Healed Grant could be key for Blazers
Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Brian Grant has been ready for the Los
Angeles Lakers for months. His body has finally caught up.
Because of knee and foot injuries, Grant missed two of the
Portland Trail Blazers' four games against the Lakers -- including
the last time they met on Feb. 29. In the two games he did play, he
scored a total of four points on 2-for-11 shooting.
Both he and the Blazers are expecting more when they meet the
Lakers for Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference finals on
Saturday in Los Angeles.
"I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be fun," Grant said
Thursday.
During Portland's five-game series victory over Utah, Grant said
he felt as good as he has all season. And lately he's resembled the
tattooed, dreadlocked mass of fury who was at the heart of the
Blazers' playoff run last year. He averaged nearly nine rebounds
against the Jazz, up from 5.5 during the regular season.
"I'm in my peak form for what I can give this season," he
said. "It just feels good to be able to go in there with a
positive attitude and feeling pretty healthy."
The Blazers likely will throw a variety of defenses at Lakers
center Shaquille O'Neal. Physically, the 7-foot-3, 292-pound
Arvydas Sabonis matches up as well as anyone in the league against
the 7-1, 315-pound O'Neal. Sabonis didn't come close to containing
Shaq during his first three years with the Lakers. Sabonis throwing
up his arms in frustration, a scowl across his red face, was a
common sight.
This year the native of Lithuania fared better. Shaq averaged
20.5 points -- more than nine below his MVP-season average -- against
the Blazers. Sabonis got help from Rasheed Wallace and Grant, and
on offense Sabonis used his versatility, making hook shots and
jumpers, to force O'Neal to come out of the lane.
"Sabas is making more of an effort to be a lot quicker and to
use his skills against him," Grant said. "Between the two, Sabas
definitely has the advantage in skills. Shaq is just physically a
beast. But Sabas has got to know what kind of player he is, too.
And so long as Sabas realizes that and takes it at him, that puts a
strain on him."
Grant also will be a key. Although he gives up four inches and
60 pounds to O'Neal, he has the attitude and determination to go
toe-to-toe with Shaq.
"Brian's got big-time heart and energy, and that'll make Shaq
have to work a lot, that's for sure," Dunleavy said.
Even if O'Neal and Kobe Bryant carry the load as usual for the
Lakers, the Blazers are hoping they can force enough missed shots
to put the pressure on the superstars' supporting cast.
"One thing about Kobe and Shaq is that they're always going to
get their numbers," Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire said. "But
it's just how effective they are in getting them. If a guy has 30,
but he's getting 30 in the paint and has eight or nine assists to
go with it, he's hurting you in more ways than one. But if Shaq
gets 30 points on 27 shot attempts and 15 free throws, we know we
did our job."
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