PHILADELPHIA VS. INDIANA MILWAUKEE VS. ORLANDO MIAMI VS. CHARLOTTE NEW YORK VS. TORONTO SAN ANTONIO VS. MINNESOTA L.A. LAKERS VS. PORTLAND SACRAMENTO VS. PHOENIX UTAH VS. DALLAS

Wednesday, May 30 Dr. Jack's Breakdown: Lakers-Blazers ESPN.com No. 2 Lakers (56-26) vs. No. 7 Blazers (50-32) 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. Also a former 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 2001 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. BACKCOURT EDGE Kobe Bryant has the edge over Steve Smith. Smith is a pretty good post up player, but he's more of a stand still jump shooter from outside. Bryant is elusive, he can drive--and Smith isn't nearly as good of a defender as Bryant is. At point guard, it's a standoff between Damon Stoudamire and Derek Fisher. Fisher and Brian Shaw both have good game and are both tough defenders. FRONTCOURT EDGE Shaquille O'Neal owns the middle. He's too quick for Arvydas Sabonis, too big and strong for Dale Davis. Portland might try to use Will Perdue, he's a pretty good defender against Shaq, given the Blazers options. It could be a quick assumption that Scottie Pippen would dominate the matchup vs. Rick Fox. But Fox does a very good job on Pippen and he's a three point threat that becomes available because everyone is paying so much attention to Shaq. At big forward, Horace Grant is steady and reliable vs. the more volatile and inconsistent Rasheed Wallace. But Wallace still gets the edge, because he's a very good defender. BENCH EDGE With Rod Strickland, Detlef Schrempf, and Stacey Augmon, the Blazers have more talent and depth on their bench, but Phil Jackson won't go deep into his bench, so it may not matter. Jackson will play Ron Harper if he's back; otherwise he'll probably only play Shaw and Robert Horry. INTANGIBLES EDGE The Blazers have clung to the idea that the playoffs will be their redemption. Dumping the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs would give them the biggest lift possible. They are 2-2 on the season, and all the games have been close. The Blazers are confident they can beat anybody, anywhere, so they don't expect the Lakers home court advantage to be a factor. The Lakers, however, have also been maligned during the season. They feel confident going into the playoffs and they are playing at an extremely high level right now. PREDICTION Lakers in five. They are playing with better teamwork, their defense has improved and their rebounding is good. Shaq is making his free throws--he probably won't go 13 for 13 again, but he should make between 60 and 70 percent, which is a huge improvement. Bryant seems to have found his niche within the team game. All of these things will add up to the Lakers advancing. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories