The humiliation that started in the Alamodome during last season's playoffs continued Saturday at the Alamodome.

The Lakers banged into town without their No. 1 guy, the Big Bully, the Big Difference, the Big Dipper, whatever. Shaquille O'Neal was finishing his three-game suspension.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson had joked before the game that he had kind of hoped the league would give NBC television a break and hold the suspension to just two games.

Phil thought that would be a gracious gesture considering that this is the network's final year telecasting games.