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Scott Is Showing His Stuff Against Suns : This Time, Young but Experienced Laker Is Contributing in Playoffs

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Times Staff Writer

The two plays that best typify the lopsided nature of this first-round playoff series between the Lakers and Phoenix Suns came 22 seconds apart early in the third quarter Saturday.

With the Suns trailing by 14 points and desperately seeking a way to avoid a blowout for the second straight game, Laker guard Michael Cooper stripped Kyle Macy of the ball and heaved a long pass to Byron Scott, who dunked savagely. A few seconds later, Magic Johnson grabbed a rebound and passed the length of the court to Scott for another explosive dunk. Once the rim stopped shaking and the Lakers finished exchanging high-fives with Scott, it was obvious that the Suns were headed for another embarrassing defeat, this time 147-130.

It could have been any Laker regular who sparked the club after a less-than-impressive first half. Saturday, it happened to be Scott, who scored 13 points in the third quarter (he finished with 21) before taking the rest of the game off along with the other starters.

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“Those two dunks pumped us all up,” Magic Johnson said. “We definitely needed something to snap us out, and By (Scott) provided it with those dunks. He’s coming on and on. This playoffs has helped him get over the hump. Now, he’s becoming one of the best guards in the league. He’s putting down jumpers, driving, doing it all.”

Scott’s play so far in the series is not at all different from the regular season. He averaged 16 points and shot 53% from the field this season, and he scored 20 or more points in six of the last seven regular-season games.

Perhaps, the Lakers are appreciating Scott more now because they remember last season’s playoffs, in which he did not make a big contribution. That was partly because Scott had sprained a knee just before the playoffs and partly because he was a rookie and lacked the experience.

Some critics suggested that the Lakers might have defeated Boston had they had the experience of Norm Nixon, traded to the Clippers for Scott just before the start of the 1983-84 season.

“He was a 23-year-old kid just into the NBA, and it was impossible for us to expect a lot from him,” Laker General Manger Jerry West said of Scott. “When we traded for him, we felt he was a tremendous talent. He didn’t come in (last season) under the best of circumstances but he’s shown he can play.”

Although Scott says he doesn’t dwell in the past, he can’t help but think about last season’s loss to the Celtics in the finals.

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“For me, it’s still there,” Scott said. “I still think about it. It just makes you work harder and want to win more. I didn’t set any individual goals in the playoffs. I just want a ring on my finger and to bring the championship to L.A.”

Midway through the second quarter Saturday, the Lakers went flat, and the Suns took a one-point lead. But as quickly as they had lost the lead, the Lakers and Scott got it back for good. During a 13-2 stretch in the final 1:40 of the half, Scott scored on a layup and jump shot and got two assists, one off a steal.

Scott and the Lakers continued to dominate in the third quarter. In addition to the two dunks, Scott scored on jumpers, a layup and free throws before being replaced by Mike McGee with 2:29 left.

“We just told each other at halftime that we weren’t lifting each other up,” Scott said. “We weren’t inspired in the first half. We started playing real good defense, got the rebounds and gave the ball to Magic to start the fast break. That’s what got us going.”

Before his surge late in the first half, Scott had made only 1 of 5 shots. But he finished with 8 of 15 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line.

“The last two starts, I haven’t been shooting well,” he said. “The third quarter, I just wanted to give us a lift and to get the rhythm.”

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Said Laker Coach Pat Riley: “This team is so stoic at times. It’s like a machine that continually works by itself without a lot of motivation. Sometimes we need to be challenged, need motivation. Byron gave it to us today. He reacts as much as anyone because it’s so spontaneous.”

No doubt, the Lakers hope that Scott’s spontaneity will be present at Phoenix Tuesday night when the Lakers try to complete a series sweep.

“We’re up two games and we definitely want to end it Tuesday,” Scott said. “Hopefully, that’ll be the last game.”

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