GONERS; JAZZ ENDS LAKERS' SEASON IN OT WIN.Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer As Lakers coach Del Harris searched for a sign that struggling forward 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. would emerge from his slump, someone told Harris that on ticket stubs stubs The shares of equity in a firm that is financed almost completely with debt. Stubs are often created when firms go through a leveraged buyout or pay big cash dividends in order to fend off a takeover. and press passes this was, in fact, Game E - the fifth home game of the playoffs for Utah. ``That's what I'm looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. ,'' Harris said. Three hours later, it was clear the E did not stand for Elden - he scored six points - but for elimination. Utah used 32 points and 20 rebounds from Karl Malone Utah captured the Western Conference semifinal series four games to one. The Lakers played the last 1:46 of regulation and all of overtime without 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). , who fouled out with 23 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. John Stockton's layup with 35.1 seconds left tied the score at 89-89. Overtime arrived when Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. missed a 14-footer at the buzzer. With the Lakers trailing 96-93 with under a minute left, Bryant air-balled a 3-point attempt. Jeff Hornacek Jeffrey John Hornacek (IPA: /ˈhɔrnəsɛk/); (born May 3 1963 in Elmhurst, Illinois) is a retired American basketball player who played at the shooting guard position in the NBA from 1986–2000. could not convert, and the Lakers' season ended on another 3-point air ball by Bryant, this with four seconds left, as Harris screamed unsuccessfully for a timeout. The riveting finish was no surprise, given each team's attitude. Utah was its own example of Game 5 psychology. Last year, the Jazz trailed Seattle 3-1 in the Western Conference finals. Utah won Game 5 in Seattle in overtime, protected its homecourt in Game 6, then lost in the final seconds of Game 7. ``Being in this position, you tend to step back and take a breath,'' said Malone. O'Neal (bruised tailbone tail·bone n. See coccyx. ) and Eddie Jones (knee tendinitis) played, seemingly without limitation, but the Lakers were without reserve guard Byron Scott Byron Scott may refer to:
Bryant picked up most of Scott's minutes and scored 11 points. The Lakers were desperate and played like it - matching the Jazz push for push and refusing to cower cow·er intr.v. cow·ered, cow·er·ing, cow·ers To cringe in fear. [Middle English couren, of Scandinavian origin. in the face of several Utah surges. This was not a test of strategy and execution but of resolve. ``I could sit here and watch 800 minutes of tape,'' O'Neal said Sunday, ``but we just have to get it done.'' The Lakers' pregame locker room gave no indication of the developments to come. O'Neal, wearing only a T-shirt, did a quick dance in front of his locker. Getting comfortable on the training table, Shaq then joked with Scott and fielded a cell-phone call. Campbell sat quietly in a far corner reading VIBE magazine. (He would then play quietly.) Jerome Kersey camped in front of the TV and watched the New York-Miami game, and 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 jammed to the beat of his headphones Head-mounted speakers. Headphones have a strap that rests on top of the head, positioning a pair of speakers over both ears. For listening to music or monitoring live performances and audio tracks, both left and right channels are required. . Nothing unusual. ``They didn't seem overly loose or overly tight - more matter of fact,'' Harris said. The opening minutes gave Harris reason to fret. O'Neal and Campbell committed fouls on Utah's first two possessions, and the Jazz grabbed momentum midway through the quarter, courtesy of a brief Lakers meltdown. It began, not surprisingly, with Van Exel misbehaving. No arguments this time, just a technical for taunting Stockton. Then Stockton burned Van Exel for a layup. Then Greg Ostertag blocked an O'Neal dunk, Malone jammed on the fast break, O'Neal committed his second foul, Van Exel threw an errant alley-oop and Malone hit a turnaround for a 15-10 lead. Van Exel kept Utah within range. He sliced through the defense for a layup, hit four free throws, a jumper and a 3-pointer - all in the final five minutes of the quarter. O'Neal scored 12 of the Lakers' 20 points in the second quarter and, crucially, did not commit his third foul. Each basket was a layup or dunk, however, as Ostertag's no-frills defense bothered O'Neal on all shots outside three feet. In fact, the 7-foot-2 Ostertag bothered every Laker who ventured down Bthe lane. He established Utah's defensive presence with four blocks in the first quarter, including an amazing rejection of a Shaq Attack slam. Stockton was the prime mover prime mover: see energy, sources of. Prime mover The component of a power plant that transforms energy from the thermal or the pressure form to the mechanical form. of the second quarter, with six points and five assists. The last was the prettiest: With time expiring he dashed through a Lakers double team, dribbled into the lane then whipped a pass to sharpshooter Bryon Russell in the right corner. Russell drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer, and Utah's halftime lead was 53-45. Hornacek gave the Jazz a 60-51 lead with 9:16 left in the third quarter on a running one-hander. Thirty seconds later, O'Neal hit Malone with a hard, high foul that the officials called flagrant. Malone and O'Neal, whose rivalry has turned friendly in recent years, exchanged angry words and Malone was assessed a technical. A few feet away, Robert Horry hit Hornacek with a forearm, for which Horry was ejected. The incident rattled the Jazz, which made one basket the rest of the quarter, and rejuvenated re·ju·ve·nate tr.v. re·ju·ve·nat·ed, re·ju·ve·nat·ing, re·ju·ve·nates 1. To restore to youthful vigor or appearance; make young again. 2. the Lakers, who countered with 10 points and trailed 66-61 entering the fourth quarter. O'Neal's dunk gave the Lakers an 83-80 lead with 3:15 left, but Stockton rallied the Jazz with back-to-back jumpers. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, 2 Boxes Photo: (1--Color) Utah's Greg Ostertag rejects a shot by Shaquille O'Neal, who fouled out in the fourth quarter. (2--Color) Howard Eisley works his way around the defense of the Lakers' Nick Van Exel. (3) Utah's Jeff Hornacek watches as the Lakers' Eddie Jones gets around him on a drive to the basket in the first quarter. Associated Press Box: (1) LAKERS vs. UTAH (2) LAKERS BOX |
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