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Los Game 4: Utah Jazz at LA Lakers 1 B Sunday May 24 1998 :30 pm (NBC) Angeles Laker tan and actor Jack Nicholson tries to cheer his team to victory but it was coach Jerry Sloan's Utah Jazz team that put the Lakers on the ropes by taking a 0 lead n the UOWDI 3-- senes TIM SCHOOL SanOard-Exarrwi- a'? t 1 ' I' I Utah fans are heard LA fans are seen NBA teams are blessed Cl a great sixth Some having but the Utah Jazz have f literally thousands of them -and they don’t even play the game The Delta Center has long been renowned as one of the loudest arenas in the league " With their rowdy home-coucrowd seemingly always a sellout of 1991 1 the Jazz truly have a superb Sixth Man sitting - or more often standing screaming and generally making life miserable for visiting teams - in the stands Comparatively speaking the Great estem I orum home of the Los Angeles Lakers is a library You might wake somebody up After Friday night’s Laker loss it sounded more like a morgue And many members of this LA contingent it seems couldn't care less Unlike the Delta Center where the atmosphere outside surrounding the arena resembles a circus on game djy the Forum has none of that No rock bands 19 I a ' rt I a — rv u I - 't 't i No No downs No face-painte- rs hogs dressed up in Jazz gear Nothing With the exception of a inflatable creature dubbed Shaqzilla - which like Shaquille O'Neal was full of hot air - there was little indication outside the Forum that the Lakers were about to face a critical playoff game Friday Inside there wasn't much sense of urgency either While the Delta Center is littered with dozens of posters being hoisted fans the Forum was by fired-u- p virtually devoid of posters altogether Had it not been for two or three smallish signs seen here and there one might think at they had passed a poster-ba- n this arena Sure the Lakers have some big-nacelebrities sitting courtside but most of them are 30-fo- ot TIM FORUM: A BASKETBALL John Stockton shoots free throws during practice at the Qeat Western Forum on Saturday but Jazz find clouds By Tom mceachin stall Standard-Examin- INGLEWOOD Calif - This series is oyer and everyone knows it Everyone that is but the Jazz Down 0--3 to Utah in the Western Conference finals the Los Angeles Lakers might muster up the gumption to win a game maybe even two But there’s no way they're going to win four straight over the Jazz The fans know it the Lakers seem resigned to it and the records bear it out No team in NBA history has ever won a playoff series after trailing 0-- 3 But the Jazz aren’t taking anything for granted “This might be the first one here” Utah’s Shandon Anderson said “You never know” So it was back to work Saturday morning No time to celebrate Friday’s impres StarxJard-Examtn- in Los Angeles the wake of in SCHOOL series lead 3-- 0 sive 109-9- 8 victory or to think about a possible rematch with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals The Jazz face the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals this after- the Lakers off missed free throws twice on Friday and on numerous occasions they were caught arguing with the officials while the Lakers were making a break in the other direction noon and that’s all they want to think about Even with a 0 lead in the series Jazz coach Jerry Sloan doesn’t have to look far to find reason for concern The Jazz gave up offensive rebounds to “John Stockton got his third foul because two guys didn't run the floor defensively” Sloan said “They were crying over a foul and didn’t run the floor 3-- See GAME See 42B Game on the line: It’s Miller time again in Indiana pacers’ star keeps Chicago at to take Game 3 in series Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS - Even a bum ankle couldn’t stop Reggie from being Killer Miller against the Chicago Bulls Miller showed why he’s one of the best dutch players in the game making three and two key free throws while hobbling on a sprained right ankle late in the fourth quarter - even jumping for joy after It few key plays - as Indiana held oil o 107-10- 5 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals I Miller scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and was from the field lifter going a combined in Chi-i-ag- dimes i 1 and 2 “He’s a consummate pro knows how to play the game” Michael Jordan said “We forgot him a couple times and he made some big shots “Reggie is known for that” It was a performance almost on par with some of the heroics he has displayed in the JOSTLING FOR POSITION: in the The Pacers cut their deficit to series and for all Miller's heroics they still couldn’t have done it without their 2-- 1 best-of-- 7 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan uses an elbow to try to gain the upper hand against Indiana's Jalen Rose on Saturday m Game 3 ot the Eastern Conference reserves Jalen Rose led Indiana's bench production with 15 points while Travis Best had 1 1 and Antonio Davis added 10 points and 12 rebounds All three were on the court late in the game instead of Indiana's starters “We don’t even like being called reserves” Davis said “We have heart and soul just like the starters" The Pacers who have trailed 0-- 2 in their three Eastern Conference finals appearances gave themselves a shot at tying the series when it resumes Monday se- But to beat Chicago in a seven-gam- e playoffs against New York where he earned his rhyming nickname This one however was enhanced by Miller playing injured “I heard something pop It's still hurting pretty bad” Miller said of his ankle “But I’m going to have somebody work on it” He left little doubt he expects to play Monday in Game 4 “I’ve got to play I’ve got to be out there Whatever it takes I’ll be out there" he said “I’ve got a whole day of treatment Going to go round the clock" See BULLS HOLLIS 8B finals m Indianapolis The Pacers won the game 107-10- 5 CHUCK FOfUVSOH 83 iht A&sOCvJuU ebeHcWFJNAC C omnnnmi Pestseeeon t W 4 ft i twtnbBI the N8A playoffs Sfe wN get real rterestsng for Utah's Bryon Busses His wife Kimbart is pregnant vrth twins - a boy &xi a girt -After Utah vs LA djenJJy Conference (best-of-7- ) Western r ' May 16 result S 11 n-- y citecf sol vm tte mt pemn 2 LA Lakers 77 May 18 result Utah 99 LA Lakers 95 Utah and were twm “ rs The Jazz have now won 58 consecutive games (inclucfing the playoffs) when leading going nto the fourtt quarter 1 playoffs 83 ' I Tt'Jara fsrf nieaji 'V biO xi I Friday's result j 'fcy'Osrg fo Utah 109 LA Lakers 98 Utah leads senes I usetfis frv theJkdmnftw fmm Today’s game tm uJy2wsn efetonswe viva J Utah at LA Lakers 130pm (NBC) f -- Jozzce7eGreg Foster aboUKs Seatings Tuesday’ game star he and Cfuss Moms were traded lc the if 7 LA Lakers at Utah pm (NBC) necessary f Orando frx Bony Stka earfier this year Friday May 29 Utah at LA Lakers TBA (NBC) 8 necessary ‘ report to Utah Sunday May 31 LA Lakers at Utah TBA (NBC) if necessary COPY Not counting chickens before they’re hatched Utah players not showing much emotion on eve of possible sweep 2B Where ere they?: Three of tour Lakers' disappear 23 This and that Other media perspectives on Chicago vs Indiana 7-vr- : 3-- 0 a - Ml The Jazz have gotten new production from the smaS forward position what had been a chronc weak spot for Utah over the years Or Fnday Bryon Russe scored 17 pants Chre Moms scored 15 and Shandon Anderson scored 13 That’s 45 ports on a combined shooting (68 percent) - Eastern Conference (best-of-May 17 result Chcago 85 Indiana 79 Tuesday’s resutt 7) Chicago 104 Indiana 98 Saturday's result Indiana 107 Chcago 105 (Buds leads Monday's game Chicago at Indiana 1 JO pm (NBC) 2-- |