Jazz Subs Quickly Sink Lakers

Nothing seemed to help Howard Eisley get out of his shooting slump.

Not the hard work the reserve Utah Jazz guard always does after practice, spending up to half an hour firing the basketball from everywhere on the court.

Not the words of encouragement from fellow guard John Stockton.

Not even the knowledge that asking the team’s two superstars, Stockton and Karl Malone, to carry this team, bench and all, through the playoffs by themselves was asking too much.

Eisley came into Saturday’s game shooting only 30.4% in the postseason. Against the San Antonio Spurs in the Jazz’s last series, Eisley scored only 14 points in the first four games, making only 22.7% from the field. In the series-clinching fifth game, Eisley scored eight points.

“It has been very frustrating,” Eisley said. “You just go in the gym for practice and try to get through it.”

Has Eisley been aware of any criticism because of his slump?

“I try not to have my nose in the newspaper,” he said.

Eisley might want to look in today’s paper, because his name, and that of fellow reserve Chris Morris, figure to be featured prominently.

Eisley and Morris, not the more celebrated Utah forward-guard combination of Malone and Stockton, broke open Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Saturday at the Delta Center.

It was the start of the second quarter with the Lakers trailing by 11, not an insurmountable deficit.

But after Eisley’s jumper reappeared as mysteriously as it had vanished, after 3:05 of the Howard and Chris Show, after a 16-2 run, the Lakers were down, 40-15, and that proved to be an insurmountable deficit.

The scoring run began with a 17-foot jumper by Eisley, then Eisley on an 18-foot jumper, Morris on a three-point basket from 25 feet, Eisley on an eight-foot jumper, Morris on another three-pointer from 25 feet, Eisley on a free throw and, finally, Eisley on a three-pointer of his own, this one from 24 feet.

All of this was interrupted only by a short scoring hook by Laker center Shaquille O’Neal.

The streak’s final tally: 10 points, including a three-pointer, for Eisley and six points, including a pair of three-pointers, for Morris.

Stockton tried to deflect any credit for bringing Eisley out of his cold spell.

“He is a great shooter,” Stockton said. “I don’t think he needed someone to boost his confidence. He is a tough guy. People don’t say that much with all the bigger guys around here, but he is tough.”

But not tough to motivate, despite his limited role.

“We all have our job coming off the bench,” Eisley said. “We are expected to play defense, rebound and just come up with the little hustle plays.

“If you also have the opportunity to put the ball in the basket, that’s great.”

Morris had his own expectations coming into the game.

“I knew I had to come in and show a lot of energy,” Morris said. “Once we hit our open jumpers, it was a different game.”

It was certainly a different game from those played recently by Eisley, who finished with 14 points in 22 minutes, making six of eight from the field. He also handed out nine assists, matching Stockton, the NBA’s all-time leader in that department. Morris finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

But all most people will remember is the first 3:05 of the second quarter, when Eisley and Morris knocked in their shots and knocked out the Lakers.

THE BREAKDOWN

REBOUNDING

* Not including team rebounds, the Lakers were beaten on the boards, 51-39, although they did a nice job at the offensive end, winning that battle, 19-12. The Jazz got 10 rebounds from Karl Malone. That was expected. Utah also got 11 off the bench from Shandon Anderson in 25 minutes. That was totally unexpected, since Anderson has been averaging three a game in the postseason. Corie Blount had a big day in this department with nine rebounds in 17 minutes. Shaquille O’Neal had eight rebounds.

THE BENCH

* Led by Howard Eisley (14 points) and Chris Morris, Greg Ostertag and Antoine Carr (10 each), the Utah bench outscored the Laker bench, 53-27. Only Kobe Bryant was in double figures among Laker reserves with 16 points, and he made only four of 14 shots. Coach Del Harris never knows what he’s going to get when he looks down the bench and calls on Nick Van Exel. Van Exel can be explosive or he can be a dud. Saturday was dud time as Van Exel went one for nine from the field and scored only six points.