June 5, 2000 SportsLine.com staff

INDIANA	L.A. LAKERS
Rik Smits	Shaquille O'Neal

1999-00 Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 79 12.9 5.1 1.1 20 100	1999-00 Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 79 29.7 13.6 3.8 36 239
Playoff Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 16 11.3 3.4 1.1 7 13	Playoff Stats G PPG RPG APG STL BLK 17 28.2 15.0 3.4 7 39

The 7-4 center had a big series against immobile Knicks center Patrick Ewing in the East finals, but there's no chance of an encore in this matchup. Smits, however, has good range on his jumper -- up to 20 feet -- and the best the Pacers can hope for is that he draws Shaq outside, opening up the inside game for Dale Davis.

Shaq has been the league's MVP in the playoffs, too, leading the NBA in scoring (28.2) and rebounding (15) in 42.8 minutes a game (tied for sixth-most). The Blazers, Suns and Kings swarmed the big guy with waves of defenders in the first three series but he maintained his efficiency from the field (54.6 percent from the field), though his free-throw shooting -- under 50 percent in the playoffs -- is a concern.

Breakdown: Shaq would snap the thin Smits like a twig in one-on-one situations, so the Pacers likely will go with Dale Davis and Sam Perkins on the Laker giant whenever they can. Smits is a good offensive player, the Pacers' third-leading scorer in the playoffs, and is hitting better than 50 percent of his field goals in the postseason but that would dry up quickly if Shaq draws the 'D' assignment on the Dutchman.

Edge: Lakers

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