Game 7 Report

FIRST QUARTER: LAKERS 16, PORTLAND 23

Highlight Reel: Portland started off playing a solid trap defense on Shaquille O’Neal but the Laker center made the Trail Blazers pay with a no-look backdoor pass to Robert Horry, who took one step before finishing the play with a right-hand power dunk.

It’s Not in the Box Score: How crafty forward Scottie Pippen is. He stopped a Laker fastbreak when he got away with a foul on Ron Harper and then helped the Lakers get called for an illegal defense by informing official Steve Javie.

Winning Number: 100. The three-point shooting percentage by the Trail Blazers, who after making only one three-point shot in Game 6, made three of three in the opening quarter.

Wrong Number: 35.3. The field-goal percentage of the Lakers from the floor in the quarter as Kobe Bryant and O’Neal made only one of seven shots.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Harper 4. Trail Blazers: Pippen 9.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: Bryant 3. Trail Blazers: Pippen 3.

SECOND QUARTER: LAKERS 39, PORTLAND 42

Highlight Reel: Laker Coach Phil Jackson gave forward Rick Fox some early playing time and Bonzi Wells made sure his minutes were few when he sent the Laker veteran to the bench with a spinning move from the left corner that turned into a three-point play on Fox’s foul.

It’s Not in the Box Score: How Portland was able to control the tempo of the game with its second unit until Wells left because of two fouls, leaving the door open for a Laker rally that cut the Trail Blazers’ lead to three by halftime.

Winning Number: Nine. The total assists by the Lakers in the quarter with Glen Rice, Brian Shaw and O’Neal each having two.

Wrong Number: One. The total combined points scored in the quarter by Steve Smith and Pippen.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Bryant 9. Trail Blazers: Rasheed Wallace 7.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: Bryant and O’Neal each with 3. Trail Blazers: Arvydas Sabonis and Pippen each with 2.

THIRD QUARTER: LAKERS 58, PORTLAND 71

Highlight Reel: The Lakers took their first lead of the second half after a great individual effort by Rice, who beat two Portland players to the basket and made a difficult layup that turned into a three-point play.

It’s Not in the Box Score: How O’Neal ran down a loose ball and had to leap, in vain, over two rows of courtside seats. It was the type of effort O’Neal isn’t known for but then again, this was Game 7 and Portland did not allow him to do much else.

Winning Number: 13. Portland’s lead after three quarters as the Trail Blazers effectively took the crowd out of the game.

Wrong Numbers: Zero, zero and two. The total amount of points, rebounds and field goals attempted in the quarter by O’Neal, who was shut down by the Trail Blazers’ trapping half-court defense.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Rice 5. Trail Blazers: Smith and Wallace each with 10.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: A.C. Green and Bryant each with 2. Trail Blazers: Pippen 3.

FOURTH QUARTER: LAKERS 89, PORTLAND 84

Highlight Reel: With the Lakers’ season in jeopardy, Bryant and O’Neal rallied their team with defense. Bryant got things going when he swatted away a turnaround shot by Wells near the basket and later O’Neal did the same when he rejected a fade-away jumper by Brian Grant.

It’s Not in the Box Score: How loud the fans cheered and how Staples Center was filled with electricity during a timeout after O’Neal’s dunk over Wallace from an alley-oop pass by Bryant.

Winning Number: 60. The Lakers’ field-goal percentage in the quarter as they made nine of 15 from the floor with O’Neal making three of three.

Wrong Numbers: One and 11. The total combined field goals made and attempted in the quarter by Smith, Pippen and Wells.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Bryant and O’Neal each with 9. Trail Blazers: Wallace 9.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal and Horry each with 4. Trail Blazers: Detlef Schrempf 3.