Lakers Retain Their Faith

If you thought the Lakers would be a little down about being one defeat away from summer vacation after their one-point loss in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals at Sacramento on Tuesday, think again.

“We’re feeling pretty good about ourselves because we feel that we’re back to playing Laker basketball,” center Shaquille O’Neal said after practice Wednesday at the Lakers’ HealthSouth training facility in El Segundo. “I think that we’ll step up to the challenge.”

The challenge for the two-time defending NBA champions, who trail three games to two, is simple. Win Game 6 at Staples Center Friday night and then win Game 7 at Arco Areno Sunday, or go home.

“We get excited about these type of challenges,” said guard Kobe Bryant, who’s averaging 25.8 points but only 4.6 rebounds and three assists while shooting 41.3% against the Kings.

“That’s the type of team we are. We’re not the type of team that hangs their heads after a tough loss. That’s not us, we get excited about the next one.”

The main reason behind the confidence is that even though Sacramento finished with the league’s best record during the regular season and is one victory from reaching the NBA Finals, the Lakers still believe they are the better team.

Coach Phil Jackson did not have a hard sell getting his players to feel this way. After getting embarrassed in a Game 3 loss at home to the Kings and then falling behind by 20 points in the first quarter of Game 4, the Lakers feel that their overall play has improved over the last seven quarters.

“Elimination is not the best place to be but ... we feel good about how we’re playing; we wish we could play today actually,” Jackson said Wednesday.

“We’re finding our way back as a basketball club where we feel confident about what we’re doing and how we’re executing our game plan. Our defense was good in the second half [in Game 5].”

Although the Lakers lost a five-point lead in the game’s final minutes, they gain confidence from knowing that the Kings rallied after O’Neal picked up his sixth foul with 3:22 remaining. Although he was in foul trouble all game, O’Neal finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots in 32 minutes.

“We looked at the game and felt like we outplayed them,” Jackson said. “We put some pressure on them and got some things to go our way but we just didn’t finish it out.

“[But we feel good] with just the way the game went last night. Shaquille having the ability to get loose, get free and playing the way we anticipate him playing; getting good play out of our team and having an opportunity to win the game with 11 seconds to go.”

But the Lakers also know that they still have some holes in their game. Not only does it seem as if O’Neal and Bryant can’t stay out of foul trouble, but missing 13 of 17 three-point attempts as the Lakers did Tuesday definitely does not get it done.

O’Neal, who said that only three of his six fouls in Game 5 were credible, does not plan to let up on his assault on the Kings’ big men. Vlade Divac and Chris Webber did not put up much resistance on Tuesday and Scot Pollard is getting less playing time.

“I’m just going to get the ball and take high-percentage shots like I’ve been taking. I want to continue to have a good game like I did Tuesday night,” said O’Neal, who attempted one free throw in Game 5. “Play aggressive and hopefully, I get to do what everyone else is doing.”

With Sacramento playing a sagging-type defense that sometimes has five players with at least one foot in the paint, O’Neal said that he hasn’t been forcing shots as he has in past playoffs. Partly because of nagging injuries to his feet and hands but mainly because of the Kings’ ability to draw him into offensive fouls, O’Neal has been looking to get more of his teammates involved.

“I’ve been trying to keep everybody involved. Maybe I have to take more shots,” O’Neal said. “They’ve done a good job of doubling and tripling Kobe and myself.... The other guys just have to step up and hit a few shots.

“I don’t think it’s as much as what they’re doing. It’s more of what we’re doing. For example, four of 17 from three-point land. We knock a couple of those shots down and it’s a different game.”