Lakers Can’t Keep Pace

This heavyweight battle, blessed by stubborn moods and haunted by missed opportunities, is going the distance.

Of course. And then . . . somebody will fall.

Because of a failing defense and an offense hurt by wobbly shooting, the Lakers lost another chance to eliminate the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, losing, 103-93, in a Game 6 struggle before 20,340 at the Rose Garden that sets up a finale that should surprise nobody.

So this uneven, exhilarating, unnerving slugfest has been elongated two more pregnant days, finally, fatefully, to be decided once and for all Sunday, at Staples Center, in a Game 7 of epic proportions.

“We just have to lay it all on the line,” said Shaquille O’Neal, held to 17 points by a tightly packed Portland defense.

“The fans have to be ready, the city has to be ready, and the players especially have to be ready. We’ll be ready.”

In this series, both combatants have teetered near collapse. Both have both rallied back to life in brilliant surges.

But the Trail Blazers, who once trailed, 3-1, evened things up with towering performances by Steve Smith (26 points), Arvydas Sabonis (11 rebounds, six assists and huge defense against O’Neal) and Bonzi Wells (20 points).

The Portland victory ended a four-game span in which the road team won every game.

“Thank God, we’ve got home-court advantage,” said Kobe Bryant, who scored a game-high 33 points despite wincing often on his sprained right foot. “In this series it doesn’t seem to mean much. But to us, it seems much.”

The Lakers have lost two consecutive games but have this to bank on: They did not lose three games in a row this season.

Was Coach Phil Jackson surprised to be dragged to this point?

“No, are you?” Jackson said. “This is what we had anticipated this series was going to come to, a seven-game series.

“It’s tough to beat a good team like Portland three times in a row on their home court. We knew that was going to be an uphill battle.”

Said O’Neal: “We knew it was going to be hard to win three games up here. They just stepped up to the challenge more than we did.

“Everyone has to be ready, not one or two guys are going to carry us. The whole team has to play well.”

On Friday, O’Neal and Bryant both played every second, taking the Lakers as far as they could. Brian Shaw came off the bench and made all four of his three-point shots.

But beyond that, there were not many Lakers to contend with the Portland onslaught.

Glen Rice scored 12 points but was held out for most of the fourth quarter when the Laker defense was being run aground by Portland dribblers.

Robert Horry continued his shooting slump with a one-for-four outing.

And Rick Fox contributed mostly by raising the hackles of the Trail Blazers, particularly Coach Mike Dunleavy, with some rough play and rough words.

Are the Lakers emotionally ready to put their season on the line Sunday?

“I think they’re fine,” Jackson said. “I think they understand what this series is and they understand what they’re up against. They’re not happy with their performance, that’s for sure.

“But I think they understand that this is a war, and this battle tonight was lost. But the war is not over.”

The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, have won three of their last four games against the Lakers at Staples, including the last two.

“I wouldn’t go if I didn’t think we were going to win,” Dunleavy said. “Obviously, there’s no fear factor there.

“I’ve been saying the same thing since Game 1. There’s no momentum, there’s no home court. It’s all one game at a time. You’ve got to come, you’ve got to win it.

“This one is going to finalize it.”

Dunleavy and Pippen specifically said they weren’t pleased by Fox’s play at the end. But Dunleavy said he knew exactly what statement the Lakers were trying to make with it.

“They started to put a little extra mustard on those fouls,” Dunleavy said. “And I don’t think it was appreciated at our end.

“We know what they’re trying to do--trying to distract from today’s game and what we did. Phil’s trying to get his guys up for a Game 7.

“You know, that’s not unusual.”

Said Jackson: “Rick’s an aggressive basketball player, that’s why he was in the game at the end. He plays with a lot of energy and a lot of aggression, and we needed some guys to get up the court and play a little aggressive defense.

“We were behind and we needed to put some fire in our game, and he’s a guy who provides that for us.”

After trailing by 10 at halftime, 49-39, the Lakers made a run to start the second half and cut the Portland lead to four points, 51-47, after a Rice three-pointer with 9:10 left in the third quarter.

The spell did not last, however. The Trail Blazers scored 11 of the next 13 points, jumped the lead back to double digits, and never seemed prime for a slide again.

In the fourth, despite some timely Shaw outside shooting and Bryant’s desperation three-point barrage, it was never closer than 83-75.

Meanwhile, O’Neal never found comfort in the middle of the Trail Blazer defense, missing 10 of his 17 shots and seven of his 10 free throws.

“They were doing the same things--hacking, flopping,” O’Neal said. “We’ll be all right on Sunday. That’s when we’re really going to come and play, on Sunday.”

The game began with a good sign for the Lakers: Bryant was OK after suffering a sprain in Game 5.

As if he wanted to come out and immediately dispel the notion that he was walking wounded, Bryant shot a long jumper on the Lakers’ first possession, made it, and was fouled by Damon Stoudamire, to boot.

That began a long, grueling half for Bryant, who defended Stoudamire (instead of Pippen), had one towering dunk over 7-foot-3 Sabonis, and scored 14 points on five-for-11 shooting.

It was a gritty effort, and the Lakers will need another one Sunday if they want their season to continue.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

SUNDAY

GAME 7

PORTLAND

at LAKERS

Staples Center,

4:30 p.m.,

Channel 4

*

Game 6 Breakdown

MOST POINTS

Lakers:

Kobe Bryant, 33

Trail Blazers:

Steve Smith, 26

*

MOST REBOUNDS

Lakers:

Shaquille O’Neal, 11

Trail Blazers:

Arvydas Sabonis, 11

*

MOST ASSISTS

Lakers:

Robert Horry, 7

Trail Blazers:

Sabonis, 6

By The Numbers

Last time the Lakers played a Game 7--and the last time the Lakers won an NBA championship: 1988

Lakers’ Game 7 record since franchise moved to Los Angeles: 9-6

Portland’s Game 7 record in franchise history: 1-0

Laker losses in their last 30 home games (43-7 overall at Staples Center): 5

Number of those losses that came against Portland: 3

Three-game losing streaks for the Lakers this season: 0

Coverage

Not Enough

Kobe Bryant had a breakout game with 33 points, but the rest of the Lakers scored only 60. S3

The Other Guys

While Scottie Pippen had an off night, Steve Smith, Damon Stoudamire and Bonzi Wells were on. S4

Kupchak Staying

Rod Thorn will run the New Jersey Nets, so Mitch Kupchak will remain as Laker general manager. S2

Help on the Way?

Brian Grant is tired of being a backup center, and he could sign with the Lakers for less money. S2