One of the weirder and, turns out, more cynical non-stories of the NBA playoffs is the hoo-ha surrounding the three-pointer Sasha Vujacic took — and made — in the last second of the Lakers’ 100-92 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 on Thursday.

Media people are still talking about it a day later. And, I am convinced, not just because it wasn’t an example of sterling sportsmanship on Sasha’s part.

I fear this discussion is being driven by a topic the NBA should be running from:

Gambling.

Depending on where you read about it, the Lakers were favored to win Game 5 by 7 1/2 points or by eight.

Either way, Sasha’s buzzer-beating three changed the outcome of everyone who bet the point spread.

If he doesn’t take it (or make it), everyone who bet the 7 1/2-point line just saw their fortunes reversed. People who bet the Spurs became last-second losers; people who bet the Lakers became unexpected winners.

If the line was eight, then everyone gets their money back on the “push” — of nobody winning. An outcome gamblers hate because they don’t get a slice of action when there IS no action.

Considering the NBA is the league that had to concede one of its veteran refs, Tim Dongahy, bet on scads of games he officiated, this is not a discussion the league wants to go on.

The questions being:

1. Does the league really want a player — Vujacic — trashed by media and fans at least in part, it seems, because his shot upset the point-spread calculations?

2. Did TNT’s commentators — Doug Collins, who is about to rejoin the league as the Chicago Bulls coach, and Marv Albert — make a point of condemning Vujacic’s last-second fling because they knew what the spread was? And even if they didn’t, should they simply mention, “Huh, that was a shot he didn’t have to take” … and let it go at that. Should they even let us think they might have bet on the game?

Yes, veteran, classy players let time expire in that situation. The Spurs had conceded. They weren’t fouling, and they weren’t guarding Vujacic.

But to expect a young, enthusiastic, maybe slightly brain-dead gunner from Slovenia to 1) remember and 2) abide by this unwritten code of not shooting the ball … is that realistic?

If it’s you or me on the playground, we take that shot. Of course we do. Most college and prep players would, too. And no one would say boo.

Somebody like Kobe Bryant dribbles out the game. Derek Fisher does. Veterans. But Sasha likes his points. He had a wide-open three. He was fired up. So were the fans. He let it fly. It went in.

And now he’s being asked about this “inexcusable” gaffe.

At least most of those who are criticizing him come right out and talk about the shot’s impact on the Las Vegas line.

But the NBA would best be served by leaving this story alone. By players, coaches and TV commentators. We really, really don’t want players to be thinking about point spreads. Not when at least one referee admits he was, as recently as last June.