Horry Working Into Shape

Robert Horry is not starting yet, but he’s playing more. That’s a start of a different kind.

He arrived in trade last week in what Laker Coach Del Harris called “satisfactory condition,” having averaged 22.5 minutes with the Phoenix Suns, about 10 minutes less than Horry can expect with his new team. The first three outings in L.A., he played 26, 30 and 32.

“I won’t say I’m in the top shape I need to be, to play 30 or 35 minutes like I want,” Horry said, estimating he’s at 90-95%.

“Another couple days. This game [Saturday against the Pistons] and the next few practices. I’ll get it [the proper condition] then and I won’t lose it.”

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Harris on Saturday came out in support of the critical comments from Shaquille O’Neal the day before, saying he appreciates a team captain, or any respected player, using their position of authority in an attempt to motivate.

“I do,” Harris said. “Sometimes, a coach does feel like he’s the only one concerned with anything that goes wrong. You really don’t have a great chance to make improvements and changes unless you have people within the ranks on the same page.”

But Harris would not get drawn into whether O’Neal was correct in his comments that “Some guys got the money and then think the job is done.”

“I don’t know about that,” the coach said. “I’m not going to get into that particular area.”

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Magic Johnson will present O’Neal with the Sports Star of the Year award during a dinner Monday in Universal City, a fund-raiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. O’Neal is being honored for excelling in basketball while also giving considerable time to charity.