Blue-Collar Green Works for the Mavericks

Shaquille O’Neal says he wants to see a power forward who acts like he’s always in a bad mood on defense, gives up his body blocking out under the boards and goes after loose balls like they have championship rings attached to them.

He saw one Monday.

His name isn’t Elden Campbell. His name is A.C. Green.

You remember Green. With the Showtime Lakers for eight seasons, he was like the guy who sweeps up after the elephants in the circus. Somebody had to do the work that didn’t make Dancing Barry dance.

Green never complained, until he thought the Lakers were two players short of another championship. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Before the 1993-’94 season, Green left as a free agent for a contender, Phoenix. Four seasons later, the Lakers again are among the NBA’s elite. Green? He’s with the Dallas Mavericks.

So he didn’t read his Tarot cards. Green still isn’t complaining and still is showing up to work hard every game. He played his 851st in a row in the 109-99 loss to the Lakers at the Forum, 55 short of the record set by Randy Smith between 1972-83. If Green is still going next season, he will break the record in the 11th game.

He’s not just punching the clock. Giving up five inches and 75 pounds, Green’s assignment in the fourth quarter was to bury his head in O’Neal’s armpit, push and shove for all he was worth and, literally, hold him to zero in both points and offensive rebounds.

Actually, that probably is not what Dallas Coach Jim Cleamons told Green to do. Or how to do it. But, with an assist from some bad Chinese food that O’Neal ate Sunday night and still swooned from the next afternoon, that is what Green did. The only time O’Neal was heard from in the fourth quarter was when one of his rap songs was played over the public address system.

“Hey, A.C.,” a courtside fan yelled at Green. “Lay off.”

Green looked at the fan and smiled.

A.C. never lays off.

*

Playing 13 minutes in his new role as backup point guard, Kobe Bryant’s game Monday was all sound and fury, signifying nothing. That doesn’t mean it will always be so. He needs time to grow there. . . .

The worst thing about Bryant’s promotion is that it represents a demotion for Derek Fisher. He didn’t play for the second consecutive game Monday. . . .

Two things I didn’t believe were possible: That the Lakers could shoot free throws worse. Before Monday’s victory, they were shooting 54% from the line in their previous six games. That Pig Miller could get bigger. He looks like Nate Newton in a Maverick uniform. . . .

Here’s a difference between the Lakers and Mavericks: The highest-ranking former Laker in their organization is Jerry West. The highest-ranking former Maverick in their organization is Mark Aguirre. . . .

So what if Loy Vaught cost the Clippers the game against Cleveland on Sunday night because he couldn’t get the ball to the right team from out of bounds? He has been such a loyal, uncomplaining soldier for so long that, short of his becoming Rodmanesque, I’m not going to criticize him. . . .

Predictably, it took Buddy Ryan less than 24 hours to weigh in with his assessment after the San Diego Chargers hired his former sparring partner, Kevin Gilbride, as their new coach. “It seems to me there are more qualified candidates out there,” Ryan wrote in his online column for the Sporting News. . . .

I’m not a Ryan fan, but he could teach Oscar De La Hoya something about using his right hand. . . .

De La Hoya always has something to prove. After failing to knock out Miguel Angel Gonzalez on Saturday night, the question is whether De La Hoya has the punching power to dominate when he moves up to 147 pounds. . . .

The Fearsome Foursome raised $30,000 for the Lamar Lundy Cancer Fund on Sunday at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium. . . .

Following banquet circuit hall-of-famer Tom Lasorda on Wednesday night at the Long Beach Hyatt Regency, Bill Russell will speak at Long Beach State’s baseball banquet. . . .

Russell was inducted into the state of Kansas’ Hall of Fame on Saturday night. The speaker? Lasorda. . . .

I don’t like to see the Dodgers and Mike Piazza trading arbitration figures today. Although they can continue to negotiate, both sides often get stubborn at this point. . . .

The fourth quarter in Monday’s Laker-Maverick game lasted 48 minutes. I thought they were going to play until Lincoln’s birthday.

*

While turning on the air conditioner to watch the Australian Open, I was thinking: Curt Flood belongs in the Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan’s air apparent is Grant Hill, Dick Vermeil isn’t so bright after all.