Eyes on the Prize

By this evening, the Lakers and Sacramento Kings will have played seven times in 16 days.

The Lakers will have seen Doug Christie wave to his wife, oh, a million times.

The Kings will have felt Shaquille O’Neal’s shoulder in their chests about half that many times.

They’re talked out, wrung out, refereed out and flopped out, and yet not played out. By this evening, someone will be put out.

Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, viewed by many as the de facto NBA championship, is today at Arco Arena, where the Lakers will play to extend their three-peat grind into a best-of-seven series against the New Jersey Nets. The Kings have not been to the NBA Finals since 1951.

At the end of a series that drew its personality from a shot at the buzzer by Robert Horry, a shot near the buzzer by Mike Bibby, and a cheeseburger that would not stay put, the Lakers and Kings are separated by eight points and one reality: home-court advantage.

The Kings, who finished three games ahead of the Lakers in the Pacific Division, played hard in most of their regular-season games and have it, and the Lakers lost to six last-place teams, and don’t.

“This is what everybody’s played for,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said. “This is what they played for. This is what we said we could go above and beyond. We’ll see who’s right or wrong. That’s the interesting situation. I suppose it’s set up because of what Vlade said ... that if [they] get home-court advantage [they] can beat the Lakers.”

It’s a little late for regrets. Sure, a couple wins against the Chicago Bulls and the Memphis Grizzlies might have put this game at Staples Center. But that would just get them started.

After 96 games, the 97th will be decided in a place where the Lakers have won six of their last nine games, in an arena that reminds many of their college haunts, on a court where they won Game 1 by seven points, and it was more convincing than that.

On the other hand, without Horry’s 25-footer, the Kings would have been done with this series days ago.

“We feel comfortable playing in their building,” said O’Neal, who, faced with his first elimination game in two years, dropped 41 points and 17 rebounds on the Kings. “We know it’s us against the world. We know they’re going to be very, very loud. But I think we play better in adverse situations like that.”

That said, the Lakers have never won a Game 7 on the road. Only nine franchises have, over 14 occasions.

What comforts the Lakers, perhaps, is their 2000 experience against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Down by 15 in the fourth quarter at Staples Center, they pulled that one out, and then beat the Indiana Pacers in six games for their first title under Jackson.

“They don’t know what they’re in for tomorrow,” Laker forward Rick Fox said. “We didn’t know the first time we competed in a Game 7. I can only speak from the experience of being in one before, knowing how the situation is pressure-filled, and how the adrenaline will go.

“We’ve been there. We’ll relax into it. The last few years we’ve been dealing with championship basketball.”

What is clear is that yet another series will pass without the league figuring a way to consistently officiate O’Neal.

After every game, the losing coach has run down the referees. Vlade Divac flopped and Kobe Bryant held and Chris Webber gave up the ball and O’Neal charged, depending on which news conference you ducked into, and which coach pretended to be dragged into the conversation against his will. It’s all in the shrug.

As important as the Kings’ five or the Lakers’ five is the NBA’s three. O’Neal shot one free throw in Game 5 and the Lakers lost by one. He shot 17 in Game 6, making 13, and they won by four.

“My teammates were looking for me,” O’Neal said. “It was a must-win for us. I told my guys before the game, we’ve been through too much to let this slip away. So, we just have to step up to the challenge. We’ve always stepped up, especially in the years Phil has been here. I’ve been here five, six years. We’ve been through Kobe shooting airballs, me missing free throws, Rodman, Rambis, Harris, getting swept. We’ve been through a lot as a team, especially the core of us. We played with a lot of energy, a lot of momentum. I think we’re going to do the same on Sunday.”

It is likely that the game, the season and perhaps their chance at a dynasty-type run, will fall again to O’Neal and Bryant, if not for the moment, then from habit. They combined for 72 points Friday in the biggest game of their season, and the stakes only become greater in the 42 hours since.

“You’re supposed to step up,” Bryant said. “You’re supposed to lead the team. Absolutely. We accept the pressure that comes along with this. We accept the responsibilities of it.”

Asked if he believed O’Neal, who has played on a balky big toe for most of the season, could come with the same effort, and then the same results, Jackson said, “I think he can. I think he can be more effective, perhaps, in his shooting from the field. If he can shoot that way from the free-throw line, we’re home.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

*--* Road Warriors Road teams have won 17% (14 of 81) of the Game 7s in the NBA playoffs since 1948. The road winners: Year WINNER and Opponent Round 2000 NEW YORK at Miami Eastern semifinals 1995 INDIANA at New York Eastern semifinals 1995 HOUSTON at Phoenix Western semifinals 1982 PHILADELPHIA at Boston Eastern finals 1981 KANSAS CITY at Phoenix Western semifinals 1981 HOUSTON at San Antonio Western semifinals 1978 WASHINGTON at Seattle NBA Finals 1976 PHOENIX at Golden State Western finals 1974 BOSTON at Milwaukee NBA Finals 1973 NEW YORK at Boston Eastern finals 1971 BALTIMORE at New York Eastern finals 1969 BOSTON at Lakers NBA Finals 1968 BOSTON at Philadelphia East finals 1948 PHILA. WARRIORS at St. Louis NBA semifinals Note: The Lakers are 10-6 overall in Game 7s in franchise history, having won the last four. Their last Game 7 loss was to Boston in 1984

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*--* The Series Best of seven; Tied 3-3 Game 1: Lakers 106, at Kings 99 Game 2: at Kings 96, Lakers 90 Game 3: Kings 103, at Lakers 90 Game 4: at Lakers 100, Kings 99 Game 5: at Kings 92, Lakers 91 Game 6: at Lakers 106, Kings 102 Game 7: Today at Sacramento 4:30 p.m., Channel 4

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