Maybe Phil did need Scottie more than Scottie needed Phil.
Because now the Los Angeles Lakers need a victory Sunday in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals to avoid one of the biggest flops in NBA playoff history.
The Portland Trail Blazers, guided by the scoring of Steve Smith with 26 and reserve Bonzi Wells with 20 and the leadership of Pippen, stunned the Lakers here Friday night 103-93 to set up a decisive seventh game in Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 33 points, but 12 came on three-pointers after Portland had a 13-point lead with less than five minutes left. Shaquille O’Neal had just 17 points on 7-of-17 shooting and missed seven of 10 free throws.
Only six teams in NBA history have come back from 3-1 deficits to win playoff series, an achievement the Trail Blazers are seeking after winning the last two games. Of the Lakers’ last four losses at home, three have been to Portland, including the last two in this series.
“It’s going to be interesting,” said Smith. “Once we get back down there, anything can go. It’s not about record or home-court losses. It’s about one game and seeing what we’re made of.”
And if it’s the Lakers, one might say Zen and mirrors. That isn’t very substantial, and the Lakers weren’t in still another game in which they could have closed the series. They were outrebounded 43-34 and Portland dominated the inside despite league most valuable player Shaquille O’Neal, outscoring the Lakers 48-28 in the lane.
“The little things, the hustle things around the boards, the loose balls and the turnover situation created that win for them,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
That translated into desire. Portland played harder while the Lakers seemed stunned, often unable to react despite the enormousness of the game.
Portland’s Arvydas Sabonis almost matched O’Neal with 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Wells outhustled the older Lakers guards for 20 points in 19 minutes.
“I don’t know if we got in their heads,” said Portland guard Damon Stoudamire. “But we gave them something to think about. I don’t think they thought they were coming back to Portland. A lot of people had buried us.”
But the Lakers couldn’t.
They pulled within four early in the third quarter, but fell back again to trail by eight after three quarters and 13 early in the fourth.
At the end, though, tempers flared as Pippen jostled with Rick Fox, who also argued vehemently with Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy.
“We fought very hard to get back in this series,” said Pippen. “I can’t say enough about the way we played in the last couple of games. We had a focus that we weren’t going to lose, and we were going to outwork this team and that’s what we’re doing. I’m just trying to lead these guys and keep them focused.
“Phil got those guys where they’re trying to get physical with me and get into my head. They’re getting a lot of cheap shots on me. I’m just trying to keep my head and play. We have to go there and play well. We know we can play well. We look forward to it.”
