20-plus minutes of “The Big Catcus”

February 19th, 2008, 7:11 pm · Post a Comment · posted by KEVIN DING, OCREGISTER.COM

LOS ANGELES — “The Big Cactus” said he’ll probably play around 20 minutes Wednesday night in one of the most highly anticipated Lakers-Suns game in an era of a lot of anticipated Lakers-Suns games.

Phil Jackson said he’s trying not to think about the Suns until after playing the Hawks, but he acknowledged it’ll be odd to run into Shaquille O’Neal in Phoenix, saying: “As many jerseys as this guy has put on, that’s not the weird part. It’s weird, probably, seeing him in that building.”

Jackson also added to the half-joking response he gave me in Atlanta that first night the trade looked to be done: Asked how he envisioned O’Neal fitting with what the speedy Suns do, Jackson said: “Well, taking the ball out of bounds and waiting for the other team to get back.”

Jackson added before this Atlanta game: “Well, Shaq has never been an inbounder. He has never taken the ball out of bounds, so that’s very funny in the first place. He is always wanting to get downcourt first and foremost, so that’s funny.”

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