Aggressiveness Isn’t a Focal Point for Lakers

The Pacers came out in the first quarter and made 75% of their shots.

Why?

The Lakers were not aggressive. They didn’t get up on the ball. Every game, the Lakers have been slow getting into a rhythm, but this time their slowness went on all night.

And then, in the second quarter, Jalen Rose took over. Rose is a good flat-footed shooter, he’s a good driver, he can get to the basket and the Lakers had a real problem with that. I really like what he did. He had a lot of energy. He was pulling up and shooting, he was shooting off-balance and he was making everything. And nobody was getting in his face.

Kobe Bryant’s ankle gave him a real problem, I think. He looked tired. He didn’t have the energy that he had in Game 4. Shaquille O’Neal had to do all the scoring. Nobody else came out aggressively on offense for the Lakers. The Lakers can’t keep coming out slowly in the first quarter and then try to come from behind. You can’t play that way all the time.

The Lakers got nothing outside. The Pacers were playing very tough defense and were active and moving. It showed.

Then in the third quarter, when the Lakers were cutting into the lead a little bit, down to about 13, Rik Smits stepped up and hit two baskets, two jump shots that seemed to take everything out of the Lakers. The Pacers had seemed ready to fold.

But what really happened in Game 5 was outstanding shooting by the Pacers. Every shot was do or die for them at the start. In the second quarter the Lakers tried to make a move and Rose took the heart right out of them.

It’s better to lose one like this, though, than by one or two points. When you lose like this, the players are more likely to pay attention to the coaches. The Pacers were fighting for their life and the Lakers didn’t play that way.

I think it will be a different story Monday night. The crowd makes a difference. You could see that in Indiana. I think that will help get the Lakers ready.

--As told to DIANE PUCIN