NOTES

Brian Grant, the Portland rebounder whom Del Harris called the key to the Trail Blazers’ Game 3 victory, was honest about why he had so much success at it.

“It takes more than being athletic to rebound,” said Grant, a 6-foot-9 forward. “You have to have heart to go for the ball, and keep going for it, and going for it. You are going to get pushed and elbowed, but you can’t feel any of that until after the game.”

Grant entered Game 4 with 31 rebounds, only one less than Shaquille O’Neal and more than any other two Lakers combined.

“When the game starts, everybody is going in there after the ball,” he said. “But after a few minutes, and everybody is breathing [hard], you can tell whether a guy is going to keep you off the boards, or whether it is going to be gravy.”

Grant wouldn’t admit it but, for him, the first three games against the Lakers were gravy.

“The only downside to being a great athlete is that athleticism will only get you so far,” he said. “When that athleticism is gone, what is left? Heart.

“To rebound, it takes heart.”