A Step in the Right Direction

After playing without much unity in losing the first two games of the series against San Antonio, the Lakers bounced back in a 105-81 Game 3 victory Sunday with the type of togetherness that has been a rare sight this season.

Led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, who combined for 50 points on 18-of-26 shooting, the Lakers had six players shoot more than 50% and four score in double figures.

Of the Lakers’ 37 field goals, 29 came with assists, including a first quarter that featured 11 assists on 12 baskets. On defense, the Lakers held San Antonio to a playoff-low 34.1% shooting and 19 turnovers.

“They did some things that they did not do in Games 1 and 2,” San Antonio forward Robert Horry said about the Lakers, who outscored the Spurs in fastbreak points, 18-10, and had four players finish with at least five assists .

The Spurs should have known they were in for a long afternoon when the Lakers excited a sellout Staples Center crowd with a hustle play early in the first quarter that ended up as a loose-ball foul called on O’Neal.

With the Lakers ahead, 12-8, Bryant disrupted the Spur offense with a quick trap on the perimeter. San Antonio coughed up the ball, creating a wild scramble in the middle of the court.

Bryant ended up on the floor after a battle for the ball with the Spurs’ Hedo Turkoglu, and O’Neal followed with his own dive that led to a foul being called. Although the play wasn’t necessarily the smartest, considering O’Neal’s tendency to get into early foul trouble, it certainly made a statement.

“What I liked best from the game was when Kobe and Shaq both dove on the court for a ball,” said Laker power forward Karl Malone, who finished with 13 points, six rebounds and five assists. “To first have Kobe and then Shaq make an effort play like that was a nice thing to see. It showed a lot.”

Although the Lakers rarely work on team defense in practice, they played like a team that finally was on the same page when it came to slowing the Spurs’ Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.

“We said we’d give up the threes to plug the lanes,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said. “And they shot the threes well [11 of 27] ... but you have to live with that. That was what we were willing to sacrifice.

“We were a little more aggressive screen-roll wise, as a result there wasn’t a whole lot of opportunity [for the Spurs]. A lot of times, Tim could step off a screen roll and have an isolation ... we didn’t have as many isolations as we normally have. And we wanted to put a little more pressure on [Duncan], having multiple guys coming to double team him.”

Parker never seemed comfortable as he was bumped and checked all over the court by Gary Payton and then Derek Fisher. Parker finished with eight points and five assists after averaging 25 points and seven assists in the Games 1 and 2.

“We made a conscious effort to focus on him,” said Payton, who had his best game of the playoffs with 15 points and seven assists. “Anytime he moved to the basket we collided on him and it made a big difference when everybody is jumping at you.”

Duncan also had a quiet game with 10 points, 13 rebounds and team-high six turnovers.

“Kobe was very active on the defensive end, although his play will maybe not show up on the box score,” Malone said. “He was one of the main double guys on Duncan, and he also played Tony [Parker] at times and made him work. Kobe’s defensive effort really impressed me today and he made it difficult for some of [the Spurs] to go to the spots that they like on the floor.”

Now it is up to the Lakers to do it again Tuesday in Game 4.

“We knew what we had to do today,” said O’Neal, who tied a playoff career-high with eight blocked shots. “It felt good to be back in our own city for some time. Phil told us to come out and play with a lot of passion and we are at home. This is our building ... and we just want to take care of our home-court advantage.”