Turnovers Just Haven’t Popped Up Yet

PORTLAND, Ore. —  Among the problems encountered in the last week by the Trail Blazers is their inability to score easy baskets against the Lakers, an issue if they’re going to give up 106 points a game, which they have.

They’ve tried to run and have 17 fastbreak points. They’ve shot three-pointers and have missed 28 of 38.

The Trail Blazers have been outplayed in the backcourt, where they figured to have an advantage, particularly in the Damon Stoudamire-Derek Fisher matchup.

In 198 combined minutes in Games 1 and 2, Fisher, Kobe Bryant and Brian Shaw committed four turnovers. Fisher has no turnovers in 74 minutes.

“We’re doing in these games what we practice and work on,” Fisher said. “I’m not trying to do too much with the ball, and I’m passing to the first open guy.

“If you can keep your turnovers low against a team like Portland, especially when they’re at home, you have a much better chance of winning.”

Meantime, Stoudamire has seven turnovers, Steve Smith has six and Scottie Pippen nine.

“I don’t know what it is, just focus I guess,” Shaw said. “And Phil [Jackson] letting us know how important each possession is, trying to get a good shot. If we come in and make basic plays, everything else should fall into place.”

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The strange thing is, Robert Horry said, he likes Dale Davis. And Davis seemed to like him, right up until he threw the wickedest elbow since Pippen lined up John Salley’s cranium in last season’s Western Conference finals.

“We always see each other in Vegas, always talk to each other. I used to joke around with him, because he almost went to Alabama,” he said. “But he decided to go to Clemson at the last minute.”

Horry got his hands up in time, which allowed him to absorb some of the force of Davis’ blow. Otherwise, he might still be looking for pieces of bicuspid in Dyan Cannon’s popcorn.

For that reason, Horry said, Davis got what he deserved from the league, which suspended Davis for a game.

“I think any time you throw something at a guy’s face, you should get a game,” Horry said. “The guy came at my grill, so . . . “

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Bryant, who suffered a bruise on the left ribs in Game 1, will wrap his midsection today.

“This is why we have to take care of business [today],” Bryant said. “We need to let our bodies recuperate.”

Bryant has continued to call Pippen’s poke at his ribs in Game 2 a “cheap shot,” but insisted he never seriously considered going after his former idol.

“Because it’s a playoff situation,” Bryant said. “We’re playing to advance. So it was easy to restrain myself. If it was at a playground it would have been a little different.”

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Ron Harper, getting closer to testing his surgically repaired knee in a game, is doubtful for today’s game.

Asked about his chances to play, Harper said only, “Don’t worry about me.”

He is expected to be in uniform, however.