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Top of the world Lakers loose, confident on eve of Finals
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant went to a movie the other day, opting to see "Pearl Harbor" rather than watch Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Shaquille O'Neal, who promised to have his game face on by early in the week, pitched his best-selling book at a news conference Tuesday, and responded to a reporter's ringing cell phone by saying, "Tell them to call back later," drawing laughter from the assembled media. And a few of the Los Angeles Lakers have talked openly about securing a spot in the record books by winning four straight over the Philadelphia 76ers to complete an unprecedented sweep of the playoffs. "We've talked about it; our guys recognize the significance," Lakers forward Rick Fox said after his team's final practice before the NBA Finals begin Wednesday night at Staples Center. "We'd be up there with all the other great teams." Are these guys confident or what? More important, are they focused after having last played on May 27? The answers appear to be yes, and yes. "We're confident, but we know what kind of a team Philly is, with an intense defense and a high scorer," Lakers forward Horace Grant said. "They are very much prepared," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of his players. "Being here is not a surprise, but how we have done it is a surprise. Their aptitude, attitude and appetite for this series and for playoff basketball is quite apparent." After an up-and-down season, lowlighted by the simmering feud of O'Neal and Bryant going public in January and injuries to both after that, the Lakers are healthy and on an incredible roll. First came eight consecutive wins to finish the season, and now 11 to begin the playoffs -- an accomplishment matched only by the 1989 Lakers, who were swept by Detroit's Bad Boys in the NBA Finals after starters Byron Scott and Magic Johnson sustained hamstring injuries. "Sometimes, you have to have your trials and tribulations before you see the light at the end of the tunnel," Lakers reserve Robert Horry said. "We're at the end of the tunnel. "For the most part, we're just taking it one game at a time." That's been the Lakers' mantra for weeks, and it's worked to the point where the odds on the Finals are unreal. The Lakers are listed as 11 1/2-point favorites in Game 1, and with one oddsmaker, a bettor picking them has to lay $2,400 to win $100 while a 76ers supporter wins $1,800 by laying $100. These are rather remarkable numbers considering the participants finished the season with identical 56-26 records and split their two games. But while the Lakers have breezed to 11 wins in the playoffs by an average of 15.4 points, the 76ers have gone 11-7 and reached the Finals for the first time since 1983 by winning their past two series in seven games. Tyrone Hill said the 76ers didn't feel like underdogs, that it was a media thing. However, the starting forward also said if the 76ers contained O'Neal to some degree, "then we're going to have a chance." While O'Neal is averaging 29.3 points in the postseason, Bryant is averaging 31.6, and Derek Fisher, who is averaging 15.1, was 15-of-20 from 3-point range while the Lakers were manhandling San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. "He's elevated his game to tops in the league," Philadelphia's Aaron McKie said of Bryant, and O'Neal obviously agrees, having called Bryant the NBA's best player after Game 2 of the conference finals. McKie, the NBA's sixth man of the year, said his team has to contain O'Neal and Bryant individually due to the shooting abilities of the Lakers' role players. "They're confident; they haven't lost a game," 76ers star Allen Iverson said. "They're supposed to feel that way. "There's a flip side to that -- we didn't come all this way to roll over and die. We're going to play every game like it's our last; we feel like we can win. "Once they throw the ball up, that's when the party starts." Listed as a 6-footer, Iverson became the shortest player ever to win MVP honors when he did so this season. He showed his mettle by scoring 44 points as the 76ers beat Milwaukee 108-91 on Sunday night to earn their berth in the Finals, and is averaging 32.1 points in the playoffs. "I'm a big fan of his," Fox said. "I'm quite impressed with his progress; his leadership has been there, his heart is incredible. It's a joy to watch him play, compete against him. "You don't become an MVP candidate in this league by doing it in a few games. He's been doing it all year." The 76ers received all the major individual awards -- Iverson, McKie, Dikembe Mutombo as defensive player of the year and Larry Brown was coach of the year. The Lakers are using that as motivation. "In our eyes, the team that wins all the awards is the team to beat," Horry said, tongue firmly planted in cheek. Mutombo said he looks forward to his matchup with O'Neal, who said much the same thing. "It's a personal challenge to me," Mutombo said. "I'm not going to make the call if I'm going to play him one-on-one or if we double-team him." O'Neal said either way his fine with him. "I'm sure they will come up a little scrappy," he said. "You know, we've faced all types of defenses at all times. If they double and triple, I'll just do what I've been doing, getting my teammates involved." And the sprained left ankle that kept O'Neal out of a scrimmage last Saturday? "My ankle is fine; I'll be ready to play," he said.
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