Defending O’Neal Is a Huge Problem for Smaller Pacers

Don’t believe the hype. The Indiana Pacers are not dumb. They will play the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal just like everyone else, which means they will try anything from double-teams to Hack-a-Shaq to try to slow the league’s most dominating player.

“Bumping into Shaq is probably like running into a brick wall or a truck,” said Indiana forward Dale Davis, who is expected to be called on often to defend O’Neal.

“He’s definitely solid. There’s no doubt about it, he’s the best player in the league right now. It’s a good challenge for us. We’re going to have different ways we’re going to try to attack him and approach this thing. We’re going to have to play him tough, not give him anything easy and push him out as far as possible, if that is possible.”

In the first three rounds of the playoffs, the manner in which O’Neal has been handled has determined how well teams have managed against the Lakers.

He ripped through Sacramento’s Vlade Divac and his weaker understudy, Scot Pollard. He did the same with Phoenix’s Luc Longley and the Suns’ assortment of overmatched power forwards.

Portland, however, had some success against O’Neal. The Pacers no doubt noticed the tactics, especially the Trail Blazers’ willingness to foul the Laker center when needed.

“I don’t think it’s overblown . . . obviously it is a strategy you can go to because he can’t shoot free throws,” Indiana swingman Jalen Rose said about Hack-a-Shaq.

“But at the same time, they had more big bodies than we do. A team like Portland has five or six different guys they can throw out there. We’re a team that doesn’t have that luxury.”

Portland had bulky 7-foot-3 Arvydas Sabonis, Brian Grant, Rasheed Wallace and Jermaine O’Neal to defend O’Neal. Indiana is more limited.

Rik Smits, a slender 7-4 center, Sam Perkins, a natural power forward heavy enough to play center, and Davis did well enough in the middle against Milwaukee, Philadelphia and New York to get Indiana into the finals.

But O’Neal is not Ervin Johnson, Theo Ratliff or Patrick Ewing. That’s why the Lakers are expecting the Pacers to break their “no double-team” rule against O’Neal.

“They say they don’t double-team, but they are not going to leave anyone down there by himself against Shaq,” Laker assistant coach Jim Cleamons said.

“They are not going to leave Dale down there by himself. They are not going to leave Smits down there by himself. They are not going to leave Sam down there by himself. They are going to give help.

“Now the question is, how are they going to give help? None of the teams this year in a playoff series has guarded our [power forwards]. Basically, they have given A.C. [Green] a free rein. So that tells you Smits is going to guard A.C., and they are going to play soft on him so Smits can be in position to give Dale help when needed. That’s the whole key . . . everybody does it. You may not like to double team . . . but the fact remains, you are not going to leave a player naked down there. We’re talking basketball. They are not going to let Shaq get 35 or 40 points a game.”

During the regular season, Indiana split its two games with the Lakers. O’Neal averaged 26.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and three blocked shots against the Pacers. Those numbers are close to his postseason averages of 28.2 points, 15 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.29 blocks.

During the regular season, the Pacers played more of a cat-and-mouse type defense on O’Neal. But they were not playing the Lakers for the title.

“They don’t have the athleticism that [Scottie] Pippen and Wallace provided this Portland team with, that’s quite obvious,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said after practice at Staples Center on Tuesday.

“There’s not a better basketball defensive player in the league than Scottie Pippen . . . so we know there’ll be a breath of air there, as far as Shaq is concerned.”

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Shaquille O’Neal Factor

How Laker center Shaquille O’Neal fared in two games against the Pacers:

Points: 26.5

Field Goal Shooting: 23-53

Free Throw Shooting: 7-11

Blocks: 3.0

Rebounds: 14.5

Assists: 3.5