PORTLAND, Ore., April 30 -- The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals and ousted the Portland Trail Blazers in the opening round for the second straight year Thursday as Shaquille O'Neal collected 31 points and 15 rebounds in a 110-99 victory. The Lakers won the best-of-five series, 3-1, and will face either the Minnesota Timberwolves or Seattle SuperSonics in the second round. That series is tied at 2-2 after Seattle pulled out a 92-88 win in Minnesota. The Trail Blazers suffered this same fate last year, when they lost in the opening round to the Lakers in four games. Portland has not advanced past the first round since reaching the NBA Finals in 1992. O'Neal, who shot 13-of-17 from the field, scored nine points in a 16- 1 burst during the opening period that gave the Lakers the lead for good. He had 13 points in the quarter as Los Angeles opened a 28-19 lead. Portland, which trailed by 16 at halftime, used an 8-0 spurt to pull within 62-55 on two free throws by Brian Grant with 6 minutes 39 seconds left in the third period. But O'Neal responded, scoring three straight baskets during a 9-2 run as the Lakers regained control. Los Angeles owned a 78-65 cushion heading into the fourth quarter and appeared to be cruising to victory. But Portland made a late run by hitting three 3-pointers in a 28-second span, cutting the deficit to 105-99 with 32 seconds remaining.
But All-Stars Nick Van Exel and Kobe Bryant each sank a pair of free throws around one by Robert Horry to help secure the win, the Lakers' first in Portland since the decisive Game Four of last year's opening round. Bryant and Van Exel, who combined for just six points on 2-of-12 shooting in a Game Three loss, recovered with big efforts off the bench. Bryant scored 22 points and Van Exel contributed 14 and seven assists. Damon Stoudamire had 24 points and eight assists, and Grant added 18 points and 12 rebounds for Portland, which shot just 33 percent (17-of- 52) in the first half while watching the Lakers hit 60 percent (24-of- 40).
