SAN ANTONIO VS. LAKERS GAME 1 REPORT

FIRST QUARTER:

Highlight reel: Considering the grim predictions that the Spurs would prove to be nothing more than a speed bump on the Lakers’ victory parade route, Sunday’s first quarter was a highlight reel for San Antonio. When forward Bruce Bowen made a jump shot off a Tim Duncan miss, it gave the Spurs a 10-point lead, 17-7, equaling their biggest margin of the quarter. The only real response by the lethargic Lakers was three Shaquille O’Neal dunks. And one of those dunks required three tries when O’Neal missed awkwardly on the first two.

Not in the box score: The number of empty seats at Staples Center at tipoff. The crowd arrived fashionably late. The lack of energy in the stands seemed to spread to the Lakers on the court.

Winning number: Duncan may have been dismal from the field, missing all 10 of his attempts, but he was dazzling under the boards, pulling in 12 of his team’s 18 rebounds.

Wrong numbers: Duncan was not alone in the shooting department. Neither team could crack 30%, San Antonio making 28% of its field-goal attempts, the Lakers even worse at 26.3%

Leading scorers: Lakers--O’Neal 6, Samaki Walker 4; Spurs--Bowen 7, Tony Parker 4.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal and Walker 5; Spurs--Duncan 12.

SECOND QUARTER:

Highlight reel: Just when it appeared the Lakers might slumber through the entire first half, Bryant, a quiet 0 for 2 in the first quarter, awoke with one of his patented moves down the lane. He dribbled around Malik Rose only to encounter Duncan at the basket, but never hesitated, slamming the ball home. The first roar of the afternoon erupted from the crowd. For the Lakers, the game had finally begun.

Not in the box score: It was a replay of a scene Laker fans have been savoring for a week. Bryant drives down the lane, Robert Horry sets himself in the right corner, Bryant spots Horry out of the corner of his eyes, Bryant shovels off a smooth pass, Horry sets himself behind the line, Horry shoots and ... misses. Horry’s failure to match last Sunday’s series-clinching shot against the Portland Trail Blazers was a telling comparison of how far the Lakers were from their peak form of a week ago.

Winning number: After going 0 for 10 in the first quarter, Duncan made five of seven in the second period to lead all scorers with 10 points.

Wrong number: Zero, the number of fast-break points the out-of-sync Lakers scored.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Bryant 6, O’Neal and Devean George 4; Spurs--Duncan 10, Steve Smith 8.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal 6; Spurs--Rose 4.

THIRD QUARTER:

Highlight reel: Walker, suffering from a bone bruise on his left knee, wasn’t sure how much he could play Sunday. But when O’Neal couldn’t play for much of the third quarter after suffering a deep gash in his right index finger, Walker proved a worthy substitute. Walker began his highlight sequence with a layup before O’Neal’s exit. Then Duncan drove, only to have his shot blocked by O’Neal, causing the gash. Duncan got the ball back and Walker blocked his shot. Walker then accounted for the next four Laker points with two free throws and a follow-up dunk.

Not in the box score: While the Lakers and Spurs ran up and down the floor for most of the quarter, the focal point was the tunnel through which O’Neal had disappeared after injuring his finger. The Lakers’ biggest nightmare has been that their center’s ailing toe might act up, costing them his services in the postseason. Would it be his finger instead? Would he come back down that tunnel? All eyes were on it.

Winning number: Three, the number of stitches it took to close O’Neal’s cut.

Wrong number: Also three, the number of minutes O’Neal was able to play in the quarter.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Bryant 8, Walker and Horry 6; Spurs--Duncan, 9 Rose 6.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--Walker and Derek Fisher 3; Spurs--Duncan 5.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Highlight reel: Upon O’Neal’s return, Bryant went out after getting kicked in the knee by Bowen. Bryant’s return was announced as questionable. But there was Bryant, running back into the game with 4:36 to play. And there was Bryant in his favorite spot in the closing minute, ball in his hand, game on the line. With the Lakers clinging to a three-point lead, Bryant dribbled into the lane with Bowen all over him. Bryant faked a pass to his left, turned right and, with 24.6 seconds to play, sank the turnaround jumper that effectively put the game out of the Spurs’ reach.

Not in the box score: It was the most dramatic moment of the game. With 10:50 to play, O’Neal returned to the floor after getting the gash on his finger closed. And as he trotted in to the cheers of the crowd, he passed Bryant, hunched over on the sideline with trainer Gary Vitti, in obvious pain from the bruise on his knee.

Winning number: 13, the number of points O’Neal scored after missing most of the third quarter.

Wrong number: One, the number of rebounds Duncan was able to bring down in a quarter in which his team totaled only eight.

Leading scorers: Lakers--O’Neal 13, Bryant and Fisher 5; Spurs--Duncan, 7.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal and Rick Fox 4; Spurs--Rose and Antonio Daniels 2.

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FIRST QUARTER

SECOND QUARTER

THIRD QUARTER

FOURTH QUARTER

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