<div align="center"><u><font size="5"><font color="#FF0033">CLEVELAND CAVALIERS</font> @ <font color="#7D4A9D">SACRAMENTO KINGS</font></font></u> <u><font size="3"><font color="#FF0033">PROJECTED STARTERS</font></font></u> <u><font size="2"><font color="#FF0033">CAVS</font></font></u> <font color="#FF0033">C Zydrunas Ilgauskas PF Drew Gooden SF LeBron James SG Larry Hughes PG Eric Snow</font> <font color="#7D4A9D">C Brad Miller PF Shareef Abdur-Rahim SF Peja Stojakovic SG Bonzi Wells PG Mike Bibby</font> <u><font size="2"><font color="#7D4A9D">KINGS</font></font></u> <u><font size="3"><font color="#FF0033">MATCHUP BREAKDOWN</font></font></u></div> <font color="#FF0033">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</font> v <font color="#7D4A9D">Brad Miller</font> – These two big men have very similar stats in almost every category; Miller is way ahead in assists but Ilgauskas steams ahead in his blocking. I think this matchup will be very close, but Miller will edge out Z due to his ability to make shots for his teammates with his 6 assists per game. <font color="#FF0033">Drew Gooden</font> v <font color="#7D4A9D">Shareef Abdur-Rahim</font> – Despite getting more points per night, I expect Abdur-Rahim to fall short of Gooden in this matchup. Gooden crashes the boards and plays the inside defence better than Abdur-Rahim. It will be another close matchup, but I’m tipping Gooden to come out on top. <font color="#FF0033">LeBron James</font> v <font color="#7D4A9D">Peja Stojakovic</font> – If Peja can go on a huge hot streak of shooting, he may be able to outplay LeBron. There is no way, however, that he could stop LeBron – only contain him. LeBron could stop Peja, on the other hand. For this reason, I believe that LeBron will come out above Stojakovic. <font color="#FF0033">Larry Hughes</font> v <font color="#7D4A9D">Bonzi Wells</font> – Wells plays better interior defence than Hughes, but Hughes can generally play better outside defence, and score with more ease. If Wells was the go-to guy on his team, it would be different, but the fact is; he is not. I’m tipping Hughes to come out slightly on top. <font color="#FF0033">Eric Snow</font> v <font color="#7D4A9D">Mike Bibby</font> – Bibby is the only PG who plays the passing game in this matchup. Snow often seems to only play defence, but not the statsheet defence – only hustle. I expect Bibby to have a sub-par game, but to still be better than Snow. <div align="center"><u><font size="3"><font color="#FF0033">OTHER NOTES</font></font></u></div> <ul> [*]Cavs are coming off a 2 day break. It is their final game on this 3 game road trip. [*]Kings are coming off a 1 night break. [*]Kings are 4-0 against the Cavs since LeBron entered the League (3-0 with LeBron playing). [*]LeBron has averaged 26-7.3-8 in his 3 games against the Kings [*]Cavs are 10-6 this year [*]Kings are 7-10 this year [/list] <div align="center"><u><font size="3"><font color="#FF0033">SCORE PREDICTION</font></font></u></div> <u><font size="2"><font color="#FF0033">97</font>-<font color="#7D4A9D">95</font></font></u>
I like the Cavs tonight, because of all the athletic players on their roster. The Kings really lack in the speed and athletic department, and they don't match up well at all with the Cavs. Peja is forced to guard LeBron of Hughes tonight, and no matter which player he ends up guarding it's going to be a complete mismatch. LeBron and Hughes can both take Peja off the dribble, and without a shotblocker on the inside, those two will have a clear path to the basket. I expect the Cavs to have a lot of second chance opportunities tonight, and it's going to lead to easy baskets for LeBron and Hughes.
