Lakers will play in Hawai'i

Advertiser Staff

The Lakers are coming.

Shaq will come, too, but won't play.

The Lakers will play one exhibition basketball game, possibly two.

That's the latest on the Los Angeles Lakers, who confirmed yesterday that they will train here and play at least one exhibition against the Golden State Warriors.

"Yeah, we're coming," said John Black, director of public relations for the two-time defending NBA champions.

Shaquille O'Neal, the two-time NBA Finals MVP, won't play because of recent surgery on the small toe on his left foot. But he's eager to come.

"He said he's really looking forward to coming to the islands. He loves the Hawai'i people," Black said.

The Lakers will play the Warriors Oct. 7 at the Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawai'i campus.

"We've only got one scheduled so far," Black said. "We're trying to arrange for a second game. We've identified a date (Oct. 9). But we don't have a deal done yet."

Last Thursday, the NBA canceled all six of its exhibition games scheduled outside the United States and Canada because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Lakers had planned to play exhibition games against Golden State in Japan Oct. 13-14. With that portion of its preseason canceled, the club was considering training in Southern California.

The Lakers will train at Stan Sheriff starting this weekend.

The NBA made an exception for teams scheduled to play international games to start camp earlier than Oct. 2.

About 1,000 tickets remain for the Oct. 7 game. Tickets are $10, $20, $28, $50 and $65, with the latter two only single seats available. Tickets are available at the Stan Sheriff Center box office (956-4484) or go to ticketplushawaii.com.