L.A. Swat Team Locks Up 76ers

The Lakers played with blocks Friday.

They also shot fairly well, passed with poise and ripped the ball directly from the grasp of several Philadelphia 76er players often and with vehemence.

But, highlighted by Shaquille O’Neal’s season-high-tying eight blocked shots and numerous intimidations, the Lakers dominated Philadelphia mostly by challenging or swatting away a bunch of of 76er shots.

Poor Allen Iverson spent much of the game either getting blocked or rocked--he had at least three shots knocked away at point-blank range and twice he was sent to the bottom of the basket support by Lakers bent on preventing easy baskets and perhaps on bending his 6-foot frame a bit.

The result was a 100-88 Laker victory before 18,997 at Staples Center, the Lakers’ eighth win in a row and 27th in 28 games dating to early February.

You could call all the roughshod play and aerial displays some of thebuilding blocks of a team readying for the postseason.

“We kind of let them shoot the jumper or we brought them all the way to me,” O’Neal said, “and I just tried to catch them all.”

Said Laker Coach Phil Jackson: “Tonight, Shaquille was real active. And when he’s a real active defender like that it makes it difficult for teams. It puts pressure on people going to the basket.”

The Lakers had 13 blocked shots (including two each by Ron Harper and Robert Horry).

But Jackson was not ready to say that his team’s defense, which held Philadelphia to 37.5% shooting (36 for 96), was playoff ready.

“There are some things defensively that we have to do to be a better team in the playoffs,” Jackson said. “It only stands to reason that you have to get better throughout the year.”

The Lakers (61-12) raised their record against Eastern Conference teams to 26-3 with only one game left, Sunday against the New York Knicks, and also reduced their magic number to clinch home-court advantage throughout the postseason to three.

Beyond the block-fest, O’Neal scored 37 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and passed out five assists in 41 minutes.

Meanwhile, Iverson was held to 15 points on six-for-20 shooting and O’Neal passed him in the scoring race (29.1 to 28.9).

In his two games against the Lakers, Iverson averaged only 15.5 points--more than 13 less than his season average.

O’Neal said he didn’t care that he passed Iverson and that he wasn’t making any effort to put up big points simply because Iverson was on the floor with him.

“I was just taking my high-percentage shots that I need to be taking,” said O’Neal, who made 17 of 28 shots. “They were falling.”

Jackson said that the Lakers do try to eliminate all layups, but he didn’t think either one of the flagrant foul calls--one by Harper, one by O’Neal--merited the flagrant whistle.

“The one against Shaq was obviously big-little, it looked like the fly-swatter and the fly,” Jackson said. “Even though it wasn’t flagrant, it appeared to be that way because of the speed Iverson plays at and the dominant size of Shaquille.

“We don’t want to give up layups, but we’re not a team that wants to get flagrant fouls.”

After three topsy-turvy quarters, the Lakers had a 78-69 lead thanks to scorching shooting by Rick Fox off the bench and the usual Laker defensive clampdown on Iverson and the 76ers in general.

With Glen Rice in foul trouble and struggling, Fox broke out of a mini-slump by making six of his first seven shots--and finished with 13 points and four assists.

And once the Lakers went on an 8-2 run to start the fourth--with three baskets by O’Neal--all that was left was letting the clock run down and seeing how dismal the Lakers could make Philadelphia look.

The answer? Pretty dismal.

“It’s hard to beat that team when Shaq’s playing like that,” Iverson said. “Shaq didn’t play that way in Philly, and when he’s playing like that, it’s hard for any team to beat those guys.”

The Lakers were a little sloppy on offense, turning the ball over 16 times, including four by Kobe Bryant, who picked up two fouls early, never seemed to get into rhythm, and finished with only 10 points.

“He just got out of sync, he got in foul trouble early, never really got himself established in the game,” said Jackson, who also credited 76er guard Eric Snow’s defense on Bryant.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Head to Head

Shaquille O’Neal took over the NBA’s scoring lead from Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson during the Lakers’ 100-88 victory over the 76ers.

FRIDAY

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O’NEAL IVERSON 37 Points 15 17-28 Field Goals 6-20 3-3 Free Throws 3-4 5 Assists 6 14 Rebounds 5

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SEASON

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O’NEAL IVERSON 72 Games 61 2,095 Points 1,764 29.1 Season Avg. 28.9

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