Cavaliers Play Tricks on Mind

The Lakers practiced Wednesday at Cleveland’s Gund Arena, but not on their Cavalier attitude in particular. That part will probably come at the shoot-around.

“That’ll be a good point we make today,” Coach Del Harris said. “Not psyching yourself out.”

Playing the Cleveland Cavaliers presents problems not only because they hope to make the tempo walk-it-up speed, but because that pace can be downright frustrating to teams that like to run. The Lakers found that out in a Feb. 19 loss at the Forum, even though the Cavaliers broke through for 103 points thanks to a big fourth quarter.

Tonight, they must confront it again.

“Mentally, you have to be very prepared for that team,” Byron Scott said. “They’re going to drain you.”

Added Nick Van Exel: “That’s big. You’ve got to come out high intensity and doing everything like it’s a championship game, because that’s the way they make you play. You have to do everything right.

“I remember them beating our butts the last couple of seasons. We have to make them play a little faster.”

If the Lakers struggle tonight, it could only be the start of the trouble. The two opponents that follow, Miami and Orlando, also concentrate on controlling the tempo.

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Corie Blount had one double-double in his first 230 games as a pro. Now, he has had them in three of the last four, averaging 10.5 points and 10.8 rebounds in that time.