1997-98 Western Conference Finals Game 4 Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers Part 1

Newsroom anytime dial Star 41 on your cellular phone a free call from Southwestern Bell the first caller with a news tip we use on the air receives free air time Memorial Day weekend on NBC flash flash open three John Stockton sends the Utah Jazz to the NBA final oh in the a d by Brian Russell the Utah Jazz sending this for crowd to the exits no team has ever come back from a three nothing [Music] deficit this is NBA Showtime the 1998 NBA playoff here's your host Hannah stor it's game four of the Western Conference Finals from Los Angeles as the Utah Jazz try to sweep the Lakers and advance to the NBA finals Carl Malone was the star of the Jazz's game three win with 22 second half points but he had plenty of help from Utah's deep and talented bench Shaquille O'Neal was Unstoppable inside on Friday night leading all scorers with 39 points but he'll need much more p from his Supporting Cast if the Lakers are to extend their [Music] season hi everybody Hannah Storm along with John Sally Peter Bessie and mattas who's joining us for the Memorial Day weekend and we'll hear from these gentlemen shortly let's get right to game four of the Western Conference Finals the Lakers are reeling after losing the first three games to the Jazz no team in NBA history has come back from a three- nothing deficit to win a playoff series by wrapping up the series today Utah could assure itself of at least six days off before the finals possibly nine days off depending on the length of the Chicago Indiana series Tom Hammond Steve Jones and Bill Walton have the latest from Los Angeles all right thank you Hannah as you might imagine there's been a lot of soul searching among Laker players the last couple of days in fact Derek fiser told us that Shaquille O'Neal came here to win a championship but in this series he hasn't gotten much support aside from Shaquille you know a lot of us didn't didn't come to do what we needed to do um I think it's unfair you know he came here to play with some guys that he felt like were capable of doing some good things and being on the championship team Rick Fox passed up on money and other lucrative offers to come here and be on a championship team and you know there are a number of guys on this team that are here for that reason that may could have gone other places over the summer and it's unfair for the next guy not to cherish this moment and realize where we are Championship level basketball is all about flow Tempo momentum and Rhythm right now the Lakers are showing absolutely none of any of those qualities there's been a lot of Lakers talk about fast break and let's get it up and down but unless you play some defense and stop somebody one time you can't fast break out of the net and then Shaquille O'Neal has been absolutely brilliant all by himself that's the operative word here by himself he just has three assists because everybody's standing around watching Shaq do just this go one-on-one the Utah perimeter player staying at home not allowing any of the three-point shooters for the Lakers to get off now the cumulative statistics in this series are embarrassingly one-sided in favor of the Utah Jazz and seemingly the Lakers can't shoot pass rebound block shots or play defense but remember the Lakers are playing against the playoff's number one defensive team the Utah Jets and they're executing their game plan brilliantly right now this series is a lot more about the Utah Brilliance than about the Laker failings Tom well another area of improvement for the Lakers would be their bench play in two of the three games so far they've been severely outplayed but Utah bench and Tom it should come as no surprise to anyone that's been watching the Utah Jazz over the year they had the most productive bench during the regular season but the numbers during the Conference Finals have been overwhelming in favor of the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers are star Steed All Star sitting on their bench that haven't gotten the job done so this afternoon it's the Lakers trying to avoid the broom while the bench is smiling and the Jazz trying to make a little history today despite all their success in recent years they have never swept a seven game playoff series Hannah thanks Tom and to put this in historical context for the Lakers they have not been swept in a playoff series since the 1989 NBA Finals when they were beaten by none other than John Sally's Detroit Pistons even though James Worthy personally torched you for 40 points well you would have to mention that huhn thank you very much but what the Utah Jazz has to do they have to play as if they're in the Lakers position as if it's reversed and they're down 3 0 they need to get treatment rest for those naggin injuries and they need to sit back and watch and remember last year and come back and try to win a championship was it just a week ago we were all sitting here saying how do you stop the Lakers and now the question is how do you stop the Utah Jazz what are the Lakers keys for survival today Matt well Hannah the Lakers are giving up 107 points a game 52% from the field to a Utah team that said coming into this series that they wanted to slow the pace and keep the score down so the first key for the Lakers is defense in particular Shaq's defense now Shaq is is giving maximum effort at the offensive end scoring close to 30 a game but he has to set the tone and be a leader in the defensive area that means getting back quickly and protect the basket sha with a slow Trot letting the play go ahead where are you big fella come on you can't hope that your teammates will make the play just in time for a subpar effort to block the shot now this isn't all Shack's fault the Lakers pick and roll defense throughout this Series has been very poor no help for Shaquille here Shaq has to get up above the foul line because his man is above tip of the circle but once Shannon Anderson starts to go Shaq has to react and protect and it's these kinds of defensive plays that have the Lakers in this deep hole right now I do believe that the ref's whistle Shack for a 24 second violation and not get across half court not getting back on defense is one thing and then on offense it's not working either because the guards are shooting less than 14% from three-point range so Hannah that's the second key more protection from the back court of the Los Angeles Lakers and so far that Utah's double team on Shaq has been on the dribble trying to maybe give Shaq his own stay home with the perimeter Shooters outside so for those four to contribute they have to generate fast break offense from their defense and the third key emotion there was absolutely none in the game three loss the Lakers owe to themselves and the Forum crowd to get fired up and give maximum effort in every area right well Peter has been strangely quiet in this segment but no fear we're going to put him to work it immediately we will have a comprehensive look at the NBA's labor situation the league may be headed for a July 1st lockout and Peter and I will be back to discuss the issues next out here we negotiate on the court somebody coming off the bench to give you a rest cuz I'm busting you down open open foul show me the blood shoot it shoot it RAC is nutrageous so loaded you don't eat it you survive it [Music] some sometimes I dream that he is me got to see that's how I dream to be I Dre I if I could be [Music] like's up I'm not going to sing the world's greatest Explorer ain't this guy Chris Farley we peace Matthew Perry fear will be our breakfast Almost Heroes rated PG-13 starts Friday May 29th NBC tonight fate hen's back and he brought some friends a special Sunday movie for the whole family fate Hoven second 76 Central NBC tonight Showtime's playoff coverage extends to the internet at msnbcsports.com get the inside stories from around the league and email Bill Walton your playoff questions it's all at msnbcsports.com even as the NBA plays its most important games of the Season negotiations are ongoing between the league and the Players Association for new collective bargaining agreement the current contract expires June 30th and if a new agreement is not in place by then a lockout or possibly a moratorium on League business could begin we start with with a look at the economics of the NBA record Network television contracts go into effect next season attendance and Arena revenues continue to grow players average salaries have increased from half a million 10 years ago to 1. 275 million 5 years ago and now the average salary for the League's 400 players is $2.5 million against this seeming backdrop of prosperity the threat of a July 1st lockout Loom as a real possibility why in 1995 the players union and the league agreed to a six-year collective bargaining agreement that deal gave the owners an option to reopen the agreement if the players total salaries and benefits grew to more than 51.8% of the League's basketball related income this season salaries grew to more than 57% a difference of $95 million the owners want to control labor costs in effect create a hard ceiling or cap on the percentage of revenues that is paid to the players the current collective bargaining agreement has a salary cap But it includes the Larry Bird exception which allows teams to pay their own free agents any sum of money regardless of the cap or example Michael Jordan and his $33 million one-year contract the current agreement also includes a rookie salary scale that restricts a player's earnings his first three years in the league but rather than control players salaries the system has led to record contracts including the $126 million deal to the Timberwolves Kevin Garnett Peter vessie examines the issues I'm financially set for probably to Lifetime I don't know if I should get Kevin Garner's money but I know I should be somewhere up there you have to make the as much money as you can while you can I just want fair market value for my servic just like you do you don't want you know one or two players making uh great money everybody else at at the minimum we're paying out a billion dollars in salary to something like 400 or so players that's about 2 half million dollars a player there ought to be a way a rational way to figure out how to how to divide that amount of money and growing um without having to uh to do serious damage to the business uh and that's that's what we hope will happen at of collective bargaining in 52 years the league has never lost a regular season game to uh to a lockout or a strike is that a uh a consecutive streak that you're going to keep intact no matter what the the economic issues here are important enough now that much as we prize that streak um I I don't think that's going to be the determining factor I think if you lock the players out you risk losing the fans for the next four or five years and creating Major League Baseball this is about reducing labor costs and getting a higher profit for the owners well it's not about reducing labor costs uh because I think under any proposal we would make labor labor cost player salaries will continue to grow uh what it's about is trying to get the growth in player salaries more in line with the uh growth and and anticipated future growth in revenues I mean no you know we're not going to be talking about the the a players taking pay cuts in the aggregate I mean that's that's not going to happen I wouldn't think though that you would open something up and actually not ask for give backs though I suppose we are looking for give backs in terms of the system because the system that that's been created uh we think has worked too well for the players economically the last several years and not well at all for the owners I think some of the onus has got to be on the owners to exercise better judgment in deciding who to pay what makes you believe that a new system same people creating it is going to work this time well you know hope hopefully hopefully we can be a little smarter this time do you have more answers this well I think uh we just feel that there are certain uh types of restrictions or certain new Arrangements adjustments whatever you want to call them that have to be put in place uh in the NFL they have a hard cap system which uh may not be perfect looking at it from a distance but but does seem to work much better than the current NBA system now we're not we're not wedded to an NFL type hard cap system but we need something uh that's going to work a little more effectively than what we have now the key exception that I imagine you're trying to eliminate or or at least uh uh amend in some way is the Larry Bird exception well the Larry Bird exception which allows a team even if they're well over the salary cap nonetheless to pay their own free agent anything that the two can agree to we think has been certainly the biggest reason why the current system doesn't work and probably the biggest difference between our system and the NFL system is that the NFL does not have that exception there there is no exception you have to get down to what to what the appropriate team salary is I think we all have invested interest in making sure that the teams are profitable but I don't believe that the players will ever ascribe to a hard salary cap we as players we're not going to go for hard cap because they they it'll be too restrictive uh the free AG any in any way shape shape or form it' be too restrictive we Peter we wouldn't be able to move there would be no movement you know they talk about the the M middle class being eliminated and that would definitely eliminate the middle class would you agree that by reopening the CBA that the the league is all about regaining control Financial control and also accountability discipline well I think most of it is economics okay um all the discipline stuff uh you know we care about that also as players we we want this league to continue to do well um we want it to last so that the new people are coming in have something you know have play have have a game to to play were in the entertainment business and the public does not want to hear about lawsuits and they don't want to hear about people strangling their coaches they want to watch guys play there are other issues once you go into collective bargaining everything's on the table and there'll be a lot of things that will be discussed but there's no question that that the uh the real uh issue here was economics I'm sure fans are sitting listening to this or reading about collective bargaining between the the union and the and the league a billion dollar business and they're saying you got to be kidding in the end when this new CBA is signed how is it going to affect us how are we going to profit from this what do we gain are season tickets coming down well I don't think I don't think season tickets will will come down as a result of collective bargaining we'd like to think that if we can get a more sensible economic system that perhaps season tickets won't have to keep Rising seems to me another another thing that you're looking to amend radically is the the rookie pay scale the owners are paying out this year about a billion dollarss in salaries and and there has to be some system for deciding whether it goes to the the older guys the younger guys the guys in the middle uh it can't everybody can't get everything they want uh even out of a billion dollars it turns out now joining us live from Oakland is Billy Hunter the executive director of The Players Association Billy we're talking about the fans first here why should the fans care about owners and the union trying to divvy up a billion dollar business business the players are making 2.5 average why should they have any empathy well first of all the players while they may make 2.5 average you got to keep in mind Peter you and I both know that that 2.5 is actually generated that number is generated by maybe 29 to 30 players who make a signifant significant proportion of the revenues that we receive the median salary but why should fans why should the fans care Billy well I would think that the fans should care one because they don't want to see The Game Stop two they want to ensure that there's no no greater increase in the cost per fan for them to attend uh and to to enjoy basketball as as any other professional sport we know why the league has opted out of this contract because the players are getting a bigger percentage of the basketball related uh Revenue what will you what what's your biggest concern here Billy what will you positively not give up and what must you absolutely have in this negotiation well Peter I'm not going to say that that there's anything that we won't positively do you know what we're hoping is that the owners will make an offer to us uh an offer that that we feel doesn't require us to take a step back uh we obviously at this position at this juncture rather are not inclined to agree to a a hard cap or the elimination of bird uh in the top the top of your program they talked about stars being paid X sums of money the reality is that the SARS are the ones who bring the people in the Arenas they sell the merchandise they sell TV time Etc and the fans come out to see them and they are in fact the core of the game and so well that leads me to my next question Billy how how can you possibly negotiate from strength in this when the owners don't even have to open for business next season yet they collect almost $20 million in TV revenue and Merchandising well Peter as you're aware uh NBC uh I think got eliminated from the football contract with the NFL which pays the NFL some $18 billion over the next8 years I know and you know the sports program is extremely important I don't think that NBC Andor TBS wish to uh participate whereby they have to pay the NBA for games that are not going to be played have to give it back at the end but but right now they do pocket it if there's no season well I I think we should learn from baseball uh I don't I don't wish to see uh a work stoppage I want to see a season I want to see the game continue to grow and prosper you know so the fans will continue to come out and support it and uh you know we intend to negotiate earnestly and hopefully over the next 5 weeks we're going to reach an agreement well let's jump to that you made a proposal to the league they have made a counter offer they were supposed to come back with another offer where does it stand now Billy well we're now waiting for them to come back with a counter offer I think the league will ad to you second that's right the second counter off I think they will admit to you that they were rather surprised that the offer that I put on the table uh from the GetGo it was a it was a it a it was a creative offer offer it it was a substantive offer and an offer that's generally not made that early uh in negotiations but but I came to the to the uh negotiations with the intent on trying to reach an agreement and I put forth what I thought to be a substantive offer one that the owners could in fact either live with or attempt to negotiate over Billy it was very interesting that the union distanced itself from Latrell spra when he sued the Warriors and the league why was that well because we felt as though we had represented the uh Latrell both competently and in the most effective manner we felt that we not only protected the latrell's rights but we also protected the rights of the other 410 ball players that constitute our membership and so uh you know while we were not in support of and did not condone the action brought by Latrell we do respect his right to to I guess in this instance to what he considers represent his own best interest all right thanks Billy as a basketball fan I just like to wish both sides a world of wisdom in these negotiations well I I can assure you that I will exercise all the prudence and wisdom possible thanks Billy thank you all right and Peter when we return we'll be joined by Isaiah Thomas who has been on both sides of this issue will get his take on the labor situation right after these [Music] messages races nutrageous so loaded you don't eat it you survive it both these men have athletes foot but only one use the soothing cure prescription strength desex it calms the itching and cools the burning while it heals got athletes foot get desn X the soothing cure so what do you think what do you think of the gear you like this start feel great I mean look at this stuff look at the waste man here sweet man it's really nice I like it people get up in the morning and they put on their clothes they put on the best suit they can to go to work cuz it makes them feel good so on the basketball court you know when you're wearing the best clothes you feel good you your confidence is goes to another level yeah NBA authentic gear redesigned by Champion starter and Nike get your NBA gear at the Sports Authority today a breath of fresh air blew into the NBA when a 19-year-old kid made his debut and stole the show he was different he played with such emotions it's very simple yet in the back of his head before he played you could get seats that's why they call him what they do the great thing about life is you never know what you might want to do next with the American Express card it can be anything you like most of the Earth is covered by water and most of the water is covered by Norwegians Norwegian Cruise Line [Music] is Tiger Woods Bernie Ells David Duval Justin Leonard Phil Nicholson they're talented confident and have youth on their side generation next has their sight set on golf's greatest Championship the US Open coming to NBC Sports June 18 in his first 11 seasons in the league Carl Malone never played in the NBA Finals with a win today he'll be going back for his second straight year now back to the labor issues we're joined Now by Isaiah Thomas from Indianapolis where he's working the Bulls Pacers series Isaiah is not only a past president of The Players Association he's also a former general manager and part owner of the Toronto Raptor so Isaiah offers us a unique perspective on the labor situation so we're going to ask you to do some role playing here Isaiah first of all from the player side tell us what it is they're looking for well I I think what the players are really looking for is they don't want the elimination of the bird Rule and when the bird rule was put in place it was really put in place so a player such as Larry Bird could stay with the Boston Sou you want to keep the Michael Jordans in Chicago the gr Hills in Detroit so you want to keep your Superstars attached to their teams however what the bird exception has become is a way to pay players extraordinary amounts of money that's not why the rule was put in however it was put in to keep that player intact with his team so the fans could buy in to what that team is all about and you can also Envision the owner side of what's going on here tell us that well I I can tell you that the owner problems are real and I know from being a former past president of the Players Association you always look at the owners as saying well they're trying to hide something they're trying to you know put something under the rug well you know being on the other side I can tell you that the problems that they're facing are very real and the problems that this league is facing is very real so I think from a negotiating standpoint you know David Stern and Billy hner really need to sit down at the table and do what's best for the league and what's best for basketball and not really come it with negotiating tactics we're going to give you some of this we're going to take back this you know when we put all this together we we formed a partnership with the owners NBC TNT and everyone else to bring Sports and basketball to the highest level to our fans and that's really the approach that they need to take at the negotiating table Isaiah what's fair for both sides um I think what's fair for both sides I think you have a very workable agreement but what we have to keep in mind is that you know basketball is changing the sports world is changing it's become very corporate now and the corporate dollars that are coming into basketball you have to entertain what's good for the corporations now it used to be that you had to entertain what's good for the individual owners but individual owners are now being driven out of the sport you have more corporate dollars coming into sport more corporations coming in which is very good for the players that's why salaries are raising are going up now when you look at what's happening in terms of the 20% an increase in revenues revenues have dropped a little bit however salaries have you know started to rise so you got to find a way to balance the two I think there's enough room there's ways to compromise thanks for joining us Isaiah on this issue and we'll look forward to hearing more on the Bulls Pacers matchup from you at halftime and meanwhile Peter you've talked to so many people on every side of this issue on and off the Record at one point you thought a substantial portion of the Season might actually be lost now what's your sense well I don't think they're going to miss beat I really don't and listening to everybody I think that if certain things happen I don't I think both sides understand they're not going to mess with the uh bird exception there isn't going to be a hard cap if they're realistic if they're not then there will be a long lockout but they have the key is they have to create player Movement by giving back teams exceptions slots that they took away from them before if there's an injured player if a player leaves because of free agency if a player leaves because of retirement and in return the union has to give you've got to give them a a longer rookie pay scale it's now three years I think they they have to give up four maybe even five and then give a right of first refusal to the team I think that would solve it for everybody it's really clear from hearing from everybody nobody wants to see games lost nobody wants to see any of the buring popularity of this sport you want those fans that Michael Jordan gained for everybody absolutely you don't want to go backwards and time now to switch gears to the game on the court game four of the Western Conference Finals as the Lakers try to stay alive and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Utah Jazz we'll see you at halftime the NBA playoffs on NBC continue after these messages from your local station Dateline Monday she was a decorated Air Force officer but charges of adultery sent her career into a tail spin she said it's simply not fair but was her conduct true Unbecoming the Air Force seems to be unable or unwilling to forgive people for being human or was she the victim of a double standard dine NBC Monday at 109 Central impressive power payload and towing three important bonuses for Dodge Dakota owners but we'd like to show you a few more like a magnum B6 at no extra charge and a low 154 a month lease plus select customers get a Dodge owners bonus of $500 cash back which means you could own a new Dodge Dakota for as little as 14345 now that's a bonus you can Bank on but only for a limited time see the friendly Dodge dealer near you it's rough out here on the road and it gets pretty lonely seems like this old rig's the only friend I got but I know I got to get this stuff to the Best Buy Memorial Day sa 104 hitting a pit stop for one last fil trucker folk ain't always cordial but when we take our low prices even lower they know I'm serious Best Buys Memorial Day sale starts Thursday ends Monday breaker One n hammering down the home 20 with a wagon full of markdowns no I don't need vinyl siding this is an apartment I can't get away from these salesmen I'm Jim hi Jim this is for you hello make sure you deal with a pro like your GMC dealer it's closer than you think here let's take a look now get 1.9% APR GMAC financing on regular cab GMC Sierra One n financing that makes now the best time to buy see your local GMC [Music] dealer oh no no Deep Space 9 tonight at 10:45 on NBC 41 the fight for Western Conference Supremacy has produced our a hard-nosed clash which has taken its toll both physically and mentally the veteran Jazz have capitalized on this and abundance of experience has helped them to a three-game lead they've dominated the Lakers this entire series putting on a clinic of teamwork and appear destined to make their second straight trip to the finals the youthful Spirit of the Lakers has been deflated their hopes for a championship birth seem doubtful time is now their enemy obstacles surrounding them at every turn they experienced a similar heartache earlier this season but their fortunes changed after Laker great Jerry West crafted a motivational message the team's vice president wrote you're letting the season slip through your fingers you need to be consumed by Laker Pride only one team will be Champion that team could and should be the Lakers the Lakers know they must respond with the same intensity that enabled them to win 61 games or will they collapse when faced with Fearless veterans their hopes for a championship run fall on broad shoulders as the Jazz March toward a clean sweep this is the NBA on NBC the 1998 NBA Playoffs today it's the Utah Jets versus the Los Angeles Lakers in the final minutes prior to game four the Western Conference Finals the Lakers are pensive just over a week ago they were the hottest team in the playoffs now they stand on the brink of elimination unless they can match the heart of the defending Western champ Champions meanwhile across the Forum the Jazz are so focused on the sweep and a return to the NBA finals that do not disturb word went out no cameras in the Utah locker room the Great Western Forum in Englewood California scene of game four of the Western Conference Finals hello everyone and welcome to the Forum Tom Hammond with Steve Jones and Bill Walton you know when this series began all the buzz around the NBA was about the Lakers how great they were playing after they dispatched Seattle when they ran into a Utah team Steve that really elevated his game they did Tom and when you think about the careers of John Stockton and Carl Malone they've had their hearts broken many many times and now they're smiling they're saying it's our turn to be the Heartbreakers and they are ready to close the door on the Los Angeles Lakers but whenever they needed a big game and a big moment it's either been Stockton or Malone to deliver the good well Shaquille O'Neal has played well offensively for the Lakers but Bill what's happened to everybody else Tom what was once the most El electrifying Dynamic and uptempo offense in the NBA the Laker fast break attack has been reduced to Rubble Shaquille O'Neal has been playing absolutely phenomenal ball averaging basically 30 points a game leading the NBA playoffs in field goal percentage but the rest of the guys have been standing around watching doing absolutely nothing in the lake show Van Exel has not been proficient from behind the three-point line Eddie Jones cannot get it done in the half court Game Rick Fox's three-point game has absolutely disapp appeared and Robert Ory has been badly outplayed by Carl Malone now this Laker team desperate right now they've got to have it all come together the chemistry has to be there the defense to get it going again they've got one last chance who knows what Laker team is going to show up today Tom they have not played well in this series all right we're ready for game four and so far the experienced Jazz have handed the youthful Lakers a painful lesson but in today's game four will the mailman deliver a ticket to the finals for was Shaq celebrate [Music] due to popular demand we've extended the Nissan Prem Memorial Day event to Memorial Day and Beyond which means we've extended our incredible 1.9% APR financing on the quality and craftsmanship of the new Nissan Ultima 1.9 get down to your Nissan retailer now and spend Memorial Day and Beyond somewhere really fun in the new Ultima you can still get with 1.9% APR the extended Nissan Prem Memorial Day event at your Nissan retailer only through June 1st my girls were in an accident I called credential good afternoon credential they told me uh what to do we do an estimate of the damages it was just wonderful and then begin immediate repair I can't authorize a rental vehicle for you I have gotten other quotes from other insurance companies I'm calling about the accident you reported today they really can't compare we'll do what we need to do to get this resolved as quickly as possible you're all said thanks for calling credential I found a good company and I'm staying with [Music] them welcome back to the Forum for game four Utah goes with Malone Russell Foster hornack and Stockton ory Fox O'Neal Jones and fiser for the Lakers game four Utah looking for the sweep benett Salvatore Joey Crawford and Jack KN the officials for today's game salvator's first gain back since he was injured when Mario ell knocked him into the scorers table during the regular season the beginning of the ball game is extremely important for the Los Angeles slakers they've got to set some sort of tempo that gives him a chance to say we're going to win this game we're going to win it comfortably sha Up and Under draws the foul from Greg Foster terrific execution in the set offense for Los Angeles every set play Shaquille should handle the ball punish the Utah Jazz men inside let the three-pointers come at a transition on the break jack's first free throw finds the bottom of the net Jerry Sloan's defense has been content to concentrate on the others while Shaq has averaged nearly 30 points a game been rarely double teaming and if they do double this very quickly and then back to get your man Tom it's been a brilliantly conceived game plan by Jerry Sloan and everything that they've thought about has worked in Perfection Malone with a finger roll over Shack that looked like George ger you know their idea is to try to Quicken the game so the Los Angeles Lakers are going to try to come out and trap get the ball out of John Stockton's hand they don't want those kinds of results layups on the other end skip pass to fiser for three and dere Fisher finds the net on the Lakers first three-point attempt of the game Steve the problem with either one of these teams the Lakers are the Jazz trapping their opponent is that ay and Carl Malone play that high post Swingman position so well ory guarding Carl Malone Malone to Hornes Jeff hornek over Derek fiser there's a guy that's do for a bust out game normally a a a big difficult shot maker has been quiet out on the road and I'm sure that he wants to get going early here against the Lakers hores SEC averaging only seven points a game in this series and hitting under 30% of his shots O'Neal no baset wave it off foul out on the floor look around and he finds Jeff Horn's number uh but what they have done is make it difficult for sha to get his initial move he plays in kind of a rhythm and if he can't get that good Rhythm uh he seemed to be a little confused and it takes him a lot longer to get into the game 30 shots the last time out horex first foul second against the Jazz here's fiser off an O'Neal screen got a pick from ay ory falls down so does Malone ory manages to save it seven to shoot O'Neal a different Shaquille O'Neal to start the game he's been playing that way in the second half box up to double team Stockton every time sha going quickly before any double team or any defensive situation for Utah can get set sha has half the Laker points to open the game The Deep position by Shaquille and look he doesn't even wait he just goes right by Foster when a defender puts his hands up while the man's still dribbling down low that's a surrender wave the White Flag quickly nine to shoot for the Jazz Russell at a two had his foot on the line no good and rebounded by Shaquille o' the Jazz feel their success has been on offense because of the willingness to make the extra pass Laker big men don't rotate that well defensively right now the Jazz are shooting the ball very quickly off the first exchange of the ball but that plays into the hands of the Lakers the Lakers then can rebound the ball run the ball Fox just forced his way in couldn't convert Malone the rebound the outlet to John Stockton Foster in transition wide open he's been beating sha up and down the court hornek Jeff hornek that's what they needed to get him off he has four points in the early going two for two shooting and we're tied Eddie Jones and the Lakers like to see that because Jones has been struggling after that superb series against Seattle he's found the going tough against the ja D Harris told us yesterday I got to keep Eddie Jones out of foul trouble cuz need his offense and he needs to see Eddie Jones strike early Malone got a step on ay and caught on the top side ory concedes the layup to Malone again John Stockton the perfect delivery of the pass Robert Ory telling us that they know when Malone's going to break free the experience of this Jazz team really coming into play here baseline fallway from Sha won't go and Malone has the board is second Stockton another hard hit going to the ground can't believe he doesn't get called on the those play Greg Foster from outside sha had position on Malone hauls it down and gets it to [Applause] fiser Carl Malone now matched up on Shaq now you watch when Carl Malone is guarding Shaquille O'Neal Jaa has a difficult time getting inside gets mug right off the bat hard foul by the mailman on Shaquille O'Neal it takes a pretty good blow to take that man to the canvas down low and uh he's going to lead with his rear end as he always does and then Carl Malone makes no attempt to make a play on the ball so they call a flagrant foul there's Malone just grabbing sha and so the flagrant foul it's amazing the punishment that Shaquille O'Neal takes each and every game out there Carl Malone has bigest strongest player as there is in this league and he just looks dwarfed out there next to Shaq how much does the Sha Vince press you don't have the numbers sha doesn't lift a lot of Weights that's that's just all natural right there he is a two of four at the free throw line but Carl Malone is a dedicated man in the weight room oh Carl Malone one of those guys who just does it all season long in fact last year after the finals were over two weeks afterward they had the Rocky Mountain summer review league with the rookies up there in Salt Lake City over Foster side but Carl Malone just two weeks after the the heartbreaking loss to Chicago Carl was in that weit room riding the stationary bike and all the coaches who were there the rookies had already left they saw Carl in there they went back to the hotel and got the rookies and brought him back and said this is what the NBA MVP is all about Carl Malone with Jordan one of the most supremely conditioned athletes in the history of the NBA Carl making the head fake there and drawing the foul from Robert Ory or's first first foul against the Lakers as Malone with four points to the free throw line now this is a nervous crowd normally the the Laker crowd is not this noisy they're more of a front running crowd they waiting for the the Lakers to give them something but since they've come into the building uh This Crowd has been a little Buzzy and they're hoping to keep the brooms away John Stockman and Carl Malone 27 years and they've only missed 27 games and 18 to those came this year with John Stockton's knee injury so now you're blaming the crowd the Lakers not playing well no no no this crowd wants it you know I think that that's going to help the Lakers this afternoon you know one of the few times I mean in game three this crowd only responded when the Lakers did something positive and I think they're ready to stay in this game the entire ball game Jazz ball after Eddie Jones shot an air ball on an attempted three and Malone with a little shove for ay as the Jazz bring it up Court trailing by [Applause] one great kick by Foster and the illegal one that's why it was so great as he T daddy Jones yeah just cuz the defender goes down doesn't mean it's an offensive foul two quick fouls on Greg Foster he'll have to go to the bench Stockton just keeps curling here he's standing right there that's not a foul on Greg Foster that's a great flop by Eddie Jones Foster sits down Greg Oster tag is on one thing that the Lakers and even though they whed about it a lot and they've gotten more than their share of calls in all three ball games Derek F nice F to get open couldn't finish with the shot as Malone hauls down his third board Carl dominant on the defensive board they position him at the weak side position there all the time they like to pull O'Neal out high so this allows Carl Malone a chance to work against Rober Ori and then they get a reaction with the cutter going through the hoop Malone short on the jump hook ory clears it fer in a hurry this is the tempo the Lakers prefer fer couldn't finish Oster tag rips it away get stripped it D fiser get your elbows out Greg Oster T you can't stand in there and hold the ball in your lap like it's your lunch there's the double on Shack jump hook no good got his own and jams at home well he was DET torch in game three he had 39 you couldn't say he didn't bring it but he is really bringing a lot of energy normally struggling on the board early but O'Neal doing the job offensively and defensively on the glass eight points and three boards for Shaq thus far with 606 left in the opening quarter Greg Oster tag can't bring this Rebound in you see how his elbows are down around his side that just won't get it done the little guys will come in there like the vultures and then Shack got his own rebound and took care of business Lakers by [Music] [Music] three hi I'm Grant Hill professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons you know when I get thirsty I reach for sprite you see Sprite refreshes me like nothing else because it's the only drink with that cool crisp refreshing taste that satisfies even my manliest thirst yep that's Sprite for you drink bread cuz you like it not cuz an athlete says he does hey I'm going to McDonald's you want anything uh yeah give me a Big Mac and fres hey did somebody say McDonald's coffee and a cheeseburger a number three and superz it apple pie Coke and you have call 9 fill in the mail room look we need four big [Music] ma did somebody say [Music] McDonald's last year Americans bought over 4 million back massages thousands of vibrating shares and so many things that look like this and this that we wonder if some people aren't sleeping on the wrong mattress we'd recommend a Seely Posturepedic Sleep System slept on by more people than any other mattress including more orthopedic surgeons Posturepedic support only from cely a new feature has just been added to the new Nissan timus already startling array of standard features and amenities something that makes its exceptional quality and craftsmanship even more exceptional and while you'll find it built into every new Nissan Ultima it won't be built in for long 1.9% APR financing for a limited time at your Nissan [Music] retailer the NBA on NBC is brought to you by Miller Light who reminds you that whenever you feel good it's Miller time by the new Nissan Ultima Nissan life is a journey enjoy the ride and by Nike welcome back to the Forum I'm Jim Gray well the Lakers have been looking for some leadership other than out of Shaquille O'Neal this morning they got some in written form Derek Fischer the secondy year player for the Lakers in point guard wrote each of the Lakers a two-page letter let me read briefly what it says now is the time for us to do what we have done done before we must not give in we must not allow the peripheral opponent to divide us we must stick together there is no tomorrow only today very reminiscent of what Jerry West did when he wrote a letter to the Lakers in February and he's hoping guys that it'll bring the same same response tomon all right Jim thank you very much Cory blunt is on for the Lakers replacing Robert Ory as Shaq misses sha has scored the last five Laker points but missed there Stockton takes it all the way short on his shot kept it alive twice and saved by Oster tag in back court great hands first time by horex second by Stockton just that little extra bit of quickness that the Utah Jazz have been exhibiting well that's been the difference in the series they have made the hustle plays and and kept the separation in their favor Hoster tag at The Rim Jeff Hornes is playing the best basketball of the series he's playing with a serious injury that he won't let on what what it is to anybody but it was just 10 days ago that he was the Jazz best player in the closeout against San Antonio zck came up short with Oster tag in his face Malone saves it off blunt it'll be Utah ball Malone just a terror on the defensive boards early the effort he's done this twice now first off ay now off Cory blunt Jerry Sloan was concerned about what team would show up would they be happy that they got the the a big advantage and maybe take the afternoon off and get blown out but they want to end it Malone told me yesterday I'm ready for the dagger Steve we learned a lot about this Utah team in the last game of the regular season illegal defense calls but in that game here at the Forum between Utah and the Lakers the Jazz had absolutely nothing to play for and virtually came down to the closing minutes and had a real chance to win that game Jerry Sloan with his normal rotation sends Howard Eisley in to replace John Stockton at the point and Nick vanex is on for the Lakers replacing Derek fiser and the guy that's got to step up is number nine van XEL has got to get into the Open Court he's got to be a scoring Factor he's got to do a better job defensively he's had a tough time against the pick and roll and against the Stop and Go her he jerky Howard Eber in fact a hand check there is the first foul on Van Exel think van is only shooting in the low 20s from three-point L that won't get it done and he's always had trouble guarding John B I think this match up against Howard isy might work a little bit better for now Steel by Jones three on one break Fox good decision by car Malone he's got to stay in the game so he'd rather give up a two points than get another foul and have to go to the bench since he knows this is a big start for them they need him out on the floor third Utah turnover and the Laker margin is three but a lot of those turnovers are coming because of great Laker defense up in the passing Lane misses from outside Oster tag beat O'Neal for the rebound offensive board by Oster tag what you like about the jazz is their Pat they'll get the ball back they'll calm everything down and they'll go to something that they want to get Oster tag Oster tag with a follow off the missed layup and he just bangs Shaq out of the way to put it home the passing the quickness the change of pace change of Direction Edy Jones with a three with a Defender in his face good sign for Lakers fans Jones with Five Points Tom what are the chances his mom called you remember in the Portland series Eddie Jones was off to as what his mom thought was not an aggressive enough start called him on his cell phone on the Way to the Forum and said you've got to be more aggressive more assertive he responded with a tremendous Series in the latter games of the Portland series and then against Seattle in fact at one point he had consecutive games of 23 29 32 points all career playoff hies box misses from outside but Tom if that's all it takes a phone call from Mom on the way to work if if all it takes is Derek fiser writing a letter why don't they do that every game Bill don't underestimate the power of M I never do they're going they're going to have to call a flagrant foul right back here well they get even as uh UTA swings the ball around and then it's a steal and Eddie Jones a quick push the other way and a easy score for Rick B and Eddie Jones with a big three you're watching the NBA on [Music] NBC a new feature has just been added to the new Nissan ultima's already startling array of standard features and amenities something that makes its exceptional quality in craftsmanship even more exceptional and while you'll find it built into every new Nissan Ultima it won't be built in for long 1.9% APR financing for a limited time at your Nissan [Music] retailer 38 shots two passes two man you ain't even letting the ground touch the ball there's only one set of Prince on this wall your sons no I pass sometimes you pass the ball dog come on pass me the ball pass pass the ball dog Jimmy do it the man says pass the [Music] ball I'm [Music] waiting GP I think I got [Music] something it's never easy busting a kid who hasn't learned that passing is fun you just hope it turns him around [Music] [Music] please don't drive drunk NBC tonight Beethoven's back and he brought some friends a special Sunday movie for the whole family fth Hoven second 76 Central NBC tonight Lakers up two on the Jazz earlier Carl Malone called for a flagrant foul on O'Neal and Shaq returning the favor Tom one of the problems with Shaq being the biggest strongest guy in the league is that what looks like con inconsequential contact there but the little extra push there in the back they're going to have to call that as the biggest player Shaq has to be a little bit more careful of the way he lands on top of people lands he laids some wood intentionally he wanted to let gr Malone know I'm back at you we're not going to go with you getting hammered like I've been getting hammered but Shaq nor car they're not flagrant foul type of players these are MVP players but I think Steve's right Shaq wanted to send that message right back at you we're not laying down here in game four well Shaq was telling me you know he's just very frustrated at the way the team is playing and how they're not able to get into their fast break game it's a sign of frustration now it'll be Jazz ball as we check in with Jim Gray right time kind of a pointy moment in the Laker locker room before the game somebody walked in and was walking around all the Lakers got to Shaquille O'Neal and said thanks and goodbye Shaq looked at him and said goodbye we're not going anywhere not now Tom all right I would want to uh get Shaq fired up you don't think that was a jazz Emissary do you well the Jazz have done what they had to do stay in the ball game early he going to jump ball as they tie up CM Malone blunt had Malone and Shaq com coming down to help ties him up well Tom there's a lot of very confident Jazz fans in this building here today in fact I noticed a number of them bringing brooms in to the building the ushers questioning what they were doing with those brooms they said they were here to clean out some lockers Shaquille slaps it out of bounds on the jump ball so it'll be Utah basketball now sha is going to get a breather Elden Campbell comes into the ball game 212 left in the first quarter Utah out shooting Los Angeles 50% to 44% out rebounding them 11 to5 but as you see we are tied but that's just a continuation Tom of what's going on during the whole series Malone muscles his way in then Campbell with a nice block out of Oster tag for the rebound one of the differences has been the three Utah turnovers and the Lakers have not yet turned it over Fox hit the underneath side of the rim Campbell lost it the fox is able to save it van XEL for three terribly quick shot there was no reset of the clock still at least 10 seconds to go when Nick pulled the trigger and Malone already has a half dozen rebounds one of the way for all the Lakers to get their game going is take shots that they can make and they start with three-point field goals those will eat your confidence up in a hurry if you're not knocking him down Rick Fox commits the foul called trying to hold Brian Russell away from the ball the Jazz have all learned from Stockton from Hornes SEC from eisy about that change of pace change of Direction you sort of walk your man in and then at the opportune time you just bust and get right open as the Forum lights up with the sign of Kobe Bryant going to the scorer table Bryant's into the game replacing [Applause] Fox Dell Harris is going to need offense from Kobe Bryant Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell with this unit out on the floor and theyve somehow got to wake Elden Campbell up he has gone to sleep in the Conference Finals almost been a non-factor for the LA Lakers Utah byad Deuce their second lead today they're ahead 2-1 early in the contest now see Utah is trapping and they don't have Robert Ory in there to play the top man and that's going to hurt the Lakers Bryant had nowhere to go with it Jones was able to save it but then Oster tag blocks it and the Jazz have it look how hard Carl Malone's running the [Music] floor Russell looking into Malone guarded by Campbell the Lakers have to stay committed to a Sprint game tough shot Russell clears it to Van Exel Steve Utah is not making that early pass in the first quarter of this afternoon's game Campbell rimmed out offensive board by blunt Bryant wide open passes up the three now Campbell low post again Bing his way against Oster tag who got a piece of it Eisley Oster tag is extremely long and 's going to have to do a better job of getting the shot away he thinks he can just jump over jump over him and he can't look at the patience of Carl Malone in the low po all the way over blunt won't go down Campbell to Bryant and the Lakers will hold for the final shot of the period Jerry Sloan is hot and he wants better defense out of his team gets it right there as they force a mistake from Kobe Bryant and they will have the final 5 seconds for a score Jazz love to throw long here and then kick out to a guy who's stepping onto the basket watch for Carl Malone to be the swing guy running out of time though Eisley lost it and the horn sounds to end the first quarter Utah ends the quarter with a six nothing run to take the lead at the end of one it's Utah 20 and Los Angeles 18 the Mary players coming to play today with eight points a piece that's the end of the first quarter in game four for the Western Conference Finals it's the Jazz 20 and the Lakers 18 you're watching the NBA on [Music] NBC due to popular demand we've extended the Nissan Prem Memorial Day event to Memorial Day and Beyond which means we've extended our incredible 1.9% APR financing on the quality and craftsmanship of the new Nissan Ultima 1.9 get down to your Nissan retailer now and spend Memorial Day and Beyond somewhere really fun in the new Ultima you can still get with 1.9% AP the extended Nissan Prem Memorial Day event at your Nissan retailer only through June 1st it's Mich Johnson best I'll be right back [Music] [Music] [Music] I hate it when that happens hey little brother need a ride to practice we just finished let's go now every time you hit the road Susy need a ride to ballet I don't take ballet so you can grab the chicken you crave with KFC's kernel strips hey Grandma want to run to the store no I don't for a limited time grab three boneless allh meat spicy buffalo or Colonels Krispy strips wedges and a Pepsi for just $2.99 taking bubbles to the vet isn't it time for some really good [Music] chicken the feel of smart [Music] design is the feel of flexibility [Music] ship Tracer FX is the only razor that flexes to cover every sensitive curve a design so smart you can feel it sh the feel of smart [Music] design start the second quarter with a jazz up two as the physical nature of play is continued in game four attitude is what shaped physical play and we have seen early between the big stars they have the attitude that they're not giving up any Turf without laying a little wood down and that's been the story of the first quarter of play but notice how those Stars take that punishment they don't respond by losing their head and getting in a confrontation that could get them ejected and possibly cost them a game or even a series Utah out shooting the Lakers 41-32 Los Angeles has gone over 3 minutes without scoring and the Lakers have been troubled by 30% shooting every first quarter as Anderson Wheels inside against Bryan Steve the numbers are staggering in favor of the Utah Jazz throughout the series and they're continuing shanon Anderson continues as well to punish Kobe Bryant inside Chris Morris also in for the Jazz as the Lakers turn it over so Van Exel has already gone to the bench and Chandon Anderson's been one of the heroes the star the other night who was huge in the fourth quarter with 13 points Shannon Anderson Just devastating in the post this is aough tough tough lineup for Dell Harris not a lot of guys in the front Court other than Robert ay who are fluid thinkers on the court andan Carr into the game for the Jazz as Shaquille returns for the Lakers and Elden Campbell will go to the bench Stockton continues to sit as Jerry Sloan has gotten such great production from his bench why not the patience of Jerry Sloan Tom in the substitution pattern amazes me but he knows and they've really worked on building confidence in his play Isley for three and the Jazz with five reserves on the court are handing it to the Lakers much as they did Friday night in game three yeah those same reserves built a 10-point lead for uh Jerry Sloan and that had the LA Lakers fighting uphill the entire ball game confident bench looking on as Howard Eisley Steeps back and you want to see confidence and this is the guy that was struggling coming into this series Nails the Deep three but the confidence in that he knows the no matter what he's going to play 15 to 25 minutes a game another tough call against the Jazz in the post and already their bench outscoring the Lakers nine to nothing a pattern that has been all too familiar to Los Angeles the uh Jazz bench has outplayed the Lakers in two of the three games so far in this series and 90 to start this one game four and they'll all want to go to the allstar game why not well what one of the real keys for Utah is that their second round draft pick they got a lot of those guys on this team they have been playing like all stars of late Kobe Bryant continues to struggle O'Neal can't handle that wild effort and the Lakers turn it over they didn't have a turnover until Kobe came into the game and since then they've been plagued with three turnovers well they're not all Kobe I mean Kobe's not doing what he should do with is shoot he's trying to now become a passer let it go do what you do best there's no tomorrow for the Lakers suddenly they want to be a pass an extra pass team you're going to get a against Kobe Bry now Steve I believe Kobe is responsible for [Laughter] two EDD Kobe quickly to the bench here after the turnovers after picking up the foul it looks like pretty good defense there Eddie Jones onto the court for Los Angeles as Shandon Anderson trying to post him up now sets a back screen for car Isley they got Antoine Carr with the mismatch he's wide open open five on the shot clock isy again for three Howard eisy backto back three-pointers Tom the Jabs work on that with isy all the time where they count down the shot block as he's got the dribble cuz he's the guy who has it so many times at the end of that shot Brock they work on the bump to P the forced Rush shot he's ready to deliver Jones finally breaks the spell with the Laker bucket after the Jazz thanks to their bench had built a 10-point edge that one cut that's it to eight Utah has scored 12 straight points why don't the Lakers pass it to Shack Moore in the set offense the Jazz no one else for that matter have found an answer for him yet that's probably what Dell Harris asked every time out he may be asking that as we speak time out 9917 left and the Jazz starting to smell the sweep can Larry Birds Pacers even their series with Michael and the Bulls the answer Monday dude get down it's my chair let's go I'm not playing games okay here we go again oh [Music] dude he's got him right where he wants [Music] it just a b downside hey those dog obedience classes really paid off there's no need to go anywhere but the Home Depot for your lawn and garden we've got it all you can get wheelbarrows you can get fertilizer you can get tools shovels Rags hes bushes shrubs trees you're going to get a better deal than you would somewhere else you can get everything you need for your yard right here you should be able to get it all in one spot I'm sorry you travel so much feed your lawn through your sprinkler with Miracle grows new nolog 4 in-one feeder and plant food they're both at the guaranteed low price every day at the Home [Music] Depot with formidable strength and a distinctly individual style this Sierra is the most powerful half ton truck in GMC's history Sierra gives you the style to stand apart from the [Music] herd and a power to pull it Sierra by GMC putting you comfortably in command the NBA on NBC is brought to you by Budweiser now is the perfect time to enjoy a fresh cold Beachwood aged Budweiser by GMC see your local dealer today and by Gatorade thirst quer you either have it in you or you don't life is a sport drink it [Music] up the key to be a good bench players be able to come in and change the flow of the action and that's what this entire second unit which plays together so well has done Shandon Anderson poer tag Isley everyone delivering Antoine Carr setting great screens the bench production for the Utah Jazz Greg oer tag has played marvelous ball today and that's from a former NBA sixthman award winner in Praise of the bench yesterday we saw the Pacers bench pay some dividends and their win over the Bulls but I think that the Jazz V is the best in the NBA I agree with you Tom but Larry Bird certainly showed a lot of confidence in those guys and the quickness of Jaylen Rose the quickness of Travis B really paid big dividends for Indiana right now you have a Laker team that's confused offensively is how to attack and and that's one of the reasons sha is not getting the ball Eddie Jones with the runner against the shot clock I'll tell you ignore sha I'll tell you how you get Shack the ball put him in the low post have to put his hand up and come down and throw it to him nothing there's nothing confusing about that but give the Utah jab some credit they're confusing him and that's creating a problem see the Utah big front Court players more bench again from Antoine Carr these guys can set screens they can handle they can pass they can shoot players the carage continues at 16-2 now in favor of the Utah bench against their Laker counterparts as Antoine Carr knocked in the last one and one of the major differences jary Sloan has a ton of confidence in his bench and he's letting these guys play as Bill pointed out early Del Harris is looking for a combination and his players are in or out in a short period of time but ste's credit he builds confidence oh nice clear out by Sha with the off arm why do they not go to him every time is the question I thought I asked that well we it hangs it continues continue to just hang around here it's been out there for some time oer tag misses a jam Fox leads the Laker break and the Jazz are back on defense good hustle Antoine Carr to deny Shack in transition you know what the Lakers have to do is take advantage of getting to the offensive end quickly and create a quick offensive opportunity Jaa busting through two three screens to try to finally get position no clear out Bill well you just dropped the left arm he's very good the great scorers do that kareim Abdul Jabar the greatest scorer in the history of the game he was the master at that take it up with two hands at the last moment just drop it off that was Oster tag committed that last foul and now Joy Crawford with another call here dou foul double foul on eisy non Fisher normally you'd look up at the clock 740 and say uh the Lakers are in good shape G got 14 fouls next one puts the Lakers at the line but the Lakers have been awful in delivering the goods from the free throw line in this series of four today's game as fiser misses from outside but ay with an offensive board see I'm looking at the same scoreboard you are I don't see how the Lakers can feel good about having 22 points with seven minutes to go in the second quarter they can't and shouldn't uh you know but they they've got to stay in the ball game and one of the ways to do it is to attack early Chandon Anderson L it to Fox and then Fox throws it away Morris couldn't hang on and Shaquille O'Neal to Eddie Jones great strength on the outlet by Sha [Applause] fer not his shot he got his own penetrates this time still can't hit ory is fouled looks like it'll be Antoine Carr with the foul time out at the Forum 647 left till halftime the Jazz up eight on the [Music] Lakers with formidable strength a distinctly individual style and the strongest V8 in its class this is the most powerful Sierra in GMC's history Sierra gives you the style to stand apart from the [Music] herd and a power to pull it Sierra by GMC putting you comfortably in command [Music] this is for Reverend O'Brien who always told me to give it my best [Music] shot for my grandmother who showed me what real courage is and for myself who found [Music] it you're being signed by your favorite NBA team team you and your friends take a private jet to the allstar game you're playing horse with your pal Michael Jordan nice shot now your dreams can actually come true with the Gatorade NBA dreams game just uncap a Gatorade and you could unap your dreams and who knows all right try this maybe you'll win that game of [Music] horse for Cynthia Cooper there are so many me memories winning backto back national championships bringing home Olympic gold being a million miles away and returning to the ones she loves so many memories it's time to make some more this is just amazing what Cynthia Cooper is doing the [Applause] [Music] houon Shirley mlan is the First Lady that's a good boy Nicholas Cage has to watch her hold the pin I'm a secret service agent not a caddy guarding test NBC tonight welcome back to Los Angeles the Lakers Trail by 8 but if you look up in the rafters with all the banners that are hanging in the retired jerseys you see the Los Angeles Sparks hoping to have her jersey retired the first draft pick of the Sparks Allison feaser Sparks get underway on June the 11th Allison you had a big decision you could have went to Wall Street you're a Harvard graduate but you decided to play in the WNBA how difficult was that decision not very difficult at all I mean a 9 to5 job versus playing doing something you love you know and getting paid for it it's not wasn't tough at all for me training camp getting ready to get underway how are the Sparks going to be this year I think it'll be awesome training camp is pretty tough right now we have 18 very talented women you know competing for spots we're going to be very talented we should make a run for the championship got any advice for your Laker Compadre keep playing hard boxing out um they should they should win this game good luck Allison we look forward to seeing the W NBA Tom starts June the 13th here on NBC that's right the Sparks will be at Phoenix on that opening weekend of play here on NBC as Robert Ory hits the free throw and uh Robert Ory praised by his coach Dell Harris as one of the more intelligent Lakers you've called him a cerebral forward but playing often with a heavy heart has a young daughter born with severe birth effects requires constant care it has to be something that gws it his psyche occasionally it's always on his mind I've known Robert for many years is a terrific young man but that daughter has to have 24-hour dayare time and they really have to have a nurse with her all night long to make sure she continues breathing the young daughter as she sleeps and is a very very serious problem we all hope that that can be resolved in the near future I Le eisy is three for three behind the ark and the bench continues to pay dividends for the Utah Jazz why even bring the starters back well baby face Isley is is really playing the part of of an assassin and and and hurting the Los Angeles Lakers you know their three-point game is not nearly as as advertised as the Lakers but it's been more efficient in this Conference Final car Carl Malone is back for the Jazz now but they're hitting over 80% of their shots in this quarter up against the clock the Lakers with a misc 24 second violation what else can go wrong they just continue to make the mandal a mistake terrific defense though by Utah sha did not attack Antoine Carr Sha started this game going very aggressively at the huge numbers but since he came back in after a brief rest it has just not been there for Shaquille well there's 540 to go in the ball game and what the Lakers have to do is just continue to work they're not that far down on the scoreboard even though they haven't had any thing that they can believe in alone no way to stop that now that's what makes this Utah team so great all the Cutters you the three-point Shooters but when you got a guy like car who you can give the ball a great passer who can hit a fade away 18 footer that's Kevin mcale that's Larry B that's Kareem Abdul Jabar and Shaq gets the roll no way to stop that either Los Angeles had turned it over five times in the last 6 minutes before that sha basket that was after they went the first 11 without a Mis this is the starting lineup for the Lakers with the exception of Van XO for Derek fer Del Harr has been under a tremendous amount of criticism on his own website for starting Derek ferel Harris told us that hey it's not been our start it's been our finishes that's right that's why it was reluctant to start that Excell in place of Fisher as many fans and Riders here in La had called for you see now you got Lakers that are reluctant to shoot and you've got to put the ball in the air van XEL was open didn't Fox didn't and then they end up with a tough shot inside they'll get the ball back with the new 24 Steve how did Carl Malone end up 5T off the court that time here's a guy in great defensive position the anchor of the defense and he ends up in photographer's row that guy that you said the biggest the strongest he he gave him a little pop Morris out of the ball game Russell in Chris Morris was terrific in game three has not been a factor didn't get much done so uh he goes down O'Neal tries the reverse will shoot two let's go to Jim Gray see players Tom going at it with the officials that time one of the more clever things that has gone on down here Joey Crawford was screaming at Carl Malone it was off you it was off you and he was pointing at him and Carl pointed back and he says you're right you're right well actually throughout this series it's been the Lakers that have been crying the blues I think Bill and Steve too much so too focused on the officials not getting the calls blah blah blah instead of just playing basketball and we saw Reggie Miller's comments in the post game yesterday saying hey look we've been we've been complaining too much we got to come out and play basketball take advantage of what the referees are going to allow you have to be the aggressors that's what Carl Malone is done that's what John Stockton has done and Stockton is back for Utah at the point and it's a lot easier for Carl to agree with the referees when they're up 3 0 that's right and up in this game 3527 low post Malone checked by blunt and he blocks the call away that time Cory blunt with a good D now Jones one-on-one against Anderson gave it up do they make that quick early swing but nobody attacks now they're going to set up with O'Neal and he's got to make his move quickly but but the groan the grown of the Laker fans when the when the team the Lakers just pulled up on that fast break and didn't attack and then O'Neal missed it Point Blank Range right underneath fast break points has been a halfcourt game Utah's got two the Lakers have two this Advantage clearly in favor of Utah's Carl Malone delivers on a beautiful Up and Under layup from Stockton as he had the brilliant body control to evade sha and put it through 14 points for the rest of the Lakers Shack has 13 that's been the theme of this series as well three-pointer by Van [Music] exit even though the shot goes down you just don't see the look of confidence on Nick's face you don't see him calling the crowd out well one of the things that will give you confidence is to take some shots see it go in and you know he had lost his confidence forced to take that one you fast break point situation even Malone the foul against cor blun and that says that the tempo of the game in favor of the Jazz as you noted billou number4 oal and as they go to the free throw line Carl Malone will step there and uh what what do that I smell that Carl Malone has this unusual Superstition he's worn the same pair of socks for every game this season I was in the locker room with Carl before the game and and I was looking at that pair of socks and he's sitting in there with just the one pair of socks ratty is can be holes everywhere he spends a lot of time sewing it back together it was not good looked like Carl had just spent the night at Venice Beach they're falling apart but I like the fact that he darns them himself and uh Jim Gray uh how long can those socks last well they've lasted All Season he put some little booties over those socks he said some guy just came in the locker room made a big deal out of he says I've been wearing the same pair of socks every year since I have been a pro now I said Carl those have to smell pretty bad he says no I get a new pair at the beginning of each year but it's been the same Superstition I've had now for 13 or 14 years Jim I wouldn't call them booties in front of Carl if I were you no that that's what he that's what he called them Russell with a brick Russell's trying to shoot off his own dribble rather than trying to get it from other people's creativity and Eddie Jones off the transition game they ow the jump shot and just one final word about the socks who could forget the socks the floppy socks of Pistol Pete marovic who played for the Jazz when they were in New [Applause] Orleans and Oster tag pounds it through pistol beats number hanging in the Delta Center now one of the greatest players in the history of basketball and that that franchise got their first Victory ever at my expense Pete marage hit a game winner in my face for the franchise's first Victory down in New Orleans musles it in that's the first an admission by you that you got M I got faced out by the great p he torched us for 30 plus in the second half alone Lakers are within six now this game smells a lot like game three and that the Jazz has had the lead have been controlling the tempo and had the Lakers confused but the Lakers have been hanging around trying to stay in it and O'Neal and Company trying to find a way to make it a ball [Music] game I have a lot of fun playing characters that are impulsive and and dramatic because the real me is pretty basic I'm even a little practical like a while back I noticed I had some flakes so naturally I started using head and shoulders of course it helps keep the flakes away if it leaves my hair looking like this why mess with a good thing Head and Shoulders changes dandruff problems into beautiful hair does a car have instincts can it anticipate the next curve one car can make you believe it does with a patented steering and suspension system you have the agility to outsmart the most elusive of Roads Get Low 1.9% financing or great lease rates on Intrigue and all old mobiles Intrigue a sophisticated Twist on a sport sedan announcing the new Miller Light scratch and sniff fantasy be Stakes if you can smell it you can win it I think it smells like burnt rubber smell burnt rubber and hang with Rusty Wallace in his pit crew oh you idiot it smells like manthal rub in that case you win the grand prize tickets for two to the all-star game of your choice hey what are you looking at see special displays for details hi I'm Hannah Storm in New York coming up on the credential halftime report we'll have the latest from Indiana on the Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and Pacers Chicago leads it two games to one both teams worked out earlier today Chris Mullen practicing his free throw shooting Larry Bird proudly displaying the Pacers motto and a little bit later on Michael Jordan appearing at Market square Arena looking Dapper in that hat and quite relaxed Reggie Miller by the way did not practice today with his sprained right ankle we will update his status at halftime right now in Los Angeles the Jazz lead the Lakers by six as we send you back to Tom Bill Snapper and Jim thank you Hannah back at the Forum where Shack has just picked up his third foul that's not good news but they have been exposing uh O'Neal and the last line of defense as car Malone is coming hard to the rim so consecutive foul he will sit down for the last 145 Elden Campbell back in Steve what the Jazz have really exploited though is that the Laker big men do not rotate defensive at all they rely far too heavily on their great athleticism to get up in the air and block shots the Jazz just picking Los Angeles apart with exquisite ball movement as Malone hits the first free throw we invite you to log on to MSNBC sports.com and there you'll find a Showtime online's Inside Story on the NBA Playoffs as Malone sights and hits the second free throw you can see who's in John Sally's Spotlight check on video features get Bill Walton's game previews and email him your playoff questions all at Showtime online MC sports.com Eddie Jones limping after that exchange Eddie Jones is the most effective offensive player now on the floor for the Lakers with shck out but they go to Campell get a foul against Oster um Jeff hor horc with a reach in committing his second but it's been a problem for Los Angeles trying to get Eddie Jones off here when he has played really well the Lakers have been virtually Unstoppable the games that the Lakers have not gotten good production from Eddie Jones the team has struggled horribly and today it's been uh again mostly Shaq Shaq has scored 15 points and the rest of the team only 19 Shaq is accounting for 50% of their shooting [Applause] and has hit six of 12 the rest of the team only seven of 25 Tom this Laker team right now is playing a lot like the Laker team played when they had Kim before they got magic in the 1979 draft alone and one the foul on Campbell you know what the beauty of this play is the little subtle nod that Hornet gives Carl Malone just go watch head goes and there's no screen this is where the Lakers have been befuddled they don't know when the screen is coming when the guy is going to cut you the rim and the defense which are relying on the big men is too late another foul Malone with a chance to get to 10 points in the quarter in in talking to the jazs about their improved passing over the last couple years the coaching staff really feels that it came alive when Jeff horc joined the team here's a guy that the cutting improved by everybody the ball handling the the sense the awareness that passing was was such a vital part for this team longterm success jazzz back up by 10 Fox chips three off the lead Lakers needed that one with just over a minute now just under a minute left in the half every team has a personality and the the Lakers can't suddenly become a visible team a half court executing team they've got to be what they are and I'm sure they're going to talk about it in the next 24 minutes block Jones blocks horac Lakers get it back they're down seven just before time time to go two for one for Los Angeles but they can't even turn a great block shot into a quick scoring opportunity and EXO leaves it layup missed by Jones missed the layup intimidation poer tag and fox with a foul of [Applause] Hornes Jeff hornack really one of the great athletes now you know the best thing about the jams is they run straight line now he is not running fluidly but he's taking the straight course to the hoop that he can where the Lakers are not doing the same thing they don't get the defense exposed in the open horc for a pair of free throw Steve he's not just a great basketball player when Jeff hornek was 9 years old he was the national champion in the baseball pitch hit and throw Championship his dad in fact was a a high school baseball and basketball coach in the Chicago area and and Jeff the competition was in Atlanta and they drove down there the family did did their mom was 9 months pregnant with the second son in the family Jeff being the oldest Jeff went down there and dominated the competition and then went on to basketball greatness that was a walk on at Iowa State and has become a brilliant throw L the co for the final shot with Van X Scoops it up no good follow no good at the buzzer at the end of the first half Shaquille O'Neal once again has played well the rest of the team missing in action at the end of the first half in game four Utah looking for the sweep and leading the Lakers at intermission 47-38 now stay tuned for the credential halftime report coming up after these messages you're watching the NBA on [Music] NBC does a car have instincts can it anticipate the next curve one car can make you believe it does with a patented steering and suspension system you have the agility to outsmart the most elusive of Roads Get Low 1.9% financing or great lease rates on Intrigue and all old mobiles Intrigue a sophisticated Twist on a sports sedan happy birthday oh good another Apple first Danny you way I thank you staying alive stay [Music] alive this is the look under the c or in specially marked packages of Dr Pepper and you can roll out with one of 25 Chevy Camaros or millions of other prizes catch the pepper prize fever yo man my sister got a better jump shot than that speaking to your assistant a my shoes you got like ballet practice after this or something oh you snapping on my shoes look at your sneakers they so old they say air Moses on them well if I was in your shoe I'd walk on my hand I thought your mom's got your baby shoes bronze son shouldn't you take your shoes off before you clip your toenail I ain't going to front Money sneakers is fat P probably hurting all your toes word up how the little people doing today just having the Sicilian from Pizza Hut pop out a slice you can't handle the Sicilian I mean being a shallow corporate Raider can't prepare you for garlic basil and oregano or the blast of chees herb seasonings in every morsel na our new Sicilian pizza only at Pizza Hut only $8.99 for the absolute mother of a deal get up to three toppings or any specialty pizza for two bucks more I hope I wasn't out of line with that shallow corporate Raider crack the Sicilian pizza from Pizza Hut can you handle it what a game yesterday in Indie the fourth quarter was Miller time Reggie Miller hobbling with a sprained ankle came up big as the Pacers squeaked out the win to cut Chicago's series lead in half now Larry Bird's team can even it up but Michael and the Bulls have other ideas a holiday special Monday at free Eastern on NBC this is the credential halftime report brought to you by Prudential bringing strength and stability to America's families through Insurance healthare real estate and Financial it's halftime of game four with the Jazz leading the Lakers 47- 38 Carl Malone leads all scores with 18 points Shaquille O'Neal has 15 for the Lakers but not much help once again as they are just one half away from elimination in this Western Conference Final hi everybody Hannah stor back with John spider Sally Peter vessie and Coach gcas joining us for this weekend and we'll talk about the first half of the Jazz and the Pacers in a little bit but first the east Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and the Pacers yesterday Indiana beat Chicago in a thrilling game three at Market square Arena to trim the Bulls lead in the series to two games to one Reggie Miller had a big fourth quarter with 13 points despite playing on a sprained right ankle with more we go to Bob costus Doug Collins and Isaiah Thomas kind of first of all Reggie Miller's situation his injury is diagnosed as a mild ankle sprain he's officially listed as day-to-day he did not practice today but you have to believe he'll be in the lineup tomorrow for game four speaking of Reggie Doug what was it that the Pacers did to free him up for so many shots in game three Bob I think they made a real conscious effort to set better screens and I think Reggie was much more patient in using the screens with Travis best in the game with his speed the Bulls had to give him a little distance so there was better passing Lanes you see Reggie getting ready to see the screen from Smiths Michael Jordan goes through the inside Reggie Fades and hits the open jump shot then on an inline out of bounds play the double big screen by Rick followed up by Davis and you see Reggie come off no switch and this really was the killer shot because this put the Pacers up eight late in the fourth period so better screening better useless screens better patience and then the play of Jaylen Rose and Travis best Off the Bench was terrific we know Reggie had the huge game with 28 points but Rose and best combined for 26 their turnovers were down they were a major factor Isaiah Doug I thought Chicago was very successful yesterday and wining a rebounding battle fil Jackson inserted didn't Robin in the lineup and they won the rebounding B at 40 to 29 however when Tony kach is not in the lineup you're not able to force as many turnovers in game one and two they were able to force 12 turnovers and have a plus 12 in steals now Indiana made a conscious effort to knock Scotty pipping down every time he moved they wanted to take the pressure off of Mark Jackson in the back court you'll see Dell Davis coming up here getting ready to set a back screen on Scotti Pippen Dennis robman is late don't call out the back screen and Scotti Pippen gets nail I thought Indiana was very successful and accomplishing the little things that Larry Bird talked about and they'll try to do them again Monday Hannah it's a series again and Market Square Arena will be jumping for game four tomorrow back to you in New York thanks Bob it's quite an atmosphere there in Indie and the Pacers the only team perfect at home in the playoffs they're six and0 they made some changes yesterday Matt what was working for them well Hannah the two big adjustments that I saw Larry Bird and his staff make for game three first have Mark Jackson attack Scott Pippen he did it and he did it well early and number two not have Mark Jackson on the floor for the last 152 minutes it was Travis best who was the finisher and of course the heroics of Reggie Miller in that fourth quarter but the Antonio Davis beating the master on the boards was outstanding one of his six offensive rebounds there's three of Reggie Miller's 13 fourth quarter points and Travis best doing a good job of being the floor General finding open people and and Jaylen Rose who has been a missing person came up big with 15 points but the bench has been strong all year long for Larry Bird they are primed and ready well they've also been a bit inconsistent in the playoffs but yesterday the bench playing about as well as they can for Indiana they get a heroic performance from Reggie Miller down the stretch and yet they only win by two Peter and that's what I saw in their faces complete relief that the Bulls didn't run the table on them hugs after the game between Reggie Miller and Travis best I thought was very inappropriate most people think that they'll never be able to beat the Bulls four games in a seven game series I say that's their only hope to go to seven games because that's where their nuclear subs will be more of a factor well you've been on the other side with the Chicago Bulls what's their mentality right now well everyone know they let them off the hook they rode about it they we spoke about it but they're saying hey we only lost by two on the visiting team all we have to do is go back in execute our offense make sure we know where our men are on defense and we'll come up with a win I think Michael Jordan called it a bump in the road something like that our coverage begins tomorrow at 3:00 Eastern with NBA Showtime tip off for the Bulls and Pacers is just after 3:30 Eastern if the Lakers win today game five in the west will be Tuesday night our coverage begins at 9:00 Eastern and game five of the Pacers and Bulls back in Chicago on Wednesday night air time at 9:00 Eastern and the tip off is at 9:15 and one other piece of sports news from Indianapolis the 82nd running of the Indianapolis 500 Was Won by Eddie chever of Tampa Florida who started in the 17th position buddy lazir was second rookie Steve nap finished third when we return we'll talk about the first half in Los Angeles between the Jazz and Lakers but first a message from credential and a word from the NBA in volatile markets it really makes sense to own a stock fund that has some income credential Equity income fund gives you good participation in the stock market and enough income to cushion volatility as well we we have a process which involves looking for stocks that are inexpensive but also where there's some sort of change going on and that could get the stock moving the presential equity income fund has performed very well over the short and long term it's a good fund for today's [Music] market I'm 6'1 245 lb there are probably a lot of kids who wish they were as big as I am not because they want to play basketball it's so they can protect themselves from an abusive parent if you want to get physical with your kids give him a [Music] hug at half time the Jazz lead the Lakers to 38 let's talk about the first half where Greg Oster tagged two for three six points five rebounds he was a big factor Matt last year in their semi-final win against the Lakers what about his first half today well Greg Oster tag had to come in early because Greg Foster picked up two quick early fouls and the beat goes on for the Jazz bench it's always seems to be somebody but Oster tag making his presence felt being available for the catch and finish inside and then doing a terrific job on the offensive glass Shaquille O'Neal not getting a body on this same sequence Greg Oster tag going to follow again as he just wipes Shaquille O'Neal out of the play and then at the defensive ENT was a presence inside there challenging and blocking the shot of Shaquille O'Neal and Greg Oster tag a big reason why the Lakers were held to 38 points now John you've been in the Lakers shoes back in 1991 you were playing for the Pistons you guys got swept by the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals what is going on right now halim in the Lakers locker room they're trailing at home truthfully that coming very selfish guys are going to say hey I'm going to do all I can do because tomorrow if we lose my line is going to say this no one's going to be able to come up and say I didn't play my best uh I didn't show up like we're saying here what they really not doing so they're about to become a scattered Squad you would you would hope though if they're going to go down and smog in La that they go down as a team and not as individuals but this is The Graduate uh season and Jerry West and Derek fiser are the Lakers men of letters and they might want to think about St collaborating on a concession speech at halftime oh they seem to be pretty good at writing letters but not at stopping the mailman huh ironic the Jazz over the Lakers by 9: we'll send you back to Los Angeles for the second half right after these messages from your local station this has been the credential halftime report brought to you by credentials bringing strength and stability to America's families through Insurance healthare real estate and financial services for anyone who's ever called long distance on the company's dime for anyone who's ever worked with a guy like this for anyone who's ever endured a company physical or had to listen to this woman talk about her cat or gone before the boss on one of his bad days and for anyone who's ever pretended to listen we bring you working just like your job only funnier NBC Wednesdays oh to ton oh you'll feel the burn all right there's no shortcut to results when you're a pro like your GMC deal check them out they're closer than you think here it is now get 1.9% APR GMAC financing or $1,000 cash back on Jimmy one9 financing or $1,000 cash back that makes now the best time to buy see your local GMC dealers cool you're looking at a totally new car wax specially made to keep your car looking bright as new when you see the way it shines the way it lasts and [Music] especially the way it protects you'll know why they named it armorall new armorall car wax available only at Kmart and parts America [Music] for 1998 the Lexus LS400 has been redesigned with sleer lines a more powerful 290 horsepower engine and a standard vehicle skid control system that helps improve cornering in adverse [Music] conditions which would appear to put the LS400 in a class by itself its value runs circles around the competition at Superior Lexus we've got news for you NBC 41 news at 6:30 nothing compares to Paris in the springtime and now tennis's most grueling Grand Slam is upon us Pete SAS Martina Hingis Venus Williams Michael Chang and more join us for the French Open coverage begins next Saturday at 3 Eastern on NBC halftime at The Forum the Lakers led by four early but then thanks to the you T bench they built a lead of as many as 11 it's 4738 here at intermission and guys through the first half of game four I don't see much difference great bench play Utah sha and not much else for the Lakers Tom it has been an exact continuation of the way the rest of the series has gone and now what you have the problem with the Lakers doing is that they just are not playing with any sort of spark any sort of energy whatsoever and that's very disappointing for Los Angeles it is and it's very heartwarming for the Utah jazs because they they feel and they can see in the Lakers eyes that defeat and they want to continue to pressure it is still a winnable game for the Lakers and Jerry Sloan can't let his team go to sleep but it would help if somebody would make a shot out there make a shot please one time let's take a look at our millerite halime stats Carl Malone as usual doing the job leading Point getter in the game with 18 as the Jazz shot 51 Point 6% in the first half Carl Malone was absolutely marvelous there a ton of points a ton of rebounds more importantly though leadership and for the Lakers sha with 15 points on six of 12 shooting overall the Lakers hitting just 34% of their shots I can't believe you're Jumping Ship getting away from O'Neal O'Neal had a great start and he's got to be even stronger in the second half he's shooting 50% he's got to bring somebody with him I lost my head Ste I'm sorry Lakers hope to avoid the sweep they've got a mountain de climb the mighty Chrysler the 300 idea is the idea of a powerful responsive Nimble Automotive [Music] Machine introducing the allnew 99 Chrysler 300M the most powerful Sports sedan in its class as long as I've worked on this engine I still get a tingle every time we open the hood the Chrysler 300M the technology has changed but the soul lives on [Music] hey guys welcome to your world ever wonder why it's so full of sweat fact is guys sweat 40% more than women that's why there's a whole new Speed Stick Speed Stick ultimate it's antibacterial so it kills the germs that cause odor in this world getting rid of sweat and odor is the ultimate goal new Speed Stick ultimate kills odor protect [Applause] guys is it pain is it pleasure Gatorade is it in you [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] the WNBA returns to NBC June 13th we start the third quarter of game four with Utah up 4738 a couple of moments ago Jim Gray spoke with Lakers coach Dell Harris all right I'm joined by Lakers coach Dell Harris and Dell the tempo hasn't been in the Lakers favor and defensively uh it seems as though you need to get some guys to step up what' you say at halftime here yeah we've got to try to play Laker ball here we're letting them uh intimidate us uh in our our cutting you know by grabbing holding we're not uh uh going ahead on through and setting good picks and uh you know that's causing 35% shooting so uh furthermore we got to push the ball up the court get into more our Tempo instead of just the walk Tempo all right d thank you for your time all right all right back out to you Tom one of the key words I think there was uh intimidation and that's not a good sign for Los Angeles with Shaquille O'Neal you should be the Intimidator not the [Music] intimidate yeah just last week he was saying they should change his name from jaquille to Dominator and uh he hasn't been the dominant force and certainly the the Lakers have had all kinds of problems as Derek Fisher got nailed on a screen and missed a wide open look too hard off the glass the hardest thing though to get back for a team is their Spirit quick 20 second time out here Dell Harris is saying hey you see my guy just get peeled down there I mean somebody smacked him good that was a great screen by Carl Malone well John Stockton and Carl Malone hoping to return to the finals where they gave Chicago a scare before falling last season they have the most playoff off games without a title 141 for Stockton the most and 131 for Carl of course if they do return to the finals there'll be a slight difference this time they'll have home court advantage the only guy that's applauding that is elen Baylor you know how long he's been sitting there at the number one guy and now somebody has gone by him so uh he knows what it's like to work and languish without a title and Stockton him alone don't want to stay in that same category well the toughest part of it for Elgen was that the championship finally came just after he hurt his knee so terribly that he could never come back and play again that brilliant style that he had Fisher with a penetration and the pullup up against the shot clock it won't go and rebounded by Utah all the loose balls continue to go Utah's way I I think the Lakers just can't get into Panic thinking a nine-point lead uh is not insurmountable so they just got to stay in there and play basketball and do all of the things necessary to get away win alow short on the follow away ory gives it up to fiser but to win Steve the Lakers have to oh what a great L nicely done sh from Fox that's a good way to win throw that play again I I would call that play number one and until they stop that play I I wouldn't call any [Music] other alone on the low block against ory gave it to Hornes and the Jazz don't want to stand around but they get a bust out for horack foster picks up the loose the loose ball and lays it back in shck blocked it but Foster beat everybody else to the ball the Lakers just standing around watching Shaq's Brilliance when a guy goes for a block you've got to be on the Move anticipating it's going to be made and turn it into a fast break layup entry pass to sha no basket foul on the floor by Foster hornek is hot he felt he got hammered there Hornes wide open down the lane he just gets hit right across the wrist there no call everybody's just standing turning the corner and again ay sha underneath the basket defensively that will not get it done well one thing that the Lakers are flirting with when they put sha in that position is a fourth personal foul they got to keep the guy out on the floor Jaa again against Foster turns on him misses the shot Mone tapped it to himself he has 10 rebounds and he's rebounding today as well as I've ever seen on the defensive end oh what change of pace change of Direction by stock but or rejects it that's the help that the Lakers have been looking for it was a terrific change of pace by Stockton and a better play and then they sneak one off the inbound and it's a Laker [Music] foul it's amazing when you watch John Stockton year after year how he just has not lost anything in terms of quickness in terms of the instincts in complete control at at 36 years of age barely 510 as a point guard oh he's lost something and he and fer get locked uper committed his second foul a moment ago that one will go to Stockton for the hook what has he lost he's lost some quickness he's lost a foot speed he's gotten more smart but he has lost a whole lot here's my glasses Steve the Jazz are up three he's playing better than ever not as long play fewer minutes and eisy has done yman work in replacing him at the point and here's double foul double foul called Stockton and fer they've been locked up several times in this game third now difference is e played great today so they if G Stockton has to get in foul trouble they got somebody that's playing with a lot of confidence going to get an offensive foul this way this one against Robert ER or and for ay that's number two as the Lakers can't stand Prosperity well the game is disintegrating into a series of paybacks fouls it's where all the players have to keep their Collective [Music] heads stockt driving Baseline horek beautifully done horek from Stockton that is just terrific basketball they know Stockton is not going to try to score that ball inside they just keep moving gets it in perfect Rhythm horn a second Shaquille Works himself free for the layup Shaq has 19 trying to trap the ball get it out of Stockton's hands early and make someone else beat them but all these other guys are playing with such confidence right now they don't mind seeing John Stockton not have the basketball pick and roll pick and stay in this case but Stockton gave it up to Horn SEC and he misses it rebounded by ay quick out of the sha who runs the floor sha to Fox for [Applause] three sha just doing it all realizing that nobody else is passing on the fast break he might as well become the next Magic Johnson and the Lakers within [Applause] six Lakers have hit five of 10 from the ark Robert ay called for his third foul normally you don't like to outlet the ball to a a 72 325 M pound man run in the lane but sha just handled it beautifully smoothly getting the three Jones blocking Stockton's shot it'll be Jazz ball with 19 to shoot yeah Stockton few words for Joey Crawford on that one went down the lane Eddie Jones riding him all the way before he got the block 19 on the shot clock for the Jaz this is what so many teams try to do against John stock to come with the off guard Here Eddie Jones for the Lakers more size more strength more length try to deny John Stockton skip pass to Russell chalen sha if it's on Shaquille it'll be his fourth it could be on Fox let's see that has to be on Shaquille it is on Shack and that is number four that is the problem that they've had they are allowing the guy to beat him off the dribble who's the last line of defense shot the ball he got to it first then continued on got to the arm and the body Steve let's go back to Friday night game three Brian Russell late in the game two huge drivve right down the basket knowing he was going to get his head taken off sha has to go to the bench now D Harris protecting him with foul but when I saw Brian Russell willing to put his life and health career on the line I knew that this Jazz team was ready to take the next step toward that Championship you think it was life and health was that dangerous if you drive in like that on Shaq your life is in your own hands Fox for three air ball just missed well fox looks like he he thinks he got hit but uh that was a real ratty looking shot from Rick F technical foul on Dell [Applause] Harris Dell doing that country appeal and my man gets hit and you call the technical on me is that right that's how this works we may have to log onto the website to see just what he said Del harris.com he's been getting quite a few suggestions all good ones I bet [Applause] absolutely Jeff hornek deadly at the free throw line sinks the technical Odell's in a very tough situation because a terrific coach a great teacher but the but the team has not responded improved their record all four years as their head coach but what happens if the Lakers are swept today to D Harris well he'll be under an incredible amount of critic but hey this has been the players not getting the job done as they have been beaten soundly in every category you always say that but guess who's responsible the coach the coach always takes the heat as O'Neal sits and looks and watches that doesn't make it right but we never said the world was right Malone from long range just rimed out Fox to Jones great by horac [Music] here's Malone facing on Campbell shots over it rimmed off to ory now the Lakers are getting rebounds with a chance to run and they've got to want it more than the the the Utah Jaz they can't Meander up the floor any longer they got to really come with some reckless abandon Jones an open three rebounded by Campbell how is that not a push off foul against ELD cell Fox misses a three and this time Malone makes sure that's 11 rebounds well there is such a thing as a high percentage shot the Lakers are not taking it and that's why their percentage is down and they're down nine on the scoreboard two three-point attempts when you can get inside that line and get something cheap Derek fiser called for the foul as he tried to body Stockton and Derek has four John Stockton just absolutely Relentless trying to establish that screening position you're watching the NBA on [Music] NBC go to the playoffs nba.com every player has a weakness tonight Mr Grant Hills weakness takes Center [Music] Court there's only one place to go for the year irresistible Taste of America's favorite fries did somebody say McDonald's enjoy the fries that have earned the right to be called America's favorite fries it is grounded in the belief that for ideas to take flight they must have wings the all new Chrysler Concord LXI with a 225 horsepower engine so Advanced it provides more power yet uses less fuel Chrysler Concord built on the belief that great cars appeal to one more passionate side Chrysler engineered to be great cars lease an allnew Chrysler Concord LX for just $39 a month this is enough to put a high life man off his lunch time was a man knew how to command his own vehicle just how far are we willing to fall better reacquaint yourself with the highlife Soldier before someone tries to take away your Miller time Miller Genuine Draft presents even more basketball the most difficult thing that the Los Angeles Lakers have been having is playing Team Basketball they have had a dominating effort from Shaquille O'Neal in the middle but see the Utah Jazz game plan is to let Shack shoot not quite as easily as that but don't let the other guys get home and Shakil when he's caught the ball outside of the paint has been relatively ineffective inside the paint he has just been devastating picking up tons of fouls on the Utah post Defenders and in recognition of this look inside the game Miller Brewing Company will donate $1,000 to the th Good Marshall Scholarship fund and our congratulations to Shaquille for being named First Team all NBA center for the first time time in His Brilliant six-year career the other winners during that span were always aim elijan and David Robinson going back and forth with number one center Kobe Bryant on the floor for the Lakers as Russell goes right by Kobe and lays it in welcome back Kobe now it's time for the small lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers to get into the game van XEL Jones and Bryant are all after they're going to have to SC carry the scoring with O'Neal on the Ben and EXO Campbell who misses the jam Malone with the board despite Carl Malone not scoring in this quarter the Jazz have just had a chance they will at the free throw line to take their biggest lead of the game he hasn't scored this entire qu the quarter it's shocking isn't it well they're killing the Lakers they're up by 11 and they're in total control and Carl is only being a defensive rebounder igniting the fast remember in game three Carl Malone John Stockton were both on the bench when they built the lead against ke O'Neal who was out on the floor O'Neal on the bench right now Oster tag has six points this is the first free throw and tomorrow an NBA Memorial Day special beginning at 300 p.m. Eastern with NBA Showtime then game four of the Eastern Conference Finals as Reggie Miller who hit the big shots yesterday takes on Michael and the Bulls and if necessary on Tuesday this series will continue in Prime Time 9 p.m. eastern time as of now it doesn't look very likely well we certainly hope that Reggie Miller's ankle is going to be fine hate to see series uh affected like that Kobe Bryan given a wide open look at a three that's a two had his foot on the line I guess had a toe on the line finally some good ball movement some effective perimeter shooting we talked about the rebounding Carl has 12 rebounds Jack only has three today all of them in the first five minutes of the game Bryant rebounds the Oster tag Miss Lakers want to pump up the tempo if they can just over 5 minutes left in the third they Trail by 10 they got to get that attitude that they can't be stopped on the offensive end a big effort by Elden Campbell that's the best move that he has made he yet to score a field goal but gets a foul against oer T number two on Oster tag Del Harris was telling us yesterday about the frustrations of coaching Elden Campbell and H how do you put this guy into the rotation they've tried him so many different ways to fit in with Shaq but really the only becomes an effective player when Shaq is not in the game playoff scoring by Elden at an all-time low and Nell telling us he plays much better as a five as a center than he does at a power fourward spot with or without [Applause] sh so it makes it very difficult for Dell Harris you know with Robert Ory not playing brilliant basketball this series but with the Alternatives being elen Campbell Cory brunt and Mario Bennett that's not a choice that Del Harris is willing to make isy penetrates finds the open man Russell long range two Brian Russell with eight points Russell come alive here in the quarter six and the quarter the leading the leading score in the quarter for the Utah G but it's that same kind of inefficiency defending the pick and roll that's got the Lakers in trouble Campell trying to force it did force it oer tag blocked it Eddie Jones double pumps and draws the [Applause] foul this has been ran Russell's quarter though Steve there's a guy moved to San Bernardino a suburb of Los Angeles when he was 10 years old went to neighboring Long Beach State here was the center on that team played the middle of a two3 Zone and now has just developed into an outstanding small forward that foul was the second on Carl Malone Eddie Jones when the team wins Eddie Joon is is just absolutely spectacular probably because of him spectacular they're winning but when they lose the numbers just are not there he has 11 today nice pass Carl Oster tag made the fake Kobe bit on it and Oster tag from Malone with now nine points what they have done against the Laker trap is Center the ball very quickly the defense doesn't react quick enough you've got people standing right at the basket like Oster tag for an easy two that type of play though it it just doesn't work anymore against Utah and EXO to Campbell nicely done and ex will penetrated through the defense and found Campbell for the jam you always say you don't want an opponent to hang around that's what the Lakers are doing right now trying to make a little surge with 339 to go but back to Russell against briyan blocked and the crowd gets fired up over that elen Campbell's out of the play his shoe is untied in the back court Eisley takes a foul now Kobe Bryant has been uh he's been posterized a few times with some post moves but this one is going to be sent back a real good reaction against a pretty Lively Brian Russell O'Neal coming back in the G huge gamble here by Dell Harris but I think D Harris thinks if I'm going to make a right now and he's got a little momentum now and I think he wants to capitalize on it the Lakers within eight just over 3 minutes left in the third gamble the house is about to fall off the The Shack the mus are coming this is not a gam it is because if O'Neal picked up another foul the slides have hit wow what what are the Lakers going to try to win this series in nine games or what I think that was your prediction Malone with his first basket of the quarter from eand [Applause] but the one thing the Jazz have been able to do keep this crowd out of this ball game look at that

Channel: michaelhackett

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Id: WDBfMVj0K54

Length: 130min 30sec (7830 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 30 2024