Isolation Plays a Big Hurdle for the Lakers

Defensively, the Lakers had some individual breakdowns Sunday--in the early part of the game. The Pacers were running two-man isolation. The offensive forward becomes a screener and the guard becomes a dribbler. The Lakers did a bad job of defending that.

The forward for the Lakers has responsibilities as follows: First, he has to call out a screen. You need communication. Second, he must step back to allow his teammate to slide through as the dribbler goes over the screen. Third, he must be alert so if his teammate gets caught up in the screen he can switch off and pick up the dribbler and not allow an easy layup. The Pacers got three easy layups. The coaches can’t call a timeout every time there’s a breakdown.

The way it was corrected was not preferable. You end up with a mismatch, end up with your forward playing their guard--[Robert] Horry or [Glen] Rice guarding that little [Travis] Best who is so quick.

This two-man isolation was a prearranged situation. For this to work the Pacers must get Shaquille O’Neal out of the play. O’Neal’s man goes to the opposite sideline and he’s on the weak side. They bring O’Neal away from the play by making him leave the proper defense from his man or otherwise it’s an illegal defense. O’Neal didn’t get any help on that Sunday. I think the Pacers will start the game again with this move. The way it ends, all of a sudden a Pacer guard is walking in for a layup all by himself.

The Lakers can’t allow themselves to get off to a poor start offensively again. I don’t think they will. I don’t think Kobe Bryant will play. If they do bring him out, he may not be able to play again the rest of the series. Bryant’s absence was a good part of the problem the other night. It was the reason the Lakers were a little timid offensively, a little tentative. I had them for seven turnovers in the first quarter and you can’t afford to start off a game that way.

The Lakers also need to establish more of an outside game to free up O’Neal. They must get more offensive production from Rice. You can’t expect O’Neal to score 40 every night. They have to get more open shots for Rice and I think they will. It can be a good thing for Rice, feeling sorry for himself. Why isn’t he playing? Usually he’s causing it himself.

What the Lakers have to be very conscious of is, of course the Pacers are going to go to Reggie Miller, like they did Sunday. I think the Pacers will also go to Rik Smits early. If Smits gets off early, that will cause the defense to double down. Shaq’s been playing him alone or they put a forward on Smits when he goes outside. Smits hasn’t hit anything yet. But he’s capable of having the 15-point quarter and if he starts to hit, O’Neal has to follow him outside. If O’Neal doesn’t go outside with him, he has to pick up somebody like Austin Croshere. O’Neal doesn’t want to play Croshere.

It’s going to be a good game. It will be interesting to see some of the two-man isolation by the Pacers and to see how well the Lakers play it.

--As told to DIANE PUCIN