Van Exel Likely to Start Tonight

It looks as if there might be a new starter for the Lakers tonight when they play host to the Seattle SuperSonics.

Make that an old starter.

Nick Van Exel is still called “game-to-game,” by Coach Del Harris, and Derek Fisher, who has been the Lakers’ starting point guard in Van Exel’s absence for a month, says “I haven’t heard anything yet,” but Van Exel’s minutes have been built to where he is set to return to the starting lineup.

“He’ll tell me when he’s ready,” said Harris at a somewhat unusual practice on Thursday, a pose, pause and play session. The Lakers posed for a team picture, paused to watch videotape of themselves losing to Seattle, 101-89, on Monday and then played a pickup game for 45 minutes without Robert Horry, Shaquille O’Neal and Elden Campbell.

Van Exel went hard for the entire 45 minutes.

“He’s had some good games against Seattle,” Harris reminded, as though preparing for Van Exel’s return to the starting lineup, which has been greased by three games since his recovery from knee problems. Van Exel has played 18, 22 and 27 minutes in those games, the 27 coming in a 99-93 victory over Phoenix on Wednesday in which he played the entire fourth quarter.

“The coach just told me today I would be sharing time [with Van Exel],” Fisher said. “I know that doesn’t mean 24 and 24.”

It didn’t Wednesday, when Fisher started and played 21 minutes.

“I know I have to get used to the way it was before he went out,” Fisher said.

Possibly starting tonight.

TONIGHT

vs. Seattle

* 7:30

* Fox Sports

West

Site--Great Western Forum.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 46-19, SuperSonics 50-15.

Record vs. SuperSonics--0-3.

Update--Del Harris points out that the Lakers are 12-8 against Seattle over his four years as coach, but he admits that it has been a while since they have beaten the SuperSonics. Since April 1, 1997, actually, on a night in which the Lakers won, 99-97, behind Nick Van Exel’s 30 points and six assists. The chief culprit this season has been three-point shooting. The Lakers are 15 for 69 in the three losses. Seattle signed former UCLA center George Zidek to a second 10-day contract Thursday.