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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
DALLAS (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal played along with Don Nelson's
pregame plan by clowning around with a red foam nose. He wasn't as
cooperative after tipoff.
|  | | Lakers guard Kobe Bryant had 19 points but twisted his ankle in the Lakers' win. |
O'Neal defused Nelson's favored Hack-a-Shaq strategy by scoring
29 points, including 11-of-15 free throws, to lead the Los Angeles
Lakers past the Dallas Mavericks 119-109 in Nelson's first game
back from prostate cancer surgery.
"When Shaq makes his free throws like that, then the
Hack-a-Shaq goes right out the window," said Nelson, who had been
gone for 21 games and 52 days.
Kobe Bryant scored 19 points but injured his right ankle in a
collision with O'Neal in the final minutes. Although he continued
to play on it, he was unavailable for comment after the game while
getting treatment and X-rays.
O'Neal and Bryant got off to slow starts as Dallas took an early
10-point lead. The pair got hot in the middle quarters as the
Lakers eventually went up by 18 en route to their 22nd win in 23
tries against the Mavericks.
Bryant's first point was Los Angeles' 40th and he didn't make a
field goal until midway through the second quarter. The Lakers
survived, though, because Rick Fox tied his season-high with 22
points and Isaiah Rider had 20. Los Angeles also improved to 3-2 on
a six-game road trip that ends Wednesday night in San Antonio.
Dallas was motivated early because of Nelson's return.
He received a warm ovation, then lightened the mood by pulling
the toy nose out of his pocket to look like "a clown," which is
what O'Neal called him the last time the teams met.
Dallas sent O'Neal to the line 20 times that game, usually by
guys at the end of the bench who were sent in specifically to foul
him. His anger blew over, though, and he even called Nelson during
his recovery and wished him well.
Nelson targeted this game for his return because he knew it
would make good theater. He added to the drama by arranging for
O'Neal to come over and take the nose off the coach's face and put
it on his own. Assistant coach Del Harris popped one on, too, and a
few more were seen throughout Reunion Arena.
"I knew he wouldn't forget my comments," said O'Neal, who was
presented one of the 89-cent toys in the locker room. "I didn't
expect the whole arena to have them. That was excellent
marketing."
O'Neal still had to endure a fair share of abuse from the
Mavericks.
He was fouled 59 seconds into the first quarter, 54 seconds into
the second quarter and 11 seconds into the fourth quarter. He even
had to do a cartwheel to save himself from injury following one
foul by Christian Laettner in the fourth quarter.
But the big guy had the last laugh by making five straight foul
shots in the second quarter and 6-of-8 in the second half.
"That's been my mantra during the year -- that when Shaq starts
making his free throws, we're a different ballclub," Lakers coach
Phil Jackson said. "Tonight, he made them under duress."
Steve Nash led the Mavericks with a career-high 31 points and
had seven assists, but it wasn't enough to continue a five-game
home winning streak.
"We came awfully close to beating the Lakers the first two
times we played them," Nash said. "Tonight, we weren't as close.
Shaq hit his free throws and that was a big part of the game."
Michael Finley had 22 points, including devastating dunks over
Bryant and Mike Penberthy. Dirk Nowitzki scored 25.
Game notes
Dallas owner Mark Cuban wrapped up his two-game suspension
for running onto the court to break up a fight. ... Nash "won" a
jump ball with O'Neal when the center was whistled for stealing the
tip. Nash, who gives up more than a foot to O'Neal, smiled at the
Dallas bench and said, "That's right!" ... Dallas is 8-8 at home
against Western Conference teams.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
Cancer-free Nelson back at Mavs' helm
Stein: Nellie the Conqueror returns
Kreidler: Stern-Cuban show getting old
Sprained ankle sidelines Kobe for Spurs game
RECAPS
Toronto 113
Golden State 102
Vancouver 116
Washington 104
Phoenix 110
Orlando 104
New York 76
Miami 74
Milwaukee 101
Chicago 92
LA Lakers 119
Dallas 109
Houston 101
Boston 84
Portland 104
Denver 94
Sacramento 94
Atlanta 80
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Despite the loss, Dallas coach Don Nelson enjoyed being back.
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Shaquille O'Neal's modesty was missing in action after the Lakers' victory over Dallas.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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