Los Angeles ? One day soon, Shaquille O’Neal will tell Phil Jackson he’s ready to play again.

He recently said Friday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls was a reasonable goal. But O’Neal is nothing if not unpredictable, so the Los Angeles Lakers keep their minds and hearts open, expect him Friday and pray for even a minute earlier.

They’ll play tonight against the Houston Rockets without O’Neal for the 10th game. Devean George is day-to-day, Samaki Walker has a limp, and Kobe Bryant has a swollen lip.

Bryant strode across the parking lot Saturday, smiled through a lip twice its normal size and said, “I’m all right.” He had been to the dentist after chipping off a piece of an incisor during Friday’s overtime win against Golden State and needing four stitches.

On a light practice day, Bryant was not on the floor during some three-on-three exercises. O’Neal was. He’s close, close enough that right now he’s undoubtedly the best center in the NBA, even on a bum toe and without the benefit of training camp.

“Once I get back, hopefully everybody’s spirits will be up,” he said afterward. “Because I’m the spirit of the team. I’m like the wolf of the team. Right now, the wolf is missing. We’ve still got a lot of eagles, a lot of rabbits, a lot of pigs, but I’m the wolf. So, once the wolf gets back, we’ll get our spirit back. We’re just going to gain momentum and go with it.”

It has been written more than once in the last week that O’Neal’s absence has ensured his second regular-season MVP award, given the Lakers’ 3-6 record. O’Neal, however, shook his head.

“The media likes to throw around ‘the best’ a lot,” he said. “So, I don’t respect that word. I don’t worry about that title. I don’t respect that title anymore. The title that belongs to me is ‘most dominant.’ And I wouldn’t even consider myself ‘the best.’ There are other players who have greater all-around skills.

“The best has got to be Kobe. Then (Tracy McGrady). (Tim) Duncan. (Kevin) Garnett. Guys that can do it all. I really don’t do it all. In the purple area (paint), that’s where I am.”