Portland in Shock as Lakers Hang On

There is still a ways to go, there are games left to win and lose, and moments to squander, cherish, measure and chisel into history.

But the glow in the Laker players’ eyes, the tangible shock of the Rose Garden sellout crowd, and the catch in Kobe Bryant’s voice communicated something deeper after the Lakers’ mesmerizing 93-91 Game 3 victory over the Trail Blazers.

They did not simply go up, 2-1, in this best-of-seven Western Conference final series.

They went up, up, up and away, to a place they had not been in a long time.

In a second-half comeback more breathtaking than any in recent Laker playoff history, during a final two minutes in which the world seemed to spin out of control, the Lakers might have found a moment to define themselves.

And maybe a path to a championship.

A Laker team that used to cringe when the playoffs shifted to their highest gear, struck back after losing Game 2 and the home-court edge, this time weathering a crushing Portland opening salvo.

A Laker team whose stars had vanished in the toughest times, saw O’Neal and Bryant play all but a few seconds of the game, and make the biggest plays.

And the Lakers, who had not won a road game in the Western Conference finals in nine years, got a go-ahead 19-foot jump shot from Ron Harper with 29.9 seconds left, then forced a turnover and blocked Arvydas Sabonis’ desperation shot to win the game.

IN QUOTES

“When you talk about this organization and big wins, this one ranks right up there. If you’ve been following us for years, you understand how tough we’ve had it in pressure situations in playoffs and conference finals. And we took another step.”

DEREK FISHER,

Laker guard

THE SERIES

Lakers lead, 2-1