Dr. Jack's Breakdown: Kings-Lakers
By Dr. Jack Ramsay
Special to ESPN.com
No. 8 Kings (44-38) vs. No. 1 Lakers (67-15)
 Hall of Fame coach Dr. Jack Ramsay provides analysis for ESPN on SportsCenter and NBA Today. Here he breaks down the playoffs for ESPN.com. The color analyst for the Heat, Ramsay's impressive résumé includes making the playoffs in 16 of his 20 seasons as coach and winning an NBA title with Portland in 1977.
Throughout the 2000 playoffs, Dr. Jack will break down each series from the backcourts to intanglibles. Look for his analysis from the first round all the way through to the NBA Finals.
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BACKCOURT
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EDGE
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| Ron Harper and Derek Fisher are solid defenders who should force Kings point guard Jason Williams to play an erratic game. At the two guard, Kobe Bryant can shut down anybody, but Nick Anderson isn't much of a threat anywhere but 3-point land. So Bryant, while providing his typical 20-point effort, can contribute much help defending against other players. |
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FRONTCOURT
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EDGE
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| Chris Webber is a great player, but he will face tough defense from A.C. Green and Robert Horry. The Lakers won't stop Webber, but they might make him shoot a lower percentage than normal. At small forward, Glen Rice will be matched up against Corliss Williamson, and Rice should get good shots. If they bring in Predrag Stojakovic, Rice should still get good shots. In the middle, Shaquille O'Neal is much too strong for anyone in the league. Vlade Divac will finesse Shaq, but can't stop him. Divac can take Shaq outside and hit the perimeter shot, but the Lakers do a lot of defensive switching. If Divac comes off a screen or floats on the edges, someone else will pick him up. The Lakers are the league's best defensive team, so I don't think any one approach will stop them. |
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BENCH
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EDGE
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| Sacramento has a solid bench, with Stojakovic, Scot Pollard and Jon Barry. But the Lakers' bench is rife with defensive players, like Rick Fox, Horry, Brian Shaw and Harper, if he comes off the bench. Los Angeles does a terrific job of stopping the other team. |
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INTANGIBLES
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EDGE
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| Phil Jackson has prepared them all season and will have the Lakers in the right frame of mind for the playoffs. The Lakers had the best record in the league and are out to prove themselves in the playoffs. Sacramento has a devil-may-care attitude, and will enter the series free and easy. But it won't nearly be enough.
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PREDICTION
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| Lakers in three. I don't see the Kings winning a game. The Kings can't stop other teams; they try to outscore them. But they won't outscore the Lakers.
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