Game 4 Report

FIRST QUARTER: San Antonio 35, Lakers 29

Highlight Reel: San Antonio’s Tim Duncan beat Shaquille O’Neal for a basket with a picture-perfect post move. Duncan caught the ball on the left side of the key, gave O’Neal a fake that had the Laker center grabbing air, then stepped inside for a graceful two-hand dunk.

It’s Not in the Box Score: One of the changes the Lakers made after losing the first three games was to have O’Neal guard Duncan. This tactic didn’t work too well either as Duncan made all four shots and had a team-high 12 points.

Winning Number: Six. The amount of combined fouls called on San Antonio’s David Robinson, Will Perdue and Malik Rose, who guarded O’Neal. Duncan didn’t guard O’Neal and had only one foul.

Wrong Number: Ten. Points scored by the Spurs’ Avery Johnson, who made three of five shots.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: O’Neal, 7; Spurs: Duncan, 12.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal and Robert Horry, 2 each; Spurs: Sean Elliott, 3.

Lakers did not lead

San Antonio’s biggest lead, 11

SECOND QUARTER: San Antonio 65, Lakers 51

Highlight Reel: Kobe Bryant caught an in-bounds pass and faked a shot to shake Rose. Bryant then went to the basket, where he gave a slight fake to pass toward the middle of the key that got Robinson into the air. Then Bryant finished the play with a nifty layup.

It’s Not in the Box Score: The ability of San Antonio to turn fastbreaks into points. With Johnson directing their attack, the Spurs scored seven points off turnovers that started fastbreaks.

Winning number: Seven. The minutes Tyronn Lue played at point guard after sitting on the bench for the first three games. Lue played with high energy and finished the half with eight points and two assists.

Wrong Number: Zero. The number of shot attempts by the Lakers’ Glen Rice, who played 10 minutes.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: O’Neal, 8; Spurs: Duncan and Jaren Jackson, 8 each.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal, 5; Spurs: Duncan, 4.

Lakers did not lead

Sand antonio’s biggest lead, 17

THIRD QUARTER: San Antonio 86, Lakers 84

Highlight Reel: Two power dunks by O’Neal in a span less than 20 seconds. On his first dunk, O’Neal hit the ball off the backboard back to himself and then dunked over Robinson. On the second, Rick Fox passed to O’Neal, who slammed it home over Perdue.

It’s Not in the Box Score: The calm and serious look Duncan had as he manhandled the Lakers with an assortment of offensive moves in the post and hustle plays to finish fastbreaks.

Winning Number: 12. Unanswered points scored by the Lakers to finish the quarter. Highlighted by a last-second layup by Lue around Duncan, the Lakers cut the Spurs’ lead to five points.

Wrong Number: Zero. Three-point shots made by the Lakers.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: O’Neal, 15; Spurs: Duncan, 11.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal, 5; Spurs, Duncan, 5.

Lakers did not lead

San Antonio’s biggest lead, 13

FOURTH QUARTER: San Antonio 118, Lakers 107

Highlight Reel: With the Lakers desperate for a stop, Rose put the finishing touch on San Antonio’s four-game sweep when he gathered in a pass on a breakaway and slammed home a two-hand dunk in the game’s final minute.

It’s Not in the Box Score: The lack of noise made by the Great Western Forum crowd and the yells of excitement from San Antonio players when Jackson made a three-point basket to give the Spurs a 15-point lead with 8:19 remaining.

Winning Number: 10. Points scored by Fox, who finished with 17 off the bench.

Wrong Number: Nine. Minutes played by San Antonio’s Jerome Kersey, who did not play at all in the first three quarters. Kersey, a former Laker, scored nine points and got three rebounds.

Leading Scorers: Lakers: Fox, 10; Spurs: Jackson, 9.

Leading Rebounders: Lakers: Fox, 4; Spurs: Kersey, 3.

Lakers did not lead

San Antonio’s biggest lead, 15