Shaquille O'Neal has only good things to say about Lakers

O'Neal's Phoenix Suns team had just been defeated by the Lakers, 105-92, Thursday night and all wanted to know his feelings about his former team.

They wanted to know how he felt about Kobe Bryant, whom O'Neal spent eight seasons with on the Lakers, whom he feuded with and won three consecutive titles with, from 2000 to 2002.

O'Neal had nothing but high praise, for the Lakers and for Bryant.

"They are the best team," O'Neal said. "They are 9-1. They are playing pretty good. Kobe is playing excellent ball, keeping everybody involved. He's got a lot of shooters around. They are a very dangerous team. . . . They are probably the best team in the West right now."

O'Neal was not the force he was in his days with the Lakers, when he dominated all comers.

He was solid, scoring 15 points on six-for-12 shooting. He also had nine rebounds and one assist.

Bryant didn't shoot the ball particularly well, going eight for 23 from the field. But he had 24 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Bryant played a solid all-around game.

When asked if that's how he wished Bryant had played when the two were teammates, O'Neal wanted no part of that question.

Instead, O'Neal talked about how impressive Bryant was.

"He's playing excellent ball," O'Neal said. "I can't say anything bad about him now."

O'Neal stopped and smiled.

He recalled how the Lakers seemingly always were in turmoil when he played there, how he and Bryant bickered, how Lakers Coach Phil Jackson kept an eye on the situation while it brewed.

"All the stuff we went through, it didn't really matter," O'Neal said. "We won."

The Lakers have a new, young center in Andrew Bynum, who had 10 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

O'Neal said Bynum is playing like a 7-footer should.

"He does what he's supposed to do," O'Neal said. "He catches it, keeps it up high and throws it down. He's bigger, a lot stronger. He's not really the first, second or third option. He just gets lobs, gets rebounds. He does what he's supposed to do as a 7-footer."

O'Neal is 36 now and now longer is as athletic.

He still can power to the basket, but he doesn't get off the floor as high as he once did.

He was asked to explain how his game has changed now that he is in his 17th season.

"Lesser shots, that's about it," O'Neal said. "I'm still going to be the power guy, shoot the high-percentage shot. I'm still shooting a high percentage, but I'm not really the first option on this team."

Turner is a Times staff writer

broderick.turner@latimes.com