SAN ANTONIO VS. LAKERS / GAME 3 REPORT

First Quarter: Lakers 24, San Antonio 28

Highlight reel: The crowd at the Alamodome certainly was on its game, but what about the Lakers and Spurs? Forgetaboutit. In time, the teams would find their respective grooves. But the beginning featured a good deal of stout defense and not much else worth noting. Tim Duncan showed off his MVP trophy and David Robinson was in the starting lineup, his balky back sufficiently improved to play. You might have expected the Spurs to get a huge lift from the fans’ energy, but it simply didn’t happen.

Not in the box score: A Laker lead. They stayed close and ironed out a few wrinkles as the game progressed. But their play was not as inspired as one might have hoped in the wake of a poor start to Game 2. The Spurs failed to take advantage, however, and the Lakers were in fine shape after 12 minutes of tentative play by each team.

Winning number: Zero turnovers for both teams.

Wrong number: Two fouls picked up by Laker forward Rick Fox in three minutes.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Robert Horry 7, Samaki Walker 6; Spurs--Tony Parker 12, Duncan 8.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--Shaquille O’Neal 4, Derek Fisher 3; Spurs--Duncan, Bruce Bowen 3.

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Second Quarter: Lakers 53, San Antonio 52

Highlight reel: Kobe Bryant twirled away from Bowen, drew a foul and sank a short jump shot. He missed the free throw, grabbed the free ball and drove for two more points. And just like that the Lakers had a four-point lead late in the half. Parker, playing his best game of the series, halted the Lakers’ fleeting momentum with a three-pointer to trim their lead to 53-52 seconds before the half. This is the way it went in the first 24 minutes. Both teams seemed poised to break loose, but neither could get any distance.

Not in the box score: Walker’s name was not in the lineup to start the game, but he made an immediate impact upon entering the game. By the end of the half, he had made all five of his shots and taken three offensive rebounds in 11 very productive minutes.

Winning number: A one-point Laker lead is better than the 16-point deficit they faced in Game 2.

Wrong numbers: The Lakers shot only nine free throws, making seven, to 18 (with 15 made) for the Spurs.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Bryant 12, O’Neal and Walker 6; Spurs--Parker 8, Duncan 5.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal 4, Horry and Walker 2; Spurs--Duncan 4, Malik Rose 3.

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Third Quarter: Lakers 74, San Antonio 71

Highlight reel: The much-anticipated O’Neal-Duncan duel began to heat up, with each player hoisting his team on his sturdy shoulders for long stretches in the quarter. O’Neal took a tumble after Rose hacked him on a breakaway dunk. O’Neal missed both free throws after Rose was called for a well-deserved flagrant foul. But O’Neal dropped in a hook shot and a short-range jumper over Duncan on the next two possessions. Word to the wise, don’t anger the big guy. O’Neal had 22 points by the time he went to the bench for a rest late in the quarter.

Not in the box score: The expected emotion finally showed. Bodies hit the floor with regularity. Players pushed and shoved and the game got a bit overheated, as it should with so much at stake.

Winning number: Through three quarters, the Lakers had 42 points in the paint compared to 28 for the Spurs.

Wrong number: Fox had four fouls and two points in only 16 minutes going into the fourth quarter.

Leading scorers: Lakers--O’Neal 12, Fisher 5; Spurs--Duncan 6, Bowen 5.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal 4, Bryant 3; Spurs--Duncan 3, Robinson 2.

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Fourth Quarter: Lakers 99, San Antonio 89

Highlight reel: Things were tight, but Fox ditched his forgotten-man bit and found a leaping Bryant with a lob pass. Bryant deftly dropped the ball into the hoop and the Lakers had an 83-80 lead. Fox took off after a Laker steal moments later, accepting a lead pass from Fisher and dunking at the other end. Bryant made one of two free throws, then swished an impossible jumper with Bowen all but inside his jersey. With less than three minutes to play, the Lakers had an 88-82 lead.

Not in the box score: The Lakers’ gritty defense down the stretch. Fisher clamped down on Parker. Duncan and Robinson weren’t factors. When all else goes haywire, good teams win with their defense.

Winning number: The Lakers, with help from Bryant’s five-for-five shooting in the quarter, closed with an 18-9 rush.

Wrong number: Parker had only two points in the fourth quarter and four in the second half after scoring 20 in the first half.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Bryant 11, Fox 8; Spurs--Duncan 9, Steve Smith 3.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--Fox 5, O’Neal 3; Spurs--Robinson 4, Duncan 2.

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FIRST QUARTER

SECOND QUARTER

THIRD QUARTER

FOURTH QUARTER

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