Defense Has Him Seeing Double

Shaquille O’Neal, resigned to facing hard, fast double- and triple-teams from the San Antonio Spurs, said he could be doing a better job of attacking the weak spots of such a determined defensive effort.

“The first game, I was held back,” O’Neal said Friday. “The second game, I was held back. I really haven’t played well. Hopefully, I can play well [today] and Sunday.”

O’Neal, averaging 18.5 points in this series, put up only 11 shots in Game 2 after averaging 22 shots--and 29.5 points--in the Houston series.

O’Neal also missed all but two of his 10 free throws in Game 2, and is shooting 45.7% from the line in the playoffs.

“I got into foul trouble [in Game 2], so I really couldn’t do much the first half,” he said. “But my teammates played well, they kept it close.

“I have to try to move around a little bit more, get a lot of guys involved. We just have to play within the realm of the team.”

Against the Spurs, who start Tim Duncan and David Robinson and have Will Perdue as a reserve--all 7-footers--practically any time O’Neal is doubled, he has “14 feet he’s got to deal with down there,” Coach Kurt Rambis said.

Said Laker point guard Derek Fisher: “I think at times their two big guys have caused Shaq some problems. But I think at times Shaq has caused problems for himself.

“But he’s a good enough player to adjust to that. He actually shot the ball much better in the second game, he just didn’t get as many looks. He was really conscientious about passing the ball out of the double team. . . .

“They’ve definitely committed to slowing him down. . . . The first two games, that’s worked at times. But we aren’t a one-man team.

“If they feel taking Shaq out of the game is their best option, we’ll find a way to adjust to that and win games.”

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Kobe Bryant, an 83.9% free-throw shooter in the regular season, said he hasn’t let his two crucial missed free throws at the end of Game 2 affect him.

“Slept well, actually,” Bryant said. “Because there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m not the type that’s going to let that affect or bother me.

“You want to come out and play harder, obviously. I would love to be in the same position.”

His teammates, who have seen the 20-year-old single-handedly win games for them all season, agree.

“That’s probably the last person I’m worried about, tell you the truth,” Rick Fox said. “Kobe, he doesn’t sweat it. He doesn’t sway. He doesn’t waver in his confidence.

“That’s why he’s the guy you want shooting those free throws. . . . We have the ultimate confidence in him. Because he has the ultimate confidence in himself.”

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Despite giving up five inches and several pounds, Fox said that he expects to see more time at power forward after a relatively successful run against Duncan in Game 2.

“I think it’s a definite advantage for us to be small against the Spurs,” said Fox, who has served mainly as the backup at both shooting guard and small forward this season.

“I think you’ll see more opportunities of exploiting that situation--maybe Shaquille and I [running] the pick and roll . . . different scenarios where we can bring the big men, force them to play perimeter defense, something they’re not normally suited to.”