O’Neal Scores 46 to Lead Cakewalk

In his first playoff game with the Lakers, Phil Jackson used a piece of hardware from his six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls to inspire his new team, wearing a ring from the 1998 Bulls’ championship.

His message was clear: This is why you play--now get one for yourselves.

The Lakers, winners of an NBA-best 67 regular-season games, kicked off their pursuit of a championship by defeating the Sacramento Kings, 117-107, at Staples Center in their first-round, best-of-five Western Conference series.

Shaquille O’Neal tied his career playoff high with 46 points, 17 in the third quarter and 12 in the fourth, and the Laker defense held up against the potent King offense.

In the second-quarter run that gave the Lakers control of the game, O’Neal scored eight points as the Lakers took a 65-55 halftime lead. Though the Kings threatened several more times, they never got closer than six.

Chris Webber led the Kings with 28 points, 14 in the first quarter, but the Kings unraveled after he’d committed his fifth foul, then a technical late in the third quarter, forcing him to the bench.

Vlade Divac wobbled to a two-for-14 performance, scoring only 10 points and grabbing four rebounds as the Lakers outrebounded the Kings, 54-37.

Divac and backup Scot Pollard didn’t do much against O’Neal, who made 21 of 33 shots.

IN QUOTES

“There is no doubt that Shaquille O’Neal is a great player, but they do not officiate the game the same for him, with all his strength, as they do for everybody else. I’m being honest--that’s just the way it is and you can’t do anything about it because obviously three seconds [in the key] is not going to be called.”

RICK ADELMAN,

King coach

THE SERIES

Lakers lead, 1-0