LOS ANGELES, May 5 -- Shaquille O'Neal refused to let Los Angeles' dream season end Friday night, again displaying the form that makes him an opponent's worst nightmare as he carried the Lakers to a 113-86 win over Sacramento in the decisive fifth game of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
The 7-1 center imposed his will from the outset, scoring 20 of his 32 points in the first half.
O'Neal, the likely NBA Most Valuable Player, was not his dominant self in Sacramento during Games 3 and 4, when the Lakers squandered a two games to none lead.
Facing the possibility of being part of the biggest first-round flop in NBA history, O'Neal lifted the Lakers on his prodigious shoulders. He made 10 of 15 shots and outrebounded the Kings, 14-12, in the first 24 minutes as the Lakers opened a healthy 59-44 halftime advantage.
O'Neal finished 15 of 24 from the field, grabbed 18 boards, handed out four assists and blocked three shots in 35 minutes, watching most of the fourth quarter with a towel draped over his head. The Lakers will meet the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals beginning Sunday.
Kobe Bryant scored 17 points in 34 minutes and Glen Rice added 14 points for Los Angeles, which held a whopping 54-35 advantage on the boards and dominated every facet of the game.
Chris Webber scored 20 points for the Kings, who have not won a playoff series since 1981, when they were located in Kansas City.
