SACRAMENTO VS. LAKERS/ GAME 3 REPORT

FIRST QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 32 LAKERS 15

Highlight reel: The series shifted from the Little House on the Prairie to Staples Center, from country to city, from pickups to SUVs. Didn’t seem to make much difference in the Laker shooting, though. They continued to toss bricks at the basket, picking up where they left off in Game 2. They started by making six of 22 (27.3%). That’s not going to get them a victory over L.A. Southwest College. The Lakers’ shooting was almost as bad as the traffic on the freeways as folks got a head start on the Memorial Day weekend.

Not in the box score: A true fitness report on Kobe Bryant. He still looked shaky on the floor early, missing five of six shots. One of his misses was an airball from 18 feet. Only he knows how low he has been knocked because of the bad bacon cheeseburger and slice of cheesecake. It’s clear, he’s not right, though.

Winning numbers: The Kings’ 14-for-26 shooting.

Wrong numbers: Shaquille O’Neal had two points on one-for-four shooting.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Robert Horry 5, Derek Fisher 4; Kings--Chris Webber 8, Hedo Turkoglu 7.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal and Rick Fox 4; Kings--Turkoglu, Doug Christie and Vlade Divac 3.

*

SECOND QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 52 LAKERS 40

Highlight reel: Earth to Lakers, earth to Lakers. Anybody there? The hometown heroes looked like no-shows, trailing by 21 points early in the quarter. Lindsey Hunter broke a 14-0 Sacramento run with a jumper. With 8:59 remaining in the half, the Lakers trailed by 38-17 and they were shooting a crisp seven for 28. Then O’Neal awoke with a start, dominating the paint and hauling the Lakers into the game. He scored 11 of the Lakers’ 13 points during one stretch, including eight in a row.

Not in the box score: A plausible explanation for why the Lakers don’t dump the ball into O’Neal almost every time down the floor. Divac and Scot Pollard have as much chance at stopping him as you do, dear reader. Too much Hunter and not enough O’Neal is the Lakers’ problem by halftime. They need all Shaq, all the time.

Winning number: Twenty-one, the Kings’ largest lead.

Wrong numbers: One for seven, Bryant’s first-half shooting.

Leading scorers: Lakers--O’Neal 13, Hunter 4; Kings--Mike Bibby 9, Bobby Jackson 4.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal 3, Devean George 2; Kings--Webber, Divac, Pollard, Jackson 2.

*

THIRD QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 75 LAKERS 52

Highlight reel: The Kings continued to poke holes in the Lakers’ aura as unbeatable champions on a roll toward their third title in a row. The Lakers appeared vulnerable, which is a nice way of saying they were horrible. They had time to get their game together, but Game 3 all but slipped from their grasp during a pitiful opening to the second half. The Lakers went more than four minutes without scoring. Webber rebounded Christie’s miss and dunk. Webber then swished a pretty hook shot, giving the Kings a 65-42 lead.

Not in the box score: Heart and soul. The Kings had it; the Lakers did not. Bryant’s frustration boiled over with an elbow to Divac’s face. Remarkably, Bryant was not penalized for his blatant lack of composure. The plain fact was that Divac schooled the Lakers on both ends of the floor. He needed to keep cool and the Kings would have Game 3.

Winning number: The Kings’ 15-2 run to open the quarter.

Wrong numbers: The Lakers’ five-for-25 shooting and 12 points.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Bryant 4, Brian Shaw 3; Kings--Webber 8, Christie 6.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal 8, Horry 5; Kings--Christie 4, Bibby 3.

*

FOURTH QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 103 LAKERS 90

Highlight reel: All that remained was the inevitable charge to the parking lots. Why would anyone in any arena in the world want to watch the home team put on such a lifeless performance? Funny thing, though, the Lakers showed some gusto at long last, trimming a 27-point deficit to 87-72 with 7:11 remaining. Crazier things have happened. Where was all this passion to start the game? The Lakers paid for their lackluster start at the end. Had they started the way they finished, they would be leading the series, 2-1, instead of trailing.

Not in the box score: Was that panic the Kings displayed midway through the quarter? It sure looked like it, as the Lakers went on an 14-0 run to pull within 87-75, with almost 7 minutes to play. The Lakers thrive on spotting a weakness and exploiting it. Game 4 figures to be radically different if the Lakers play with the sort of energy they had late in Game 3.

Winning number: Five, the number of King road victories in the playoffs.

Wrong number: Twenty-seven, the Lakers’ largest deficit.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Bryant 16, Hunter 10. Kings--Webber 8, Jackson and Bibby 7.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--George 5, O’Neal 4. Kings--Christie 5, Webber 4.