Los Angeles Lakers

Jerry Bembry's picksEastern ConferenceAtlantic Division 1. New York Knicks 2. Miami Heat 3. New Jersey Nets 4. Orlando Magic 5. Washington Wizards 6. Boston Celtics 7. Philadelphia 76ersCentral Division 1. Indiana Pacers 2. Atlanta Hawks 3. Milwaukee Bucks 4. Cleveland Cavaliers 5. Detroit Pistons 6. Charlotte Hornets 7. Chicago Bulls 8. Toronto RaptorsWestern ConferenceMidwest Division 1. San Antonio Spurs 2. Utah Jazz 3. Houston Rockets 4. Minnesota Timberwolves...

LOS ANGELES -- It's the end of a work day for Shaquille O'Neal, and at 2 p.m., with practice behind him, the options here for this mega-millionaire are numerous. Perhaps a trip to nearby Venice Beach, where he can flex his muscles. Maybe a spending spree down fashionable and pricey Rodeo Drive. Or possibly a late afternoon lunch, where he could conceivably rub elbows with one of the area's other one-name celebs: Arnold, Demi or maybe even Snoop."No, nothing like that," O'Neal said, soaking in the sun outside the Westwood Recreation center.

Opponent: Charlotte HornetsSite: USAir Arena, LandoverTime: 7: 30TV/Radio: HTS/WWRC (980 AM)Outlook: The Hornets (2-1) had a surprising win Wednesday over Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers. C Matt Geiger came off the bench to score 22 points -- including four three-pointers -- and grabbed 10 rebounds. G Muggsy Bogues (Dunbar) continues to be bothered by knee problems and did not play Wednesday. F Anthony Mason, acquired in the off-season from the New York Knicks, is averaging 15.7 points and 8.0 rebounds, and G Dell Curry, pressed into a starting role, is leading the team with 21.3 ppg. The Bullets (2-1)

BaseballMajor League Baseball -- Named Carolyn Taylor director of special events.Cleveland Indians -- Assigned P Rob Augustine, P Charles York, C Todd Johnson, C Greg Toler, OF Frank Castillo, OF Frank Valdez, OF Derek Hacopian and OF Mickey Pina to their minor-league camp.Colorado Rockies -- Announced that C Jason Smith and C Brian Culp have left the minor-league camp to play in spring training games.Florida Marlins -- Released IF Larry Hrynko and IF Jorge Robles. Sent P Steve Stowell and P Steve Jones to their minor-league camp for reassignment.

NEW YORK -- In a move that was shocking despite rumors it might happen, Pat Riley resigned yesterday after four years as coach of the New York Knicks.Riley left with one year remaining on his contract and with a five-year, $15 million contract extension offer on the table. Through a statement issued by his public relations firm, Riley said that his resignation had "absolutely nothing to do with money," but that philosophical differences with management, and management's refusal to give him more control over basketball matters, had led to his decision.

Bulls: Scottie Pippen scored 33 points, his highest output since Michael Jordan came out of retirement, and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the banged up Bulls to a 108-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. It was the Bulls' ninth consecutive win. . . . Jordan sprained the index finger on his right (shooting) hand in the first quarter and was 5-of-20 from the floor. . . . Dennis Rodman played with a calf injury.Grizzlies: A day after ending its 19-game losing, Vancouver was back to its old self, losing to Golden State, 116-85, on Saturday night.

BaseballAtlanta Braves -- Agreed to terms with P Mark Wohlers on a one-year contract.Boston Red Sox -- Agreed to terms with P Nate Minchey and P Cory Bailey on one-year contracts. Announced a one-year agreement to have their Florida State League affiliate play at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.California Angels -- Signed P Mark Langston to a three-year contract extension through the 1997 season. Signed P Lee Guetterman to a minor-league contract. Hired Tom Romenesko as a professional scouting supervisor.

Michael Jordan clutched the Larry O'Brien trophy as if it were a baby, holding it gently as tears dripped onto the prize after the Chicago Bulls had won the NBA championship by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers last season.Will the scene be repeated this season?"There were a lot of expectations on this team coming into the season, and thus far we've surpassed those expectations," Jordan said."We've become a dominant team. A lot of people had some doubts we could do that. They thought we would get complacent with what we accomplished last year.

DETROIT -- Now that the "three-peat" issue is deader than a shredded piston ring, it is perhaps historically significant to remember the last time such extended professional basketball supremacy was realized.It was the spring of 1966, when the Boston Celtics, in the seventh game of a best-of-seven championship series, beat the Los Angeles Lakers for their eighth consecutive NBA title.Back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back.Pat Riley coined the annoying three-peat term while he was coaching the Los Angeles Lakers in their recent quest for a set of triple National Basketball Association crowns, which Detroit ruined with its first title.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Look for this one in your video stores.The Los Angeles Lakers crammed a highlight reel into 48 minutes yesterday and stunned the Portland Trail Blazers, 116-95, sending them back home feetfirst, down, 3-1, in the National Basketball Association Western Conference finals.If you blinked, you may have missed their turnaround. One spring after their debacle against the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers now flirt with team-of-destiny status and their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1989.

Jazz@Lakers 10:30 p.m. [TNT] Kobe Bryant (left) and the Los Angeles Lakers can finish off Utah in Game 5. The problem the Jazz created by winning Game 3 was sort of like what you hear about shooting a bear: Be careful, because sometimes all that does is make him mad.

Spurs@Cavaliers 1 p.m. [chs. 2, 7] Cleveland is suddenly looking vulnerable after a pair of bad losses, and a victory over San Antonio could help refuel its mojo, as well as keep it ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for best record in the league. The Spurs are trying to hold off the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets for the Southwest Division title.

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl (above) made an interesting declaration yesterday. He said his team, which features Carmelo Anthony of Baltimore and Allen Iverson, would be made to toe the line next season. After his 50-win Nuggets were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, Karl promised he'd be tougher (yet, not too tough) on his guys going forward. And that the players would do things more his way rather than their own. Among the specifics was more "public service."

C.J. Miles scored a career-high 29 points and the host Utah Jazz set a team record with 15 three-pointers in a 129-87 rout of the short-handed Washington Wizards last night. Deron Williams had 12 points and 16 assists, despite resting most of the fourth quarter, and Mehmet Okur returned from a stomach virus with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Carlos Boozer added 19 points and Kyle Korver scored 15, making all six of his shots. Utah out-rebounded Washington 40-23, had 40 assists on 50 field goals and shot almost 60 percent (50-for-84)

"The only thing that's getting old is people talking about [me] being old." Corey Dillon New England Patriots running back, who's 31 "He has given me a couple. To be honest with you, I haven't read any of them." Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers guard, on being given books by coach Phil Jackson

CLEVELAND - LeBron James was a little under the weather. He had sniffled through a five-point loss at home the night before against the Denver Nuggets and the longest practice of the season Saturday morning in preparation for Sunday's nationally televised game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Gund Arena. "I don't want to get anyone sick," James, who had played 43 minutes and scored 35 points against the Nuggets and close friend Carmelo Anthony, said to a reporter, covering his leaky nose and mouth with a sheet of paper.

LOS ANGELES - Three days before the Los Angeles Lakers start a new NBA season, fans are still wallowing in the team's last one. Call it Phil Jackson's long goodbye. More precisely, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, a book released last week, is a rambling narrative by the retired-just-before-being-fired coach of the 2003-04 Lakers team that was supposed to lead the pack in victories and charisma but only set new highs in dysfunctional behavior. Jackson said he learned of the rape allegation against Kobe Bryant by phone from Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.

LOS ANGELES - If it seems the Los Angeles Lakers just left the floor after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals, it is only because some of them kept the strain of the past year to themselves. It is again May and these are again the Spurs, with a best-of-seven series beginning today in San Antonio. On the edges, the Lakers are fixed up and the Spurs are redone. But it is again the series of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Garnett's mantelpiece, likely already loaded with plaques and trophies, might get more crowded since he has won NBA Western Conference Player of the Month the past two months. And the early thought is that he'll need to clear more space for the league Most Valuable Player trophy at season's end. But Garnett would rather get some jewelry for himself -- beyond the diamond earring he wears -- and for his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates, and he feels closer to it than ever before.

WASHINGTON - It took Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin eight fewer minutes to hire a Jordan than it did to fire one and as a result, the team has a new head coach. Pollin, who fired Michael Jordan as president of basketball operations a reported 18 minutes into a meeting last month, essentially settled on hiring former New Jersey Nets assistant Eddie Jordan as the franchise's seventh coach since 1999 within 10 minutes. "When you sit down with [Pollin], he can close a deal in 10 minutes," said Eddie Jordan, who replaces Doug Collins, fired late last month.