May 18, 2000 SportsLine.com staff

L.A. LAKERS	PORTLAND
Glen Rice	Scottie Pippen

1999-00 Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 80 15.9 4.1 2.2 47 12	1999-00 Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 82 12.5 6.3 5.0 117 41
Playoff Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 10 13.9 5.1 2.4 6 3	Playoff Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 9 14.8 5.7 4.8 14 1

The third wheel in the Laker express had the worst season of his 11-year career, sinking just 43 percent of his field goals and 37 percent of his triples, and those numbers have plummeted in the playoffs to 32 and 33 percent. But he's still capable of lighting it up, especially if left open. He could be the X-factor in the series.	In Game 3 of this series he'll play in his 194th playoff game, only topped by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 237 in NBA playoff history. That experience and the six title rings won in Chicago demand respect. Pippen wasn't first-team defense this season for the first time in nine years (he ended up second-team), but he still can shut guys down and Kobe's the main target.
Breakdown: Pippen would love to win that seventh ring -- one more than his pal Mike -- and he showed in the Utah series he's willing to take the big shots to win it. His last-seconds 3-pointer was the series clincher against the Jazz. Pip is a much better defender, passer and slasher than Rice, who wins this matchup only if the Blazers let him spot up alone at the 3-point line.

Edge: Portland

The official site of Shaquille O'Neal

R E L A T E D   L I N K S

Speak out: Have your say in the Trail Blazers Team Club!

T O P   N E W S