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Lakers unsure who will start at center Posted: Wednesday October 23, 2002 10:47 PMEL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Since coach Phil Jackson has made it official that Shaquille O'Neal will start the season on the injured list, the Los Angeles Lakers have to decide who will fill in for him as the starting center. Jackson recently said he would probably start free agent Soumaila Samake when the three-time NBA champions open the season against San Antonio next Tuesday. He backtracked Wednesday, saying Samake is battling free agent Guy Rucker for a spot on the team. "I haven't made up my mind," Jackson said. "We're just trying to balance it out, give them both an opportunity to play with different units. I don't think anybody with basketball judgment can give us a plus or minus between the two of them. "We can keep both of them very easily, but there's just not roster room to do so." Jackson and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak have said that the Lakers will carry just 12 players this season. When O'Neal, who had surgery on his chronically injured right big toe on Sept. 11, officially goes on the injured list, the Lakers will have to keep one of the big men. Jackson said that doesn't mean the Lakers will carry 13 players when O'Neal returns. Both Samake and Rucker are expected to play Thursday night when the Lakers meet the Milwaukee Bucks in an exhibition game. The Sacramento Kings play the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier Thursday at Staples Center as part of a doubleheader. On Friday night, the teams switch opponents. "These games will be important to these players," Jackson said. "Mitch and I will talk after practice and we'll try to scope that out." The Lakers also are trying to heal up. Samaki Walker didn't practice Wednesday because he strained a hip flexor in Tuesday night's exhibition game against Cleveland in San Diego. Devean George didn't practice Wednesday because of a strained back that kept him out of Tuesday night's game. Brian Shaw practiced lightly after missing the last three exhibition games with a left groin injury. Jackson said he's not expecting any of them to play against the Bucks.
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