Not very often is "royalty" punished publicly. They usually win in the final picture and the "Average Joe" takes it in the neck. Last week, however, we viewed the ignominious defeat of that most regal of all basketball teams, the Los Angeles Lakers. Even their uniforms were of the "Royal Purple" color.

Seeing Phil Jackson twisting uncomfortably in his coach's chair during the fifth game Detroit Piston series gave me both present and retroactive pleasure. I enjoyed seeing the former coach of the Chicago Bulls squirming in his place unable to stop the onslaught of the perfectly coached Pistons. For many years he maintained a haughty presence on the sidelines as Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen et al. destroyed our Patrick Ewing-led NY Knicks. Humility is not a word used often with Phil Jackson. Zen Buddhism seemed to carry him to victory every time.

The workmanlike manner with which Detroit applied old-time defensive tactics was good for the soul. They allowed Kobe Bryant and Shaq O'Neal to run free and score while shutting down the other three members of the Lakers. Larry Brown deserves credit for his daring game plan. Larry will coach the USA Olympic Basketball Team this summer.

Jackson won nine previous championships while Brown, who is much-traveled, had never won an NBA final. I also was elated by the fact that Red Auerbach of the old Boston Celtics was not surpassed by Phil Jackson as the winningest coach of all time.

Another Red, Red Holzman, was the mentor for Jackson during his career with the Knicks. Holzman was a humble, unassuming, defensively-oriented teacher. When he called a time-out he analyzed the situation perfectly and changes were made.

Let us not forget about those two regal-super stars Kobe and Shaq. No comment on Kobe's legal involvement is warranted at this time. His premature donning of the Jordan mantle needs some commentary, however. He is an extraordinary player and future Hall-of-Famer but he should slow down and temper his court and off-court activities. He is not yet 25-years-old and he should find maturity first.

Shaq is a big, huge, loveable lug who is a dynamic force on any basketball floor. Three hundred plus pounds around the hoop are hard to ignore. He is a team player and doesn't complain constantly or needlessly. He is tantamount to a Gulliver being pestered by Lilliputians.

The Los Angeles Lakers are about to be dismantled.

Maybe the new Lakers will show a more human side so we do not dwell too long on haughty coaches and selfish players and can again appreciate the Los Angles Lakers as a team and not an aggregate of prima-donnas.