Third Stanza Laker Poetry

The Lakers put the rings and banners and center-court poetry behind them.

The rest of the season they’ll spend on the grind that most recently was a 98-89 victory Saturday afternoon against Vancouver, at a nearly full but dully quiet General Motors Place.

If there is poetry to be had from here on, it’ll be Shaquille O’Neal versus whomever, or Kobe Bryant on the wing, or a total-effort third quarter like the one they had against the young Grizzlies when the Lakers advanced as aggressively as winter has across English Bay here.

“It was a breakout quarter for us,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said.

If the Lakers required a slight adjustment of the group psyche, it came in those first few moments after halftime. At the conclusion of a first week that included a steely win in Portland but a dreary loss to Utah at home, it came time for the Lakers to impose their will on an undermanned team, game as the Grizzlies might have been.

The Grizzlies had hoped to be 3-0 for the first time in franchise history. The only other time they were 2-0, they lost their next 19 games. It shouldn’t get that bad, but they’ll have to work on their second halves; they nearly were caught in the fourth quarter by the Clippers on Thursday night.

“They came out and turned up the defense on us,” Grizzly Coach Sidney Lowe said.

In less than nine minutes the Lakers took a 47-40 lead and made it 71-51. In that span, O’Neal scored 10 of his game-high 27 points, Bryant scored six of his 22, and by the time the Grizzlies’ shots began to fall in the fourth quarter, the Lakers were practicing their straight faces for the customs agents.

“It was defense,” Jackson said. “We got our hands on balls, we covered steals. [Ron] Harper, Shaq, Kobe were all active defensively.

“That first unit is a terrific defensive group and they have potential to do that.”

The Lakers spent much of the third quarter on run-outs or watching O’Neal bury short jumpers while Bryant Reeves stumbled backward. Given 30 years and the point of impact, Reeves still might not have enough time to get out of the way of 2000 SG344, that object hurtling toward Earth. So, the maneuverable O’Neal is a very big problem for him.

Reeves, the point man on a late Hack-a-Shaq strategy by Lowe, fouled out. O’Neal, however, missed 11 of 14 free throws. He is 17 for 48 (35.4%) for the season.

“This team is 2-1,” said O’Neal, who had 15 rebounds. “And I’m the best big man on the planet. . . . I don’t care if I score 27 points or 37 points, as long as we get wins.”

Jackson smiled a November smile.

“I wanted him to get some free-throw practice while he was out there,” he said, deadpan. “It’s good for him.”

O’Neal started slowly at the line last season, as well.

“It’s time for him to really get serious about his free-throw shooting,” Jackson said, “because it’s going to be a continuing presence all year long.”

The third quarter uprising, when the Lakers outscored Vancouver, 30-20, allowed everyone a flaw or two. Bryant missed a fastbreak dunk, chuckled about it, and followed it with a hard two-hander on the next possession.

Bryant appeared to move closer to his true game.

Right, Phil?

“Six turnovers. Not happy about that,” Jackson said. “Some of the things he did at the end of the game weren’t smart, either. We had our chance to rag Kobe a little bit.”

He added, with little conviction, “But, he played a nice game.”

Read that quote, Bryant answered, “I got him back. I said, ‘Five steals, though.’ ”

Four of the steals came in the second half, two in the pivotal third quarter. Bryant said he senses a more even rhythm coming.

“It’s the same for me,” he said. “I’ll hit my stride as we get into the season, toward the playoffs.”

In the meantime, the Lakers are beginning to get an idea of what Horace Grant might do for them. He played 40 more minutes, even though Robert Horry was available and played 23. Horry missed the first two games to attend his grandmother’s funeral.

Grant scored 19 points and took 11 rebounds. He had 12 points in the first half, when O’Neal found him with passes for 15-foot jumpers and drives to the basket.

“I’m going to be looking to get my guys involved in the first half,” O’Neal said. “In the second half, I’ll decide what needs to happen. I’m not looking to lead the league in scoring, so the game should be easier this year.”

Grant was happy for the handouts.

“We talked about it after the last game,” Grant said. “He told me to move and if I’m open to shoot the ball. He found me a lot today. Against Utah, I wasn’t taking that shot when they sagged on Shaq. Today, the shot felt good to me.

“But, hey, I’m not going to buy him a Rolex, though.”