O’Neal Could Be Ready by Friday

Shaquille O’Neal received a pain-killing injection in his right big toe during an examination Tuesday afternoon by Dr. Robert Mohr, who performed the Sept. 11 surgery on the toe.

The Lakers have no course but to await the results and play on without him, at least through tonight’s game in Utah.

O’Neal, who recently developed a sore left knee and inflammation in the surgically repaired toe, sat out Tuesday night’s game against the Houston Rockets and did not fly with the team for tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz.

Chances for his participation in Friday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers or Sunday’s against the Seattle SuperSonics are unclear, though team officials were optimistic.

“We think he’ll be ready Friday,” Phil Jackson said.

As the Lakers began the final two months of their regular season struggling to make the playoffs, General Manager Mitch Kupchak said O’Neal’s ailments have given him more to consider in the hours before Thursday’s trading deadline.

There is, however, little the rest of the league has to offer in terms of center depth. Stanley Roberts, recently cleared after three years out of the league for violating the NBA’s substance abuse policy, could draw interest from the Lakers. He is working out in Houston and, according to those familiar with him, would love to rejoin Louisiana State teammate O’Neal.

Roberts, 33, played four seasons for the Clippers, ending in 1996-97. He played five games for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1999-2000 season, his last in the league.

Kupchak also has been in contact with the agent for Horace Grant, though for now Grant seems content in retirement. Grant has played center at times in his career and his familiarity with the triangle offense makes him attractive to Jackson.

Meantime, the Lakers and O’Neal’s handlers were busy attempting to make him well. O’Neal forgot his orthotic devices last weekend and played 26 minutes in the All-Star game without them, an oversight that very likely returned the pain to his toe.

He has ordered new, more rigid orthotics and his shoe company is rushing him a new, more pliable shoe. Doctors had hoped to wean O’Neal off the orthotic, which limits the flex of the toe joints and is part of the reason O’Neal lacks his usual leaping ability. Because of the recent developments, that probably will not happen until next season, if at all.

There is no sense among Dr. Mohr or Laker physicians that O’Neal has done any long-term damage to his toe or knee. He has been prescribed rest, apparently at least until Friday.

During an eight-minute pregame interview Tuesday, Jackson seemed to bounce from wanting O’Neal on the court immediately regardless of his condition and allowing O’Neal the time to heal for his long-term good.

“He just has to deal with the pain and the swelling,” Jackson said. “If this was the playoffs, I’m sure he’d probably be out there.

“There’s no doubt that Shaq, at 50%, is a threat.... But, that 50% may turn into 30 if he plays on it.... If it takes a couple days, if it takes a week, to get it back in that position where we can win, then that’s what we have to do.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Utah, 6 p.m., Channel 9

Site: Staples Center

Radio: KLAC-AM (570), KWKW-AM (1330), KIRN (670)

Records: Lakers 27-25, Jazz 32-21.

Record vs. Jazz: 2-1.

Update: This is the last time the Lakers will see the Jazz in the regular season. Winner of two in a row and four of five, the Jazz is led by Karl Malone (20.5 points, 8.2 rebounds), Matt Harpring (18.4 points) and John Stockton (11.3 points, 7.7 assists). Andrei Kirilenko, who scored 30 points against the Lakers on Dec. 8, averages 12.4 points. Center Jarron Collins had surgery on his right knee and is out for the season. Mark Jackson is 48 assists behind Magic Johnson for second place on the NBA’s all-time list. Johnson had 10,141 assists. Stockton is the all-time assists leader, with 15,585.