They Must Get Best of George

It’s too bad Laker Devean George can’t play all of the time the way he did in the fourth quarter Sunday. George was active when the Lakers needed him the most, knocking down big shots, grabbing key defensive rebounds and making plays on defense in the 102-97 Game 4 victory over Minnesota.

If he played that way more often, the Lakers’ quest for a fourth consecutive NBA title might be a little easier. When playing well, George is the perfect complement to Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. He’s long, athletic and can shoot.

But now that Rick Fox is out of the playoff picture, the Lakers need George to play up to his ability. On his best days, George can look like a young Scottie Pippen. On his worst, he’s Glen Rice lost in the Lakers’ triangle offense.

A breakdown of Game 5:

MINNESOTA’S MOVE -- After losing Game 1, Coach Flip Saunders turned to a press and a smaller lineup and changed the series. Although the Timberwolves lost Sunday, don’t expect them to change much tonight.

The Timberwolves are best when they are attacking the basket but they got away from that in the late stages of Game 4. They missed six consecutive shots and scored only one basket over a six-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, forcing most of their shots from the perimeter.

In the playoffs, it’s smart to stick with something that works until your opponent figures out how to stop it. The Lakers have problems stopping the Timberwolves’ high pick-and-roll plays with Troy Hudson and Kevin Garnett.

Minnesota also has to be relentless on defense. Whenever the Timberwolves stopped moving their feet, the Lakers took advantage with drives and open jump shots. For the Timberwolves’ swarming defense to work, they need all-out effort from perimeter players Wally Szczerbiak, Anthony Peeler and Hudson. That didn’t happen when the Lakers rallied from an 11-point third-quarter deficit.

LAKERS’ MOVE -- Power forward Mark Madsen needs to play more than the 19 minutes he played in Game 4. Madsen has proven to be the best at slowing Garnett and Minnesota’s pick and roll. His aggressiveness helped spark the Lakers’ comeback. Madsen needs help, though, when Garnett gets him in isolated situations.

Veteran Brian Shaw also stepped up in Game 4, providing leadership and focus the Lakers have been missing. Shaw, a solid perimeter shooter, might have lost some athletic ability over the years but his ability to think on the floor makes up for that.

Since Phil Jackson took over as coach, whenever the Lakers have hit bumpy roads in the playoffs, O’Neal has stepped up. He had 34 points and 23 rebounds Sunday, but he’s yet to put together consecutive dominant games.