George Impresses in Laker Victory

Rookie Devean George, an afterthought at the beginning of training camp, turned in another active all-around performance in the Lakers’ 97-79 exhibition victory Sunday over the Miami Heat in Bakersfield.

George played more minutes (26, the same as Shaquille O’Neal) and scored more points (a team-high 14, also the same as O’Neal) than he had in any of the Lakers’ previous four exhibitions.

Even if Coach Phil Jackson has avoided saying so, the performance may mean George, the Lakers’ No. 1 draft pick, is winning a role as backup at both small forward and off-guard.

“What happens is these older players, their legs are like cement right now,” Jackson said recently. “So they’re not going to be quite as spry as the young kids.

“This is the young players’ time in the NBA. Another month or so, it’ll be the veterans that start shining. . . . We like Devean, there’s no doubt about it. He’s got the live legs and it’s great to have a kid in there.”

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Forward Robert Horry, still nursing a sore knee, did not suit up, leaving the Lakers extremely thin at the position until Travis Knight’s sprained ankle is healed.

Jackson suggested over the weekend that the Lakers are watching very closely if one particular power forward from another team is waived.

That possibly could be veteran Armen Gilliam, who is expected to be released by the Orlando Magic.

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In the game, the Lakers limited Miami to 36 points (while scoring 53) in the first half. That was a dramatic turnaround from Friday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns, when the Lakers gave up 66 first-half points and Jackson spent most of the next day’s video session focused on improving his players’ defensive intensity.

Guard Derek Fisher made three of his six three-point attempts and is nine for 20 for the exhibition season. . . . O’Neal had 12 rebounds and two blocked shots.