Dream Comes True for Bennett

There was no news for forward Mario Bennett on Thursday. That was good news.

Laker Coach Del Harris did not ask to talk to him. No one asked him to bring his playbook into a meeting. He had made the team.

“I can’t even explain how I feel,� Bennett said. “This is something I dreamed about as a little kid.�

Bennett grew up in Inglewood, before leaving for Texas for his final three years of high school and then Arizona State and still lives in his hometown.

“I was raised in Inglewood and I was raised a Laker,� Bennett said. “That’s all I knew. Magic Johnson, James Worthy, the Captain [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar], Kurt Rambis, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott. All I knew was the Lakers.�

Now he knows about being one.

*

The Lakers got down to the 12-man limit by putting shooting guard Shea Seals on the injured list because of back spasms.

TONIGHT

vs.

Utah

* 7:30

* Fox Sports West, TNT

Site--Forum.

Radio--KLAC (570), KWKW (1330).

Records (1996-97)--Lakers 56-26, Jazz 64-18.

Record vs. Jazz (1996-97)--1-3.

Update--The Lakers start this season the way they ended the last one, against the Jazz. But Shaquille O’Neal is out (strained abdominal muscle) and Utah is without John Stockton (knee) and maybe Karl Malone (finger). Howard Eisley steps in as Stockton’s replacement at point guard. Jacque Vaughn, the first-round pick from Kansas and Muir High in Pasadena, is the backup.