`WE STUNK IT UP' : BYRON SCOTT RIPS TEAMMATES; HE GETS THEIR ATTENTION, BUT WILL IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer Byron Scott Byron Scott may refer to:
It was an angry mind, a disgusted mind. Scott questioned the Lakers' heart. He challenged their pride. He cautioned that championship contenders do not fall behind by 31 points when they have a chance to finish off an opponent. ``Del was a little kinder, and I just couldn't sit and listen to it,'' Scott said. ``We stunk stunk v. A past tense and the past participle of stink. stunk Verb a past of stink stunk stink it up. We didn't play with enough heart. We didn't match their intensity. We didn't do what championship teams do. ``I know what (the Trail Blazers) are saying. I've been in that situation. We gave them confidence. We had a chance to close it out and we didn't. I hope we learned our lesson.'' From anyone else, perhaps even Harris, the criticism may have vanished into the thick Portland air. After all, the Lakers still lead the series 2-1 entering Game 4 tonight at the Rose Garden, and they still have Game 5 at the Forum, if needed. But coming from Scott, who owns four NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= championship rings and was on the 1993 Laker team that blew a 2-0 first-round lead to Phoenix, it cut straight to the heart. ``We respect Byron more than anyone else. He's a true Laker,'' forward Robert Horry Robert Horry (born August 25, 1970 in Harford County, Maryland) is an American National Basketball Association basketball player. Currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Horry is is known for his ability to make clutch shots in big games. said. ``He just told the truth. He said what everyone was thinking but no one would say.'' Said rookie Travis Knight Travis Knight (born September 13 1974 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1st round (29th overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft. : ``Byron was like a frustrated parent who's telling a kid not to make the same mistakes the parent made.'' Just as the Lakers' play in the first two games forced Portland to adjust, so the Trail Blazers' dominance in Game 3 sent the Lakers into the film room. Scheduled to practice from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, they instead watched video for an unprecedented 90 minutes, then practiced for 90 more. No mistake went uncovered. No lapse went unmentioned. ``We've got to look at this as a butt-kicking, as a 20- or 30-point loss,'' Harris said. Two strategic adjustments seem imperative. First, the Lakers must improve their ball movement and get everyone involved. Nick Van Exel Nickey (Nick) Maxwell Van Exel (born November 27 1971 in Kenosha, Wisconsin) is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. Van Exel, a 6'1" left-handed point guard, was most well known for his flashy style of play and his ability to hit critical shots during , Eddie Jones, Elden Campbell Elden Jerome Campbell (born July 23, 1968 in Los Angeles, California) is an American former professional basketball player who played center in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Campbell played college basketball at Clemson University. and Horry combined for five baskets Wednesday night as the offense relied heavily on Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). . ``We seemed afraid,'' Van Exel said. ``Everything was to Shaq, to Shaq. Nobody seemed to want to take any shots.'' Second, the Lakers must contain Portland point Portland Point is the southernmost point in Jamaica. It is half-way along the island's south coast at the end of a hilly peninsula. A large bay, Portland Bight, lies to the east of it. guard Kenny Anderson Kenneth (Kenny) "Mr. Chibbs" Anderson (born October 9 1970 in Queens, New York) is a left-handed point guard who played more than a decade in the National Basketball Association. , who scored 30 points and ran the pick-and-roll with John Stockton-like efficiency. Regarding Anderson, they have several options: make him shoot from the perimeter, draw him into the lane where help awaits or pinch him to the wings. They can play him man-to-man, apply a double team or use a half-court trap to get the ball out of his hands. If they deem Van Exel too small, Kobe Bryant is available. Or Jones. Or Scott. Or O'Neal. It doesn't matter. If they don't slow Anderson, they won't slow the Blazers. But no tactical changes will work without an attitude adjustment. Instead of being pushed around, they must do the pushing. If Chris Dudley pushes O'Neal into the stands, they must push him back. In the playoffs, he who cowers goes home. ``They put us on the ground a few times, and we didn't put them on the ground,'' Van Exel said. ``We have to come back (tonight) and go all out, like we're down 2-1.'' That's all Scott asks. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (Color) no caption (Byron Scott) John McCoy / Daily News Photo illustration: Lori Valesko Box: LAKERS vs. PORTLAND |
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