THE MATCHUPS

FORWARD, LAKERS’ GLEN RICE VS. PACERS’ JALEN ROSE: While Rice has been in the background for most of these playoffs (averaging only 12.7 points and shooting 41%), Rose has averaged 20.1 points in the playoffs, solidifying his status as Indiana’s perimeter go-to-guy 1-a behind (although not always) Reggie Miller. Edge: Pacers.

FORWARD, LAKERS’ A.C. GREEN VS. PACERS’ DALE DAVIS: As usual, this is the key spot in a Laker series--if Davis (who only averaged six points in the two regular-season meetings) can come close to approximating what Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber were able to do in earlier rounds, it blows a big hole in what the Lakers do. In limited action, Green has scored only 60 points and grabbed only 76 rebounds in 17 playoff games. Edge: Pacers.

CENTER, LAKERS’ SHAQUILLE O’NEAL VS. PACERS’ RIK SMITS: In one game against Indiana, O’Neal had one of his worst shooting performances and the Lakers lost. In the second game, O’Neal had Smits in early foul trouble and scored 31 points. O’Neal might be defending Davis if Smits begins to pump in medium-range jumpers. Edge: Lakers.

GUARD, LAKERS’ RON HARPER VS. PACERS’ REGGIE MILLER: If anyone is going to shoot the Lakers’ lights out, it will be Miller, who is averaging 23.8 points in the playoffs and has 43 three-point baskets (no Laker has more than 20). Harper won’t be the only Laker guarding him through the picket-fence of screens, but he will be the one assigned to make sure Miller doesn’t get off to a blazing start. Edge: Pacers.

GUARD, LAKERS’ KOBE BRYANT VS. PACERS’ MARK JACKSON: Probably the matchup to watch--if either player really gets going, he can dominate a game; if either gets taken out of rhythm, the offense is clogged up. Bryant had an Oscar Robertson-like performance in Game 7 against Portland, and is only getting better. Edge: Lakers.

KEY RESERVES: Point guard Travis Best and forward Austin Croshere combined for 20 consecutive points in the fourth quarter of Indiana’s victory at Conseco Fieldhouse, and have continued to contribute in the playoffs. Brian Shaw has become a key bench player--and shooter--for the Lakers. Look for Derek Fisher to be guarding Best and Robert Horry to be matched against Croshere. Indiana’s big loss is rugged center-forward Antonio Davis, who was traded for rookie Jonathan Bender, who rarely plays. Sam Perkins, however, can fire away from three-point range and at least annoy O’Neal in the post. Edge: Pacers.

OFFENSE: Both teams averaged over 100 points in the regular season, and each have two scorers capable of combining for 35-40 points in any game. The difference: The Lakers have a slasher (Bryant) and a dominant big man (O’Neal); while both of Indiana’s scorers are jump shooters (Rose and Miller), which is hard to rely on inside the vastness of Staples Center. Edge: Lakers.

DEFENSE: The Lakers have covered up many vulnerabilities with tough, straight-up defense, all of which feeds into O’Neal. And if Bryant is not in foul trouble and Horry is asserting himself, it’s hard to score consistently on the Lakers--as Portland discovered in the fourth quarter Sunday. Indiana relies on its big bodies and savvy, though it will need more than that against O’Neal. Edge: Lakers.

COACHING: Larry Bird’s first Pacer team, in 1997-98, might have given Phil Jackson his toughest test on a title run, taking the Chicago Bulls to a seventh game in the Eastern Conference finals, and leading for most of the fourth quarter of that game. But Mike Dunleavy did that too with Portland this season, and Jackson is still the one with the rings, and the chance for No. 7. Edge: Lakers.

KEYS TO THE SERIES: Can the Pacers clamp down on O’Neal for a long series? The Lakers won 67 games in the regular season because almost nobody in the league could do it. In the playoffs, both Sacramento and Portland found a formula, but even that wasn’t enough when other Lakers stepped into key shooting roles. And Smits hasn’t seen anything close to O’Neal (sorry, Patrick Ewing and Theo Ratliff do not count) in this postseason. How much of a factor can Conseco be for Indiana? The Pacers are dangerous there, but dropped games to Milwaukee and Philadelphia at home in the postseason.

THE PICK: LAKERS, 4-1.