'Neal scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his
            second game of the season, and Kobe Bryant had a triple-double
            Sunday night to lead the Lakers to a 111-99 victory over the
            Milwaukee Bucks.

            O'Neal had 17 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes as a
            reserve Friday night in an 86-73 victory over Chicago in his first
            game since undergoing surgery Sept. 11 on his arthritic right big
            toe.

            He started against the Bucks and played 28 minutes.

            "I thought that except for his free throws, he looked pretty
            much in stride,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of O'Neal, who
            went 4-of-10 from the foul line including 1-of-5 in the fourth
            quarter.

            "I think we're getting better each game,'' O'Neal said. "We're
            getting back into form.''

            O'Neal, who gave himself a grade of "C'' for his performance,
            said his foot felt pretty good.

            "I'm rusty,'' he said. "I'm like an average big man right now.
            Average isn't good enough for me. Maybe it will take a week, maybe
            it will take a month. I'm not going to be that hard on myself.

            "I'll get it back -- very quickly. I'm not worried at all. I'm
            back, spirits are up, we're into it.''

            Bryant had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his third
            triple-double of the season and the sixth of his career.

            Derek Fisher had a season-high 21 points and seven assists; Rick
            Fox scored 11 points, and Robert Horry added 10 as all five Los
            Angeles starters scored in double figures.

            The 111 points were a season-high, as was the 50.6 percent
            shooting percentage (44-of-87). The previous highs were 108 points
            and 45.9 percent against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 1.

            "Obviously, Shaq opens up more things for us as a team.
            Hopefully our whole team will shoot better with him around,'' said
            Fisher, who was knocked to the floor twice in the third quarter and
            moved around gingerly afterward because of a sore tailbone.

            Michael Redd led Milwaukee with 19 points. Jason Caffey had
            season-high totals of 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Sam Cassell
            had 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks.

            Milwaukee's Ray Allen, the NBA's seventh-leading scorer with a
            23.6-point average, sprained his right ankle in the second quarter
            and sat out the second half. He shot 1-of-8 and scored four points
            in 16 minutes.

            "It's serious,'' Bucks coach George Karl said of Allen's
            injury. "It's not day-to-day, I think he's going to be out for a
            while. It's a moderate sprain.''

            O'Neal's three-point play with 8:13 remaining -- shortly after he
            returned to the game -- gave the Lakers a 98-87 lead. The Bucks
            weren't closer than 10 points after that.

            O'Neal scored nine points to spark a 15-5 run to begin the
            second half, putting the Lakers on top 77-59.

            But the Bucks outscored the Lakers 14-9 with O'Neal out in the
            final 5:54 of the third period to draw within 11 points entering
            the fourth quarter. They got as close as eight points before he
            came back in.

            "I don't think he's back to 100 percent Shaq, but he's working
            toward that,'' Bucks center Ervin Johnson said. "I think it's more
            stamina than anything else.''

            Regarding O'Neal's 24 points and 11 rebounds, Johnson said:
            "That's not bad. And they won. He's back.''

            The Lakers are 5-9; they were 13-1 after 14 games last season.

            "It felt like our old selves out there,'' Fisher said. "It's a
            good feeling.''

            Brian Shaw scored five points, and Bryant added four during a
            13-2 run that gave the Lakers a 57-44 lead late in the second
            quarter. It was 62-54 at halftime.

            Game notes
            The Lakers honored broadcaster Chick Hearn by unveiling a
            jersey bearing his name as part of a pregame tribute. Hearn died in
            August at age 85 of head injuries three days after a fall at his
            home. His jersey, with a microphone instead of a number underneath
            his name, was placed on the Staples Center wall alongside those of
            the team's retired superstars. ... The Bucks played without
            starting forward Anthony Mason, who strained his left hamstring
            Friday night during a victory at Golden State. ... The Lakers have
            won 14 of their last 17 games against the Bucks. ... Former UCLA
            star Dan Gadzuric, who started the first 11 games of his rookie
            season, was replaced in the Bucks' starting lineup by Johnson.
            Gadzuric missed a wide-open dunk late in the second quarter, but
            had nine points and six rebounds in 26 minutes before fouling out
            with 4:58 left. ... Johnson also fouled out, playing only 16
            minutes.