Shaq, Lakers Put On A Show For New York

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Preview of the NBA Finals?

That was what they were calling - hoping it would be, anyway - Tuesday’s bicoastal matchup between the New York Ewings and the Los Angeles Shaqs.

Give this one to the Lakers, 98-92 over the Knicks, the Lakers’ third consecutive victory to open the season for their best start since 1987-88.

In his first game in New York for the Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal had 13 rebounds and scored 26 points, including a fallaway jumper with just over a minute left to give Los Angeles a 90-86 lead. The Knicks’ Patrick Ewing had 21 points and six rebounds.

Since O’Neal came into the NBA in 1992, he and Ewing have been the dominant centers in the Eastern Conference. In head-to-head matchups, O’Neal and his former team, the Orlando Magic, held a 9-7 edge, with O’Neal averaging 28.8 points and 12.7 rebounds to Ewing’s 26.8 points and 11.8 rebounds for Ewing.

“He’s a great player,” Ewing said. “(But) I don’t know if he thinks I’m a great player.”

O’Neal scored 10 points in the first quarter going at and through Ewing, while Ewing missed all six of his field-goal attempts and didn’t score a basket until O’Neal went to the bench as the second quarter began.

That was when the Knicks wiped out a 25-22 deficit with a 13-3 run behind Ewing and rookie John Wallace to take a 35-28 lead.

O’Neal then returned, but it was the shooting of Eddie Jones and the penetrating guard play of rookie Derek Fisher that staked the Lakers to a 49-45 halftime lead.

After being outscored 15-8 by O’Neal in the first half, Ewing opened the second with a pair of jumpers along the baseline. But O’Neal exerted himself with blocks of Ewing and Larry Johnson shots, and the Lakers led 73-68 after three. And even though O’Neal was playing with five fouls most of the fourth quarter, the Knicks couldn’t take charge, even after New York tied the game at 82 with 5 minutes left.

So more than a view of the future, this game seemed more of a dress rehearsal. The Knicks are trying to work in Allan Houston and Larry Johnson. But Johnson continues to defer to Ewing and remains inactive in the offense.

“I have to drop it to Patrick when I’m double-teamed,” Johnson said. “I have to hit guys when they’re open.”

Those are issues that never concerned Johnson before. But the Lakers, with O’Neal, also were feeling their way.

“We’re both teams with new players,” acknowledged coach Del Harris. “But the big difference is the Knicks kept their core player with Ewing, and we got a new player at center with Shaquille.”

And Harris wants his center to do whatever he wants. “Coach (Harris) tells me I can shoot five three-pointers if I want. I’m not going to, but it’s nice to know I have that kind of freedom.”

This season has been a continuation of 1995-96 for both the Chicago Bulls and the Vancouver Grizzlies.

The Bulls, who set an NBA record with 72 regular-season victories on their way to the championship, improved to 3-0 with a 96-73 victory over Vancouver. The Grizzlies, who as an expansion team had the league’s worst record last season, fell to 0-3.

“This team’s got a lot of confidence. We know what we have,” said Michael Jordan, who scored 22 points. “We know how to play the game, that’s very evident.”

Yes, they do. And the Grizzlies, well …

“Our improvements are real little and hard to see some games,” said coach Brian Winters, whose team was 15-67 last season.

Grant Hill’s two free throws with 2.8 seconds left lifted the Pistons past the 76ers 83-81. Hill scored eight of the team’s final 14 points.

“In the last couple of minutes, I wanted to take the game over,” Hill said. “I feel more comfortable taking the last shot this year.”

Center of attention

Shawn Bradley of the New Jersey Nets is getting a lot of attention in Tokyo, and he hasn’t even played a game yet.

“I’m getting a lot of looks,” said the 7-foot-6 center, who is in Japan for games against the Orlando Magic on Thursday and Saturday.

Bradley was mobbed by Japanese reporters Tuesday after the Nets held their first practice at the Tokyo Dome. The big question - how does it feel to be so tall?

“I guess it happens no matter where I am,” he said. “But I love being 7-6.”

Cavs or Cav-nots?

Terry Pluto of the Akron Beacon Journal had this to say about the Cleveland Cavaliers, who lost 74-68 to the Spurs on Tuesday:

“Don’t tell me about the great defense. The officials made no less than seven illegal defense calls. Illegal defense? How about illegal offense? Or any kind of offense?”