Duckworth Calls It an ‘Ugly’ Night : Trail Blazers: Center waxes philosophical after shooting poorly and being outplayed by Divac.

Center Kevin Duckworth of the Portland Trail Blazers just shook his head as he stared at the statistics sheet.

“It was ugly,” Duckworth said in assessing his performance when the Lakers defeated the Trail Blazers, 106-92, Friday night at the Forum to take a 2-1 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals.

Duckworth made only two of 14 shots, had five turnovers and committed five fouls in 29 minutes. He finished with five points and eight rebounds.

“It was one of them bad nights,” Duckworth said. “I missed some easy shots in the first half. In the third quarter I took a shot and it was an airball, and I knew right then that it was going to be ugly.

“They were allowing me to shoot outside more than the other two games, but I just didn’t hit them. Coach just told me to keep shooting, and it wasn’t that much off. I just tried to play hard in other ways and it wasn’t there. Hopefully I can redeem myself Sunday.

“I wasn’t that frustrated because I try to take a better approach. In the past I would have been disappointed, upset and mad right now. But I try to look at the positive in that my shot wasn’t that much off.”

Duckworth pushed around Laker center Vlade Divac in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds when the Trail Blazers rebounded to tie the series at a game apiece.

But Duckworth disappeared in Game 3. Divac scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

“I knew (Divac) would come out hard and strong,” Duckworth said. “No, I wasn’t surprised by the way he played.’

Said Divac: “Tonight I was a different player. I played soft in Game 2. Tonight I played a lot better. Kevin Duckworth is one of the best centers in the NBA, but I have (an) advantage against him because I’m quicker and can make some moves better.

“The first game was a tie (between Duckworth and Divac) and he won the second.”

Duckworth had a miserable start, missing nine of 11 shots in the first half. The Trail Blazers fell behind, 43-40, at intermission.

But the worst was yet to come.

Duckworth was abysmal in the fourth quarter, missing two shots, turning over the ball twice and getting called for two personal fouls. After he missed a two-footer and that resulted in a jump ball, he lost the tip and then fouled Laker forward Sam Perkins at the other end of the floor.

Duckworth then traveled while attempting to end a fast break with a layup. It’s pretty hard to miss a seven-footer taking off from the free-throw line.

Still, he wasn’t the only Trail Blazer who shot poorly.

Clyde Drexler made seven of 20 shots and Jerome Kersey made seven of 18 shots. Portland shot only 37%.

“Duckworth really got a little frustrated and he put pressure on himself when he did get open opportunities,” Coach Rick Adelman said. “But he’ll come back on Sunday. He’s got to come back and take the same shots Sunday.”