GAME 2 REPORT

First Quarter

Portland: 29

Lakers: 25

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Highlight Reel: The Lakers’ Horace Grant is not known for his jumping, but the veteran power forward dusted off one of his old moves when he used a ball fake and then dunked over Portland’s Arvydas Sabonis.

It’s Not in the Box Score: How Portland was able to exploit the Lakers’ half-court defense with terrific spacing, which enabled Rasheed Wallace, Damon Stoudamire, Scottie Pippen and Sabonis enough room to work.

Winning Number: 72.2. The Trail Blazers’ shooting percentage in the quarter as they made 13 of 18 from the field to take a four-point lead after 12 minutes.

Wrong Number: 6:03. The amount of time the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant played before picking up two fouls, sending him to the bench.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Shaquille O’Neal 8, Rick Fox 5. Trail Blazers: Pippen 9, Wallace 8.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal 4. Trail Blazers: Pippen 3

Second Quarter

Portland: 46

Lakers: 55

Highlight Reel: O’Neal is known for his power but also has other skills. He showed his passing ability when he snatched an offensive rebound from Sabonis and made a no-look pass to Robert Horry for an open dunk.

It’s Not in the Box Score: The disgusted look on the faces of Sabonis and Portland Coach Mike Dunleavy when a loose ball foul that seemed to be called on O’Neal was really on Sabonis.

Winning Number: 9. The amount of points scored by Fox, who had a three-point basket, two driving layups and a monster dunk over Sabonis.

Wrong Number: 6:17. The amount of time Portland went without a field goal, which allowed the Lakers to take over control with a 13-1 run.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Fox 9, O’Neal 8. Trail Blazers: Pippen and Wallace 6.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: Shaw 5, O’Neal 4. Trail Blazers: Stacey Augmon 3.

Third Quarter

Portland: 65

Lakers: 80

Highlight Reel: Early in the season when Bryant tried to do everything himself, he wouldn’t have made a play like he did when he completed a perfect give-and-go bounce pass to O’Neal for a layup in the Lakers’ half-court offense.

It’s Not in the Box Score: How Bryant almost returned to his selfish ways once Pippen decided to play pressure defense on him, but instead stayed within the system.

Winning Number: 14. Whichever team has the rebounding edge usually wins the the game and the Lakers grabbed this number in the quarter compared to seven by the Trail Blazers.

Wrong Number: Zero. The amount of points scored in the quarter by Wallace, who despite being Portland’s leading scorer and the one player who scares the Lakers the most, took only one shot.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: O’Neal 11, Bryant 6. Trail Blazers: Smith 8, Sabonis and Stoudamire 4.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: Grant 4, Fox 3. Trail Blazers: Sabonis 3.

Fourth Quarter

Portland: 88

Lakers: 106

Highlight Reel: Just to prove that he’s the baddest man in the NBA, O’Neal received a technical foul when he took on three Portland players and didn’t back down from Smith, Pippen and Detlef Schrempf after a foul.

It’s Not in the Box Score: The vicious elbow that Davis landed to the chest of Horry when the Portland big man lost his cool while fighting for a rebound--leading to his ejection.

Winning Number: 15. The combined points in the quarter by O’Neal and Bryant, who dominated on both ends of the floor.

Wrong Number: Five. Pippen, Smith, Stoudamire and Wallace (two) combined for this total of technical fouls in the quarter for the frustrated Trail Blazers.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Bryant 10, Devean George 6. Trail Blazers: Augmon 9, Pippen 5.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal, Fox, George and Derek Fisher 2. Trail Blazers: Pippen 3.