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On the Court Lakers very relaxed in what could be Bird's final game
Posted: Friday June 16, 2000 03:28 PM
By Marty Burns, Sports Illustrated INDIANAPOLIS -- If Ron Harper's body language was any indication, the Lakers will be relaxed and ready to close out the Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals Friday night. Stretched out on the scorer's table reading a newspaper, dressed in his black Lakers sweats, gold top, floppy hat and sunglasses, Harper was the picture of calm and confidence before Thursday's practice session. Underneath him, the NBA FINALS logo stretched the length of the table. "I'm just an easy kind of guy," Harper said. "Besides, I've been here before. That's the key." Still, don't expect Harper -- or any other veteran Laker -- to say anything to his teammates about the importance of closing out Indiana in Game 5. Lakers forward Robert Horry, who has two NBA rings from his days with the Rockets, laughed off the suggestion. "People always think you've got to say something in the locker room or whatever," Horry said. "It's not like that. We're all professionals and we know what to do." Given L.A's struggles in closing out opponents during this year's playoffs, however, maybe the Lakers vets ought to consider it.
No more Bird droppingsSince dropping Game 4, the Pacers have been fielding a lot of questions from the media about Friday night possibly being coach Larry Bird's final game. Indiana guard Mark Jackson, a free agent after the season, finally seemed to reach his breaking point during Thursday's media session. "Larry's last game? C'mon, man," Jackson said. "A lot of guys around here are free agents. This could be all of our last games." Though respectful of his coach, Jackson has never agreed with Bird's decision to play Travis Best in the fourth quarter. It seems likely Jackson will be let go during the offseason to give Best the job full- time next season. However, with Best limited by a sore left shoulder, Jackson will probably get the nod during crunch time Friday night with the Pacers' season on the line. He could make a strong case for his return with a memorable showing.
Rebounding pivotalSometimes the stats don't tell the whole story. For example, through the first four games, the Lakers hold a modest 170-160 edge over the Pacers in rebounding. Yet the team that has won the rebounding battle has won each game, and the Lakers absolutely killed the Pacers with critical second-chance opportunities in Game 4. "We definitely have to do a better job rebounding," Pacers forward Dale Davis said. "They controlled the offensive boards." The problem for the Pacers is that it's hard to keep a body on other Lakers -- especially Shaq -- when they're collapsing in the lane to stop Bryant's penetration.
Move over, WiltWith his long-awaited NBA championship finally near, Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal can take his place among the game's all-time great centers. So says longtime Lakers assistant coach Tex Winter, a man who coached Kansas State to victory over Wilt Chamberlain's Kansas teams in the 50s and who has seen it all in his many years in the game. "Shaq's the quickest big man I've ever seen," Winter says. "He's also stronger than Wilt was, and Wilt was very strong. "Wilt was better at blocking shots maybe because of the reach he had. But it was also a different game back then, so it's hard to compare." Winter says he believes O'Neal eventually will go down in history as the best center ever to play the game, so long as he continues to improve his foul shooting and his overall shooting touch.
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