Lakers down but not out

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- If the Portland Trail Blazers think their 101-99 win Sunday afternoon over the Los Angeles Lakers rattled the three-time defending champions, they're mistaken.

Should the Blazers and Los Angeles meet for a fourth consecutive year in the playoffs -- a possibility if the teams finish 4-5 in the Western Conference -- the Lakers have no doubt they will come away victorious.

"We're a supremely confident team, we've won three straight," Kobe Bryant said. "We've seen all the possibilities, we've been in dire straits, we've pretty much seen it all.

"(Today) was a setback in the standpoint it's a loss, but that's it. We played extremely well in the second half; we made a nice run. Our rhythm is good, and that's the most important thing at this point in the season."

Just like a year ago, when the Blazers pulled out a 128-120 double-overtime win on the last Sunday of the regular season, Los Angeles has all the momentum heading into postseason play.

The Lakers have won six of seven and are climbing the standings. Portland is in its annual tailspin, dropping in the standings and wrought with turmoil.

"We've played well enough to do what we want to do," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

Center Shaquille O'Neal agreed, noting that the change in format from best-of-five in the first round to best-of-seven favors the Lakers.

"It's hard to beat us four times," he said. "Unless we're playing awful and giving it to them. But that won't happen in the playoffs. With all the series being seven, it doesn't matter where we start."

The Western Conference playoff picture is still a mess. The Blazers, Lakers, Minnesota and Utah are all in a race for the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh seeds.

Portland still has a home game with Phoenix and a road trip to Los Angeles to play the Clippers. The Lakers close out with Denver at home and at Golden State.

"We've got two games left to get real sharp, and once the playoffs start wherever we end up that's where we end up," O'Neal said. "We let one slip away today, but it's still tight and we need help from other teams and hopefully things will pan out."

The Lakers' indifference to the loss highlights the glaring differences between the teams.

Portland feels like it accomplished something by beating the champs, but still has questions about consistency, discipline and team unity after a rash of player misdeeds and poor play. The Lakers are feeling good, having climbed from the basement of the Pacific Division at one point all the way to second place.

"I'm comfortable with the way we're improving, I'm comfortable with the passion we're playing with," Bryant said. "Those are the most important things at this time in the season."

 

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