Sports: Shaq says free-throw woes done

Shaq says free-throw woes done

By DARRYL FRY

Have you noticed who's been shooting free throws better lately? None other than Shaquille O'Neal.

Before Friday's game at Orlando, the big fella had hit 32 of his past 41 from the line. After sinking one free throw against Charlotte on Wednesday, O'Neal posed in his shooting motion.

"That's a message to whoever," he told the Los Angeles Times. "That "Hack-a-Shaq' stuff will never ever work again. Period. Print it ... I ain't missing no more."

That's great news for the Lakers because the knock on them always has been O'Neal's liability as a free-throw shooter down the stretch. Now the Lakers may not have any weaknesses.

"If he can (keep hitting free throws), he's going to be unstoppable," guard Brian Shaw said, "because you have to foul him or he's going to score 50 or 60 points on you."

STAT OF THE WEEK: Detroit guard Jerry Stackhouse averaged 14.5 points last season as a backup to retired star Joe Dumars. This season he is averaging 23.2 as a starter, making him a strong contender for the league's Most Improved Player Award.

THE GLOVE STILL FITS: After 10 seasons in the NBA, you'd think Gary Payton would be starting to slow down. But it seems he's getting better.

After he had 41 points last week against Washington, his average climbed to 23.4 points, a career high.

"When Gary gets it going, you can't get him under control," Wizards interim coach Darrell Walker said. "He's one of the top five players in the league."

Top five might be overstating things. But the 31-year-old point guard still has plenty of miles left. In fact, he has missed just two games in his career. He has started 290 games in a row, the league's longest active streak.

AT WHAT COST: The Mavs certainly are getting a lot of attention with Dennis Rodman in uniform. But so far his presence isn't helping the team win even though he led the club in rebounding in his first two games.

Dallas had won seven of eight before signing Rodman, but is 0-2 with him in the lineup.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Indiana center Rik Smits, describing how he hurt his back last week:

"I was in the layup line (Monday) and all of a sudden it felt like a lightning bolt went up my back."

THE MASTER OF WHAT?: Rapper Master P, who hoped to build a strong list of NBA clients as a new agent, is losing steam.

Clippers guard Derek Anderson just dumped the rapper's management company, joining Magic guard Ron Mercer and Hornets guard Ricky Davis who also canned Master P recently.

KEY DATE THIS WEEK: The league's trading deadline is 6 p.m. Thursday.

NO GIMMES IN THIS LEAGUE: Portland recently wrestled the league's best record from the Lakers. But after a 99-95 home win against Golden State that was probably a lot closer than it should have been, coach Mike Dunleavy wants to make sure his talented team doesn't get complacent.

"We cannot take for granted that we can turn this thing on and off like a faucet," Dunleavy said. "Just because we have the home court doesn't mean that teams won't come in here and play hard and try to get the win. We have got to play these games like people are coming after us."

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.