The Plan Comes Together

One final win, tonight against the Denver Nuggets--or a Sacramento loss Wednesday--and the Lakers will have made it look as if this is how they planned it all along.

You know, a few adjustments, a little constructive sniping, a push through some injuries, rattle in a free throw or two and, like that, a Pacific Division title, just like last year. Who said repeating was a bear? They could have done it in their sleep, which might explain the defense.

The Lakers awoke Monday morning atop the Pacific Division for the first time in a month, an achievement they last celebrated on March 19 by losing that very night to the awful Atlanta Hawks. It was the start of five losses in eight games, followed immediately by the general assumption the Lakers had no chance of winning the division or of mustering any momentum heading into the playoffs.

Tonight, of course, they’ll play for their eighth consecutive win, their second consecutive division championship and the chance to go, “Pfft, no problem.”

“We’ve just got to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Shaquille O’Neal said, “and we’re going to be all right. Hey, I gotta get to court.”

Apparently, there have been a couple of recent speeding tickets, and you wonder if he was pulled over by one of the patrol cars he bought the city after last summer’s, uh, party.

He smiled and waved, and when a man can smile and wave on the way to paying off a moving violation, you know the mood has turned.

The Lakers held a low-key practice Monday morning, highlighted by Ron Harper’s pseudo involvement, then appeared upbeat heading into their final regular-season game.

“We’re starting to get that feeling again, and it’s nice, it’s the right time,” guard Brian Shaw said. “Heading into the playoffs, we’re building momentum right now and starting to play the game the right way, so it makes it a lot of fun.

“With the return of Kobe [Bryant] and the way he’s playing right now, if he gets in the middle and attracts the defense the way he’s been and distributes the ball and guys keep knocking down shots, as well as the big fella knocking down his free throws, it’s going to be tough for anybody to beat us.”

Shaw and Rick Fox concluded the practice with a game of stickball, employing an aluminum bat to knock a few rolled-up Ace bandages around the gym.

“It’s still not finished,” Fox said. “We still have to beat Denver.”

The Lakers have lost their last two games against the Nuggets.

“But, a sense of definite pride has arisen, something that was missing all year,” Fox said. “We’re still the champions, and the world has to go through here.”

True to form for the Lakers, even the late surge comes with a price. They may have played themselves into a first-round series with the sagging but potent Portland Trail Blazers, whose depth and athletic ability make for uneven matchups for the aging, slow-ish Lakers. Had they finished third in the Western Conference, still possible if they lose tonight, the Lakers would more likely play the Phoenix Suns in the first round while Sacramento and Portland played the more difficult series.

“It’s obvious Portland is a team we’ve had a harder time with in the past,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “Last year in the playoffs, we were able to beat Phoenix in five games and it took us seven-and-a-half games to get through Portland, basically. But, you have to take what you get, because it’s going to elevate your play.”

This season, the Lakers were 2-2 against the Trail Blazers and 3-1 against the Suns.

“It’s so important to play well at the end,” Jackson said. “And yet playing well may have bought us a more difficult matchup than one could imagine, even if we had lingered at fourth or fifth. It’s very unique and still it’s fitting that if we’re going to be the champions we still have to play whomever. We have to play them all. That’s what it’s all about.”

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Harper, recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, said Monday he would be on the playoff roster--”No doubt,”--which could mean the official end for Isaiah “J.R.” Rider, on the injured list because of sudden back spasms. Rosters are due in the league office by Thursday afternoon. Barring a physical setback for Harper, the Lakers are expected to activate Harper in place of Slava Medvedenko, then choose shooter Mike Penberthy over Rider. Teams cannot adjust their rosters between series. Harper probably will come off the bench, though perhaps not until the second round. “Our team is playing good basketball,” he said. “I don’t want to step in and slow things down.” . . . Jackson, pressed for a reason for the sudden Laker harmony: “Love, care, compassion for one another.” He laughed. . . . Fox’s version: “It’s spring again? Daylight savings time?” . . . O’Neal’s last 10 games: 33.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, 58.4% field goals, 64.2% free throws. . . . Into the final game, O’Neal is averaging 28.7 points, Bryant 28.5.