NBA FINALS : LAKERS vs. CHICAGO BULLS : It May Come Down to Defense, Really : Matchups: And if that isn’t the key, take your eyes off Jordan and Johnson and go to Pippen vs. Worthy.

CHICAGO â€”  And now, to the “other guys.â€�

There are 22 Lakers and Bulls who aren’t named Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan, but some will have more to say about the NBA championship than the gold-dust twins.

Here’s how the teams match up:

DEFENSE

Despite the focus on glamour, this is what both these teams do best.

At midseason, when the Bulls had the best record but were being sneered at for their lack of muscle, Indiana General Manager Donnie Walsh noted that they should be viewed as a fine defensive team with great quickness--able to press, force turnovers and turn them into easy baskets. They’re sort of like the young Lakers minus Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Jordan and Scottie Pippen are outstanding defenders. Both have the size and strength to keep Johnson from turning into the lane any time he wants.

This gives the Bulls an advantage--they don’t have to double-team Johnson and automatically turn some Laker loose on the perimeter.

In 12 playoff games, of which they have won 11, the Bulls are allowing an average of 92.5 points.

The Lakers play the scheme Mike Dunleavy learned at Don Nelson’s knee, based on protecting the lane and giving up the outside jump shot.

They have an important choice to make: whether to help out on Jordan or play him one-on-one and try to shut down his teammates.

With the truly great, a single approach won’t work so Dunleavy will go back and forth.

Dunleavy has developed a versatile defensive team, capable of switching tactics. The Lakers held the Portland Trail Blazers, who averaged 115 points in the regular season, under 95 for the last four games of their series.

Edge: Even.

CENTER

Vlade Divac doesn’t face the same challenge he did against the powerful front line of Portland.

However, the Lakers would be a lot better off if they didn’t have to leave a wakeup call for him every two games.

His road performances have been weaker. As Johnson says when developing goals for Divac, the Lakers can’t have that here.

Bill Cartwright is ungainly and effective, but the most dangerous facets of his game are his elbows. He broke a bone in Hakeem Olajuwon’s eye socket and bloodied noses around the NBA.

Cartwright can score and defend, but the Bulls don’t spent a lot of time passing the ball in to him.

Edge: If Divac doesn’t get a push, the Lakers are in trouble.

POWER FORWARD

Sam Perkins had a fine season and has had a better postseason. He has become the teeth in the Laker post-up game, averaging 18 points against the Trail Blazers. He is also leading the team in rebounding and shooting 35% on three-point attempts.

Horace Grant is slight but quick, athletic and a decent rebounder. He is one of the great beneficiaries of the double-teaming on Jordan. He runs the floor like a small forward, which is what he should be.

Edge: Perkins.

SMALL FORWARD

James Worthy usually dominates opponents with his size, long arms, big hands, incredible spin moves and outside shooting ability.

However, that’s a healthy Worthy.

His sprained left ankle may still be a problem. At midseason, when he had another sprain, he had to sit out a week.

Returning for Game 6 after two days, he was three for 12.

“Obviously, he wasn’t James Worthy,� Dunleavy said. “He was tentative shooting the ball, and he had some good looks. The only ones he made were the great looks.�

Pippen is an emerging star. As recently as last spring, he was considered a “homer� who couldn’t take his game on the road. His migraine headache and weak Game 7 against the Pistons at Auburn Hills last season threatened to dog him, but he has turned it around.

Pippen is a physical match for Worthy. He is two inches smaller, 6-7 to Worthy’s 6-9 but has long arms and big hands, too. He’s probably a better open-floor player than Worthy, no slouch himself. Because the Bulls run more, expect to see Scottie reaching in, a la Worthy and Connie Hawkins, and dunking a few up to his armpits.

Edge: This is the matchup to watch. It’s roughly even if Worthy is healthy. If either dominates the other, his team wins.

POINT GUARD

Magic Johnson has no peer, active or perhaps otherwise, and certainly none in this series.

It was hard to imagine the Lakers beating the Portland Trail Blazers if he didn’t shoot well. He shot 44% and they won, anyway.

Given Laker disadvantages now, it’s even harder to imagine them winning if he isn’t hot. Adding to his challenge, the Bulls may be able to keep him from driving, forcing him to rely on hooks and three-pointers.

On the other hand, he’s Magic.

John Paxson is a shooting guard playing the point to take pressure off Jordan. Without Michael, he would have a hard time bringing the ball up. He is a great spot-up shooter, however, as perfect a foil for Jordan as Byron Scott is for Johnson.

Edge: Johnson.

SHOOTING GUARD

Scott is having a phenomenal postseason, shooting 61%, 58% on three-pointers. He seemed to cool slightly at the end of the Portland series, but maybe he simply wasn’t getting opportunities.

However, he is mortal.

Michael Jordan is Michael Jordan. Whoever heard of a five-time scoring champion who was simultaneously a five-time all-defensive selection?

Edge: Jordan.

BENCH

Big trouble for the Lakers, because Terry Teagle, a notorious streak shooter, is ice-bound again.

He was hot early in the postseason but hit the wall in the Game 4 blowout of the Trail Blazers. He is four for 22 in three games and in the last one, Dunleavy hooked him in 10 minutes.

Without Teagle, there’s no reliable production in reserve. A.C. Green hustles and rebounds, but he may or may not score. Elden Campbell is mostly potential.

The Chicago reserves were lowly regarded but have played well, led by guard B.J. Armstrong, who resembles a choirboy, and center Will Perdue, who resembles a klutz.

Edge: It’s no battle of the titans, but it goes to Chicago.

Prediction: Against all odds, the Lakers. The Bulls have something the Trail Blazers didn’t--an unstoppable player--but they’re young and they have never been to the finals. If the Lakers can avoid getting blown away early, they can win.