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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
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SHOT CHART
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GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES -- There's a tidal wave that just keeps building
out West, and it's overwhelming anything in its path.
|  | | Derek Fisher was 11 of 13 from the field, including 6 of 7 from 3-point range, in a 28-point gem. |
Next expected victim: The Eastern Conference champion.
The Los Angeles Lakers finished off the San Antonio Spurs, the
team with the best regular-season record in the NBA, 111-82 Sunday for
their 19th victory in a row.
"Custer had no idea. That's my statement. Figure it out,"
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "The roll they're on is
ridiculous."
Los Angeles' 11-0 playoff start matches the NBA record set by
the 1989 Lakers.
That team was swept by Detroit in the finals after Magic Johnson
and Byron Scott were injured. This team looks like a good bet to
not only win its second title in a row, but be the first in NBA
history to go through the playoffs undefeated.
The Spurs' David Robinson expects the Lakers to go 15-0.
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Best playoff win streaks
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12 -- San Antonio Spurs, 1999
11 -- Los Angeles Lakers, 2001*
11 -- Los Angeles Lakers, 1989
9 -- Chicago Bulls, 1996
9 -- Los Angeles Lakers, 1982
*Streak in progress
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"Man, if they play like that, there is no way any of the
Eastern teams will beat them," Robinson said. "If they play
anything like that, there's no chance for them to get beat."
Los Angeles will have at least six days off to await the outcome
of the Milwaukee-Philadelphia series in the East.
The Spurs, 58-24 in the regular season, barely put up a fight in
a clincher that was even more decisive than the Lakers' 111-72
blowout in Game 3. That one, at least, was close until the middle
of the third quarter. This one was history before halftime.
"We thought it was going to be a more difficult game," O'Neal
said, "but my teammates keep surprising me. It's very impressive.
Everybody's doing what they're supposed to do."
Derek Fisher, whose return after missing the first 62 games of
the season with a stress fracture in his right foot ignited the
Lakers' resurgence, scored a career playoff-high 28 points.
He made 6 of 7 3-pointers, one short of the team playoff record,
and 11 of 13 shots overall. Fisher finished the series 15-for-20
from 3-point range.
"I can't say enough about Shaq and Kobe," Lakers coach Phil
Jackson said, "but Derek Fisher obviously was the player of the
game."
Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, who went from squabbling
superstars to the NBA's most dynamic duo in a matter of weeks,
shredded what was left of the Spurs' will in the first half.
"We were getting after them the whole series," Bryant said.
"We didn't let down. Even at times when it seemed like we should,
we actually turned it up."
O'Neal, showing no hint of trouble from his sore left ankle,
scored 23 of his 26 points and grabbed nine of his 10 rebounds in
the first half.
Bryant was the maestro once again. He made his first six shots,
finished 10-for-19 from the field for 24 points and had 11 assists.
"I can't believe how much better Kobe is, scoring, defensively,
giving us open shots," Fisher said. "We all feed off him."
One conspicuous play came as Los Angeles built a 26-point lead
in the second quarter. O'Neal had the ball on the fast break, threw
a no-look pass to Bryant, who threw it back to Shaq for a stuff.
"Horry was open too," O'Neal said, "but I gave it to Kobe
because I knew I'd get it back."
Then he smiled his only smile of the postgame news conference.
Tim Duncan and Antonio Daniels scored 15 apiece for San Antonio.
David Robinson scored 12 on 5-for-16 shooting. Avery Johnson had 14
points and Terry Porter 10.
Los Angeles led by 14 in the first quarter, 26 in the second and
was up 64-41 at the break. The Spurs cut it to 17 in the third
quarter, but never got any closer.
Popovich said the Lakers' play can be compared to the great
teams in NBA history.
"You've got to think back to when showtime was here before, or
the Celtics teams, when they were on rolls," Popovich said.
It was an embarrassing end for a team that won 58 regular-season
games and was supposed to be part of one of the great playoff
series in NBA history, matching the champions of the last two
seasons.
San Antonio became the first team with the best regular-season
record to be swept in the playoffs since Portland did it to the
Lakers in the 1977 West finals. Popovich credited the Lakers rather
than blame the Spurs.
"It's a lot of factors, but the main reason for the result of
this series is the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team," Popovich
said. "They were awesome. That's the bottom line."
Los Angeles never trailed. They shot ahead 11-2 and were up
25-13 after Horace Grant's two free throws with 2:33 left in the
first quarter.
The rout was on shortly thereafter in a 11-0 outburst that made
it 56-30 on Rick Fox's fast-break basket with 5:12 left in the
half. O'Neal had a 9-foot jumper and stuff, Bryant a driving layup
and San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich a technical foul during the
run as the Staples Center crowd chanted "Sweep! Sweep!"
O'Neal, who twisted his ankle in Game 3, was 10-for-14 from the
field for 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the first half. In
the second quarter, he was 6-for-6 as the Lakers shot 61 percent
from the field.
Bryant made 6 of 8 shots, scored 14 and had seven assists by
halftime, while Fisher was 6-for-8, 2-for-3 on 3-pointers, for 14
points.
Robinson missed his first six shots and had just two points on
1-for-8 shooting in the first half. Duncan scored 14 in the first
half. The Spurs made one of six 3-pointers in the first half.
Game notes
The Lakers' last loss was April 1, 79-78, at home to New
York. ... Portland, Sacramento and San Antonio -- the teams swept by
the Lakers -- won 50, 55 and 58 games, respectively, in the regular
season. ... The Lakers had 15 assists in their first 17 field
goals. ... The Spurs made three of 16 3-pointers to finish
13-for-59 (22 percent) in the series. ... Derek Anderson didn't
play in the second half because of cramps in his right shoulder. He
was 0-for-9 shooting after returning for the last two games. He
separated the shoulder in Game 1 of San Antonio's second-round
series against Dallas. ... The shaggy Fox isn't cutting his hair
until the Lakers lose.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
San Antonio Clubhouse
LA Lakers Clubhouse
For Spurs, final indignation seemed inevitable
Dr. Jack: Lakers can run the table
Playoff perfection: Close, but no cigar
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Derek Fisher talks with ESPN's David Aldridge following Game 4.
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Even Shaquille O'Neal is impressed with the Lakers' pasting of the Spurs.
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