SPORTSTICKER NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION WESTERN CONFERENCE TEAM REPORTS FOR MONDAY, MAY 24 The Lakers closed the Great Western Forum in a fashion that was less than great. Sunday's 118-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs completed a four-game sweep at the hands of the Western Conference's top seed. Los Angeles has been swept out of the playoffs the last two years and the points it allowed was a season high. G Tyronn Lue's basket with 25 seconds left was the last basket in the building. The Lakers -- and Clippers -- move into the Staples Center next season. ... The Lakers allowed the Spurs to shoot 60 percent from the field, a season high by an opponent. ... In the first round against Houston, the Lakers shot 38 percent from 3-point range. Against San Antonio, Los Angeles shot just 22 percent from the arc. ... Interim coach Kurt Rambis will be evaluated, as will many players. C Shaquille O'Neal had no comment on Rambis' future while G Kobe Bryant was supportive of Rambis. "You have to put yourself in his shoes," Bryant said. "With all the pressure and the hype and the changes, I'm surprised his whole head didn't turn gray." VP Jerry West also admitted Rambis was in a difficult position to succeed. ... F-C Travis Knight set an NBA playoff record by fouling out in just six minutes. * PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ---------------------- While the bigger Blazers used a dominant effort from their front line to win Game Three, it was the backcourt that did the most damage Sunday as Portland took a 3-1 lead over Utah in its Western Conference semifinal series. ... C Arvydas Sabonis had 14 points and a playoff career-high 15 rebounds, but starting Fs Brian Grant and Rasheed Wallace combined for just nine points and 10 boards. In Game Three, that trio collected 51 points and 30 rebounds in an easy 97-87 victory in Game Four. ... G Isaiah Rider scored 24 points and led a 48-point effort from Portland's guards. ... The Blazers connected on 33-of-42 free throws, including a 10-of-12 effort by Rider, while Utah made just 16-of-26. The team that has gone to the line more has won each game of the series. ... About trying to close out the series in Utah on Tuesday, Grant said, "We're going to try and block them (the fans) out if that's possible. We're not going there to just come back home to Portland (for Game Six)." * SAN ANTONIO SPURS ----------------- The Spurs continued to roll, moving into the Western Conference finals with Sunday's 118-107 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers that completed a four-game sweep. San Antonio has won six straight playoff games and remained unbeaten (4-0) on the road. ... The Spurs have reached the conference finals for the fifth time but still are looking for their first NBA Finals appearance. ... F Tim Duncan has been outstanding. He scored 33 points, shooting 11-of-14 from both the field and line. With consecutive 30-point games against Shaquille O'Neal, he is raising legitimate questions about who is the best big man in the game. ... G Jaren Jackson had another big game with 20 points. He shot 16-of-27 and 8-of-17 from 3-point range in the two games in Los Angeles after shooting 2-of-8 and 2-of-6 in the pair in San Antonio. ... C Will Perdue has his name removed from a dubious record. When Lakers F-C Travis Knight fouled out in just six minutes, he broke the mark set by Perdue in 1992 with Chicago. ... San Antonio did not score more than 29 points in any of the first 11 quarters but tallied 30 or more in four of the last five. * UTAH JAZZ --------- F Karl Malone was noticeably quiet through the first three quarters on Sunday, scoring just nine points. He scored eight in the fourth, but also committed three turnovers over the final 12 minutes. ... F Bryon Russell atoned for an 0-for-8 performance from the field in Game Three by hitting 5-of-12 for 17 points. But he committed a crucial turnover in the final seconds as his inbounds pass tipped off the hand of G John Stockton. ... Utah committed 17 turnovers, including five apiece by Stockton and Malone, that led to 22 points for Portland. ... C Greg Ostertag again was ineffective, going scoreless in 12 minutes. He went 0-for-3 from the field and grabbed just two rebounds. ... "As a team, I don't think we are coming out to play," Malone said. "When I say team, that means everybody, not just myself or Greg or anybody. We're in a big hole right now, but it is amazing what one game can do, though. You win one game and all of a sudden you get a little momentum going." ... Utah will try to avoid elimination on Tuesday at the Delta Center.  