Lakers Finally Make It to the Table

With all their key personnel, at least, present, the Lakers rose to meet the menace of Vince Carter on Wednesday night, blowing a close game open at the end of the third quarter and cruising to a 97-85 victory over the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center for their fourth victory in a row.

Missing it, of course, was Isaiah “J.R.’ Rider, suspended earlier in the day.

Not that the Lakers had grown accustomed to a lot of production from him. Rider hadn’t played as many as 20 minutes in the last three victories, scoring a total of nine points.

Carter scored 28 points in his usual Gunfight at the OK Corral with Kobe Bryant, who had 29, even if he had to take 34 shots to get them (missing 23).

“It was one of the hardest games I’ve ever played in,” Bryant said. “In the first half [when he made one of 10 shots] it looked like I wasn’t going to bring it to the table. It had just caught up to me.”

Said Laker Coach Phil Jackson: “I think momentum’s important. I don’t think it [Rider’s suspension] was a major distraction. It’s a disappointment, but I don’t think it’s something the guys think they can’t survive.”

The Raptors led by as many as 10 points early in the second quarter and by as many as six in the third before fading to black.

Trailing 65-61 midway through the third period, the Lakers went on a 30-8 run that lasted deep into the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 18 points and putting the game on ice.

“We were good in the first quarter,” Toronto Coach Lenny Wilkens said. “We were decent in the second quarter. Then the end of the third quarter, we just started to lose it.

“I don’t think we had any energy and when you don’t have any energy, you don’t get to things.”

They certainly didn’t get to many rebounds. The Lakers won the battle of the boards, 62-48, with Shaquille O’Neal, Robert Horry and Horace Grant each getting 10. O’Neal had 25 points.

Jackson’s Chicago teams were known for their ability to shrug off distractions--guys refusing to go into the game or guys kicking sideline photographers or guys getting into gambling scandals--and concentrate.

How are the Lakers at ignoring distractions?

“Not good,” Jackson said before the game. “I don’t think this [situation] will be a problem for them. This team has not been as mature about it and kept their own personal discipline, regardless of other people’s indiscretions or undisciplined actions.”

The Raptors had their own problems, losing in Sacramento the night before. Because of Carter, they’re one of the league’s top draws on the road, which means they get the home team’s best game a lot too.

“He has tremendous charisma, with the fans, with the media,” Wilkens said of Carter before the game., “I mean, he’s like the Pied Piper. The kids just love him. Wherever he goes, they’re rooting, yelling his name, stuff like that.

“It’s like the circus, but at the same time too, it’s a challenge to live up to it and to come out focused and try and be as good as they think you are.”

Just in case anyone didn’t know who he was . . .

The first time Carter touched the ball, on the first Raptor possession, he knocked in a 20-footer.

The next time they got the ball, he drilled a three-pointer.

On their third possession, he made another 20-footer.

He then missed his next six shots before getting to the hoop and throwing down a memorable tomahawk dunk. In all, he scored 11 points in the first quarter. Early in the second, the Raptors were up, 26-16.

Bryant was out when the Lakers came back with a 10-2 run, with O’Neal scoring five of the points and assisting on Rick Fox’s three-point play. Then they grabbed the lead at halftime, 45-43, when Horry came off the bench to make two late three-pointers.

The Raptors moved into a 58-52 lead in the third quarter but then the wheels started to came off.

Midway through the quarter, Bryant missed his 16 and 17th shots on the same play (he had four baskets at that point) but O’Neal rebounded the last miss, scored, was fouled and made the free throw.

Brian Shaw hit a runner. Bryant made two free throws. Then Shaw hit Kobe on a fastbreak lob for a dunk. Bryant knocked in two 20-footers and a layup at the end of the quarter and suddenly, the Lakers led, 76-67.

Jackson, asked about Bryant’s exuberance later, answered dryly, “Oh, was that apparent to you?”

The Lakers even had a reserve guard who stepped up. Tyronn Lue came off the bench to score eight points. If the Lakers missed Rider in their hearts, in the game, they were still OK.