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© St. Petersburg Times, published June 5, 2002
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Imagine Superman immune to kryptonite.
Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal, with the huge S tattooed on his left biceps, seems to be overcoming what had been his glaring weakness: free throws.
O'Neal shot 73 percent, 11-for-15, from the line in the pressure-packed Game 7 of the Western Conference final. By comparison, Sacramento's Vlade Divac was 5-for-10, and the Kings as a team shot 53 percent.
"It makes all the difference in the world to us if Shaq's making free throws," Lakers assistant Tex Winter said. "If he's making them, it certainly makes other teams reluctant to go to "Hack-a-Shaq' with the game on the line."
The 7-foot-1, 340-pound O'Neal has shot 64 percent from the line in this year's playoffs, including the 11 he made on his way to 35 points in the Lakers' 112-106 overtime victory at Sacramento on Sunday.
"I know that has been probably the one knock on Shaq's game, that he had a hard time at the free-throw line," New Jersey center Todd MacCulloch said. "When he's making them, that just makes a great player even better."
Winter is not convinced O'Neal has gone from shaky at the line -- around 50 percent in his career -- to a sharpshooter.
"I know he feels more confident with his free throws right now, but I think it's something you would have to see on a continuing basis," Winter said. "It's interesting. This is something he has worked on on his own, saying, "Leave me alone and I'll take care of it.' He pretty much has.
"He still has that unorthodox style, with the ball on his fingertips, but his hands are so big he can make it work."
TRUNKS TROUBLES: Both Kobe Bryant and Robert Horry were in danger of losing their britches in the last game of the Western Conference playoffs.
After breaking the drawstring in the waistband of his uniform, Bryant had to go to the bench and change into new shorts in the second quarter. Teammate Lindsey Hunter held a towel to provide some privacy.
Horry, who broke his drawstring earlier against the Kings and taped his shorts tighter around his waist, popped the string again in the third quarter Sunday and had to switch trunks.
"The manufacturers are looking into it," Horry said. "With my little narrow behind, the trunks will slide right off, so I have to keep 'em on tight."