| Marty Burns' Breakdown |
|---|
| Los Angeles |
|
Indiana |
| After contending with Portland's bevy of big men, Shaquille O'Neal
should be ecstatic to see the Pacers. Indiana won't be able to swarm him or hack
him like the Blazers did, so he should find more room to operate, especially if
his teammates hit from outside. Look for the Diesel to dominate at both
ends.
|
CENTER The Edge:
 |
Rik Smits showed flashes of his old form against the Knicks, but it
figures to get rougher this series. Smits' job will be to hit some outside shots
early, thus forcing Shaq out of the lane, and set a physical tone early in hopes
the officials let it go and the Pacers can turn the game into a wrestling
match. |
|
| He was abused by Portland's Rasheed Wallace in the conference
finals, but power forward A.C. Green matches up much better with Indiana's
Davis. All Green really has to do is keep Davis off the glass as much as
possible. Glen Rice has a much tougher task: He must step up and hit big shots
to take the pressure off Shaq and Kobe, while trying to keep Jalen Rose in check
at the other
end. |
FORWARDS The Edge:
 |
Dale Davis was a monster in the Knicks series, and will need to be just
as dominant here -- especially on the boards, where the Pacers have a major
weakness. He'll also need to play help defense on Shaq. Rose should score
against the slower Rice. His main challenge will be to keep a hand in Rice's
face on the perimeter while also doubling down on Shaq in the
post. |
|
| Kobe Bryant is one of the NBA's best defensive guards, but he'll
have his hands full chasing Miller -- especially on a sore right foot. On the
other end Bryant must look for his spots and avoid the temptation to get in a
scoring duel with Reggie Miller. Ron Harper is a savvy vet who can defend either
backcourt spot and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He
also will see time on Miller. |
GUARDS The Edge:
|
Mark Jackson's play in the Knicks series was inspired, as he set up the
offense and posted New York's small guards. He probably won't be able to do as
much this series, but his leadership will be crucial. Meanwhile, Reggie has
proven during this postseason that he's still a big-time player. Returning to
his Hollywood roots (Miller starred at UCLA and hails from Riverside, Calif)
look for him to steal the spotlight in at least one game -- maybe
more. |
|
| Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher and Brian Shaw make up a solid
bench, but their inability to knock down open shots consistently is a problem.
With the Pacers packing their defense around Shaq, L.A.'s reserves should get
plenty of looks. They just have to make them. Defensively, Horry must keep the
highly flammable Austin Croshere from getting ignited. |
BENCH The Edge:
|
In Travis Best, Croshere, Derrick McKey and Sam Perkins, the Pacers
have a bench capable of swinging the series in their favor. Perkins, in
particular, will be crucial since he will have to defend Shaq when Smits gets in
foul trouble. He must use his fouls wisely, and hit shots from downtown to lure
Shaq out of the paint. Meanwhile, Best's quickness could give L.A.'s big guards
big
trouble. |
|
| The Lakers have loads of championship experience on the bench and
showed against the Blazers (and the Kings earlier in the playoffs) that they are
tough to beat in a decisive game at Staples Center. However, all the pressure
will be on them as heavy favorites -- and they have shown a lack of killer
instinct. |
INTANGIBLES The Edge:
|
The Pacers don't have much championship experience, but they are a
veteran group that has played together for many years. This might be their last
chance as a group to win an NBA title. Look for them to play with pride, and get
a huge lift from the always-noisy Conseco Fieldhouse
crowd. |
|
| Phil Jackson is one of the game's alltime great coaches, and he
knows the Pacers well from his days in Chicago. His deployment of Scottie Pippen
to shut down Mark Jackson's post-up game in the '98 Eastern Conference finals
proved a masterstroke. He won't be afraid to make similar moves
here. |
COACH The Edge:
|
Larry Bird was widely criticized for some peculiar coaching moves in
the New York series, but adjusted well and got his team to the Finals. He'll
motivate his team by playing the respect card, and convince his players they can
win. But can he devise a way to stop
Shaq? |
|
| Rice, a former All-Star, just doesn't seem comfortable in L.A.'s
triangle offense, and his shooting has been spotty in the postseason. The Lakers
need him to make big shots and play solid defense on Rose. As a free agent after
the season, he could have millions of dollars riding on his
performance. |
'X' FACTOR The Edge:
|
Croshere can bang inside, slash to the basket and hit the open three.
He also can disappear for long stretches. L.A. really has nobody to match his
size and quickness. Like Rice, he's also a free agent who could raise his stock
with an impressive
showing. |
| Burns' Prediction: Lakers in 6 |
|---|
| |
