O’Neal Awakens to Blot Out Suns

Five minutes into the Western Conference semifinals, Shaquille O’Neal was huffing and gasping and not exactly vibrating with playoff thermodynamics.

Even though the ingredients seemed primed for a sudden explosion--nobody big enough to contain him or brave enough to clutch at him--O’Neal’s legs felt slow and he missed six of his first seven shots.

And so began the Lakers’ strange, uneven, but ultimately commanding 105-77 Game 1 victory at Staples Center over the Phoenix Suns, who were in this game only as long as O’Neal’s mind and body were not.

“I think I got too much rest last night,” O’Neal said after the game. “I went to bed at 11 and I haven’t gone to bed at 11 in about eight years.

“I felt kind of sluggish today. But I picked it up.”

That he did, making 14 of his last 21 shots, scoring 37 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking four shots.

Around him, the Laker defense, which had been tested by Sacramento a round earlier, suffocated the perimeter-oriented Suns, forcing 23 turnovers and harrying Phoenix into three-of-18 shooting from three-point distance.

IN QUOTES

“Shaq was struggling to get up and down the court. The pace was elevating a little bit too quick. We had to bring the pace down to our pace and ask him how he’s doing out there. . . . We got some rest for him and he got his second wind. I think that’s the best thing we did.”

PHIL JACKSON,

Laker coach

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“Shaq is Shaq. I know him as well as I know any player in the league. I played with him for two years. He’s your MVP of the league. It’s up to us to do something now to slow him down.”

SCOTT SKILES,

Sun coach

THE SERIES

Lakers lead, 1-0