Shaq’s Return Is Pushed Back

Shaq update: Not quite yet.

When Shaquille O’Neal aggravated the muscle pull in his stomach Nov. 19, the Lakers said he would out 10 days. After an examination five days later, they said it would be 10 more days.

They’re not giving out any more numbers, but Coach Del Harris said O’Neal won’t play Friday against San Antonio, 16 days after the injury.

O’Neal is considered a longshot for games here against Cleveland and at Portland next Monday. Harris hopes to have him by Dec. 14, when they start a string of six games in six cities in nine days.

“We just have to wait until the doctors say the time is right and it’s not right yet,” Harris said. “The doctors examined him [Sunday] night and there’s improvement.”

O’Neal was at practice but confined himself to trying a few free throws at a side basket.

*

Yes, he makes a difference. In eight games with O’Neal, the Lakers are 8-0, outscoring opponents by an average of 17 points, 113-96, and outshooting them, 50.3% to 43.2%.

Without him, they’re 5-2, outscoring opponents, 104-100, and outshooting them 48.2% to 46.5%.

*

Not that there’s anything wrong with 13-2, but Harris believes that if O’Neal hadn’t been hurt again, the Lakers, who started 11-0, would be 15-0, tying the NBA record for season-opening streaks held by the 1993 Houston Rockets and 1948 Washington Capitols.

“We would have liked to have had the crack to see if we could go 15-0 with [O’Neal],” Harris said. “I think we would have.”

*

Harris gave Kobe Bryant a tape of his play in the last two games, against Toronto and Philadelphia, concerned that the second-year phenom is trying to do too much when he gets the ball.