Flip Side Will Have to Be a Hit

Kevin Garnett jangled through a hallway at Target Center on Monday afternoon, head tipped down and sideways as reporters padded along with him.

“Talk about what?” he demanded.

Outside, nearly in earshot, the Lakers laughed and toyed with each other, Coach Phil Jackson finally having run the media out, announcing, “I have to talk to my players in confidence.”

The Lakers, who won a few games at the end of the regular season but might have been unconvinced of a true, trustworthy momentum, began postseason play with a 117-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night, and so seemed swayed.

By the next morning, the Timberwolves were dragging their eyes along the linoleum, whereas the Lakers looked out their hotel room windows and found sunshine for the first time in three days. The series, 48 minutes into a best of seven, had a predetermined feel to it.

“There’s no fear in this factor,” Garnett told the floor between his sneakers, “but you definitely have to be aware of their experience in this.”

After a moment, he looked up, snapped, “Any more questions?” and disappeared behind a swinging door.

Indeed, had the Lakers had any, they would seem to be over them. Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, Shaquille O’Neal scored 32, the rest of the Lakers made 51.5% of their shots, and Derek Fisher and Rick Fox combined to sink eight of 10 three-pointers. Even as O’Neal left them for at least another 12 hours to help honor his recently deceased grandfather in South Carolina, there were hints that the Lakers were thrilled to return to the playoffs and find they still had their playoff sensibilities.

“It’s been a long four years with long regular seasons,” guard Brian Shaw said. “This is what the big fella and especially Kobe have been waiting for.”

Jackson said Monday he was satisfied that three days of preparation had actually led to execution, particularly on the offensive side.

“As opposed to the regular season,” he said, “when I need a drumbeat to get their attention. So, they’re focused right now. I’m very pleased we won the first game. We also know there’s nothing accomplished now. There are four [wins] before a series is over.”

Given that the Timberwolves are, at 5-19, only the worst playoff team in NBA history, and given that the playoffs, lately, are what the Lakers do best, the Timberwolves probably had to act fast. The Lakers play here tonight for a chance to finish the Timberwolves at Staples Center, in four games.

So, the Timberwolves changed their lineup.

Out went Joe Smith, who contributed two points and two rebounds and one very flagrant foul in 15 minutes. In came Anthony Peeler, half a foot shorter than Smith. Coach Flip Saunders would say only that he was considering a change, but Wally Szczerbiak, defensively responsible for much of what Bryant did in Game 1, confirmed Peeler’s start, probably as much out of relief as anything. So, Peeler will defend against Bryant.

Bryant seemed amused.

“There’s no adjustments we can make,” he said.

It means the Timberwolves will test the Lakers’ perimeter defense -- which was last in the league against the three -- and their ability to move the ball against full-court pressure. It also means more attention on Bryant, who had 28 points in the first half Sunday, came out for the second and often found himself double-teamed -- 27 feet from the basket.

After forcing a few shots, Bryant got the message, found O’Neal, and the Lakers ran off with Game 1.

“I didn’t think Wally could guard Kobe without any help,” Fox said. “I don’t think anyone can.”

After Game 1, after the building had gone dark and the last player had long gone, Saunders and his staff devised their new plan. They would go with a small lineup, they would have Peeler hound Bryant from one end of the floor to the other, and they would have center Rasho Nesterovic become more involved offensively on high screen-and-rolls, to get O’Neal away from the basket.

“You have to put a sense of doubt in them,” Saunders said. “The best way to do it is to get on them early.”

The Lakers don’t scare easily in April, of course. They didn’t Sunday, when they won with almost no struggle, even while O’Neal was asking teammates to pick up for him. And then that game was gone.

“We have enough experience to know how to mentally move on from game to game,” Bryant said. “We don’t play around with that. We don’t clown around. This is serious stuff.”