EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Shaquille O'Neal is hurting, which is nothing new. That's the way it's been all season.

	O'Neal

It's difficult to tell how much pain the Los Angeles Lakers' big man feels at this point since he didn't share those feelings, or anything else, with reporters Wednesday.

His teammates had plenty to say.

"He has a lot going on," guard Derek Fisher said. "When you're struggling physically, it affects you mentally. We've understood all year long we haven't been dealing with the A-list, No. 1 Shaquille O'Neal. We know everything's bothering him, we definitely understand that."

It's a virtual certainty O'Neal will play Friday night when the Lakers face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at the Alamodome, although teammates Kobe Bryant and Samaki Walker said they thought he wouldn't if this was the regular season.

Hampered for months by a painful arthritic big right toe responsible for two trips to the injured list, O'Neal's latest injury is a cut on his right index finger.

"He was numb -- try to shoot with a numb hand. That's tough," Walker said. "He's beat up right now, he's playing hurt, he's playing sore. He's hurting, there's no doubt about it."

O'Neal cut his finger early in the third quarter of Sunday's 86-80 victory over the Spurs in Game 1. The injury required three stitches, and he scored 13 points following his return to the game with 10:50 left.

The MVP of the last two NBA Finals, O'Neal had 19 points and seven rebounds in San Antonio's 88-85 victory Tuesday night in Game 2, and afterward, new stitches were applied because the wound opened during the game.

"He seems upset that we split; we all are," Bryant said. "He had to get a couple stitches in his finger, it looks terrible."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson admitted having what he called "a heated discussion" with O'Neal on Wednesday.

"I wanted to stimulate him, I wanted to motivate him," Jackson said. "He played 40 minutes and only got seven rebounds. I'd rather have him play 30 minutes and get 12 or 13 rebounds."

O'Neal also had two blocked shots -- both in the first quarter.

"From what I can tell, he hasn't been himself," forward Rick Fox said. "But that's something we've dealt with all year. We came to grips with that a long time ago."

Perhaps that at least partially explains the Lakers' obvious below-par play in the postseason, at least compared to last year, when they had a 15-1 record in the playoffs, outscoring the opposition by 12.8 points per game.

Obviously there are other factors, although O'Neal hasn't been his dominating self.

"It's a team effort," Jackson said. "The Spurs' bench outscored us 30-18. That's not supposed to happen at home. You're not supposed to shoot less free throws at home, either."

The Spurs were 15-of-22 from the foul line while the Lakers were 10-of-16.

"I don't want to comment on that," Jackson said when asked about the officiating.

Fox said he's betting O'Neal will respond to Jackson's comments.

"If Phil feels that way, he says what he feels needs to be said," Fox said. "I just know my money's on Shaq.

"I don't know if the stitches in his finger bother him. I'm sure it all does."

Jackson is aware of that, too.

"(Tim) Duncan took the ball right out of his hands a couple times in the game," Jackson said. "You could see that it bothers him. He doesn't have the hand strength he normally has."

The Lakers enter Friday night's game having won nine straight road playoff games as well as 20 of 22 postseason games dating to Game 6 of the 2000 NBA Finals.

But they realize the important numbers are 1-1 -- their present standing with the Spurs.

"It's a new series," Fisher said. "It's more of a heavyweight fight this time that might go the distance."

Fisher made reference to the Spurs' sweep of the Lakers three years ago in the conference semifinals and the Lakers' sweep of the Spurs last year in the conference finals.

"You get smacked around like we did on Tuesday, it's like we have to accept the challenge," said Fox, referring to the 21-point deficit the Lakers faced before making a game of it in the second half. "We've got a taste now we haven't had in a long time in the playoffs.

"You come out with a cruise control, you get smacked around this time of year."