Shaq, Rattle, Roll

By SCOTT HOWARD-COOPER

April 28, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

It’s not over. The Portland Trail Blazers are still a dangerous team. Very dangerous. The Lakers shouldn’t look too far ahead, to the Utah Jazz, which, of course, at the same time isn’t looking past the Clippers.

Or, there’s reality.

By winning, 107-93, Sunday afternoon before 17,505 at the Forum behind 30 points, six rebounds and five assists from Shaquille O’Neal and 19 points and seven rebounds from Eddie Jones, the Lakers took control of the first-round series. Maybe even enough to end it, officially, Wednesday night in Portland.

The Trail Blazers--emphasis on trail--are down, 0-2, in the best-of-five matchup, but mostly just down. They have been blitzed by the Lakers in the fourth quarter of two consecutive games. In an upset, they have been played to a virtual draw on the boards. They allowed the opponent to shoot 49.3% on Friday and 58.1% Sunday.

But the Trail Blazers have bigger problems than the Lakers.

They have themselves.

“I really don’t think we believe in each other in stretches,” Clifford Robinson said.

As long as that’s all.

“We’re kind of splintered,” he added, after doing his part by making four of 11 shots, the follow-up to his three-of-12 shooting in the opener.

Said Isaiah Rider, who had 18 points and six assists but was still unable to exploit a size advantage against Jones: “They [the Lakers] want it more. They are more excited. And we’re flatline right now.”

And from Coach P.J. Carlesimo, when asked if he’s concerned as Robinson goes head-first into his latest playoff swoon: “I’m concerned with everybody. We shot 50% and got beat badly. You shoot 50% and get beat badly, it’s a problem.”

They have until Wednesday night to find a heartbeat. Game 4 is Friday at the Rose Garden, if necessary. If still necessary, Game 5 is Sunday at the Forum.

“We proved last year we could force a Game 5,” Robinson said, referring to their rallying from the same 0-2 deficit in the first round against the Jazz, only to lose in the end. “But it wasn’t our goal this year.”

Meanwhile, the trash cans will be on standby, in case the Trail Blazers are spending one of those days cleaning out their lockers in preparation for the off-season.

The Lakers are taking the diplomatic approach, even while stomping on the Trail Blazers’ chest and not letting them get out of flatline.

Lose three in a row? Lose the series, against a flailing team at that?

“There’s a way,” Nick Van Exel said, “but let’s not find a way. Let’s keep going. We want to keep the confidence going into the third game. We can put them away if we keep the energy and effort.”

That’s what did it Sunday. O’Neal spun away from double teams, or simply went through them. Jones made all seven of his shots, forcing people to ask how is Rider going to stop him now, instead of the other way around.

The Lakers committed 11 turnovers, giving them only 19 in the first two games.

Dominating down the stretch has been the other constant. Friday, they outscored (27-15) and outshot (62.5%-33.3%) the Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter to turn what had been a close game into a blowout in the final three minutes. Sunday, Portland never seriously threatened, partly because the Lakers saw to it.

The L.A. lead was 11 points late in the third period and nine at the start of the fourth. It never got below that and was as high as 20, at 97-77 with 4:42 remaining.

“Just the point that we were up nine earlier [in the first half] and let them come back,” Van Exel said. “Everybody had input and said not to let them back in again.”

Let them back in?

The Trail Blazers barely had a chance to knock.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NBA PLAYOFFS

LAKERS vs. BLAZERS

THE SERIES

Lakers lead series 2-0

* Game 1: Lakers, 95-77

* Game 2: Lakers, 107-93

* Game 3: Wed. at Portland, 7:30

* Game 4: Friday at Portland, TBA*

* Game 5: Sunday at Forum, TBA*