<div align="center"> <font color="red">The Miami Heat (23-15)</font> at <font color="purple">The Los Angeles Lakers (20-17)</font> Monday, January 16th, 2006 STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, California 7:30 Pacific; TNT </div> [div=50%] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="red"> <font size="1">(J. Williams, D. Wade, J. Posey, U. Haslem, S. O'neal)</font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Dwyane Wade - 26.4 PPG Leading Rebounder: Shaquille O'neal - 9.4 RPG Assist Man: Dwyane Wade - 7.1 APG The 'X' Factor: Antoine Walker (12.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.4 APG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jason_williams.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Jason Williams</font> PPG: 14.5, RPG: 2.5, APG: 4.8 White Chocolate, Jason Williams, has changed his stlye of play under the Pat Riley, but the Heat are still struggling to win the way people thought they would. In their Christmas day matchup, Jason Williams was huge in the Heat win. He's going to need a repeat performance in this one if the Heat want the same results. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/dwyane_wade.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Dwyane Wade</font> PPG: 26.4, RPG: 6.4, APG: 7.1 The sizzling Miami Heat star is on the rise, quickly. He's gone back and fourth with Kobe in their prior meetings so far and this one will be no different. He's going to get his points, rebounds, and assists, but he's going to have to work for them. Kobe won't give him any easy buckets. </font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/james_posey.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">James Posey</font> PPG: 7.9, RPG: 4.9, APG: 1.3 The Miami Heat swingman, who came over from Memphis, is having a decent year. In this game, he'll have Lamar Odom on him, who tends to leave his defensive assignment. Posey should find himself with some wide open perimter shots and he's going to have to knock those down. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/udonis_haslem.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Udonis Haslem</font> PPG: 8.3, RPG: 7.5, BPG: .22 Udonis Haslem is all hustle. He should have his hands full with a newly-inspired Kwame Brown. He needs to get his 8 points, box Kwame out, and cut the paint off. He can't let the Laker guards into the paint. If he has to, he'll have to take some fouls so Shaq doesn't get into foul trouble. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/shaquille_oneal.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Shaquille O'neal</font> PPG: 18.6, RPG: 9.2, BPG: 1.37 The former Laker superstar makes his second return to Los Angeles against the Lakers. No doubt he'll hear some cheers, he'll also hear some boos. Shaq is going to come into this game looking to make a thunderous impact on the game. In their Christmas day matchup, Kwame Brown frustrated him by playing good defense and giving Shaq horrible position in the paint. He'll have to work around that again, as the Lakers will try that same strategy. </font> [/div] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="purple"> <font size="1">(S. Parker, K. Bryant, L. Odom, K. Brown, C. Mihm) </font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Kobe Bryant - 34.2 PPG Leading Rebounder: Lamar Odom - 9.3 RPG Assist Man: Lamar Odom - 45.5 APG The 'X' Factor: Smush Parker (11.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/smush_parker.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Smush Parker</font> PPG: 11.3, RPG: 3.0, APG: 3.0 Smush is coming off of a career game against Golden State where he had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. In this game, Parker will have to assert himself early again, look to score, that's when he is most effective. If he gets into the groove early, the Lakers should have a great chance at winning this game. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kobe_bryant.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Kobe Bryant</font> PPG: 34.2, RPG: 5.6, APG: 4.4 Kobe has been on an MVP-caliber tear lately. Saturday night against the Warriors, he had 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. In this game, you can bet he'll get close to 40 points. He'll also be playing his best defense against Dwyane Wade. He'll do everything he can to will his team to victory, it's his teammates that MUST step it up. </font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/lamar_odom.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Lamar Odom</font> PPG: 14.5, RPG: 9.3, APG: 5.5 All the talent in the world, yet he can't utilize it day in and day out. That's Lamar Odom for you. For the Lakers to win, he's going to have to score. Assert himself on offense, you can count on him getting the others involved, but it's himself that must get involved. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kwame_brown.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Kwame Brown</font> - PPG: 6.4, RPG: 6.1, BPG: .37 His stats are very misleading. He's coming off of his best game as a Laker, scoring 18 and grabbing 12 rebounds. In the Christmas day matchup, Kwame played frustrating defense on Shaq. He wasn't budging. If he repeats that performance, grabs 10 rebounds, and scores 10+ points, he did his job. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/chris_mihm.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Chris Mihm</font> PPG: 10.2, RPG: 6.6, BPG: 1.32 The Texas native, like Lamar Odom, is very inconsistent. The Lakers need to get him in the game early, have him attack Shaq. He has to stay out of foul trouble, which will be hard against Shaq, but it must be done. If he doesn't, he'll seriously hurt the Lakers chances of winning. </font> <font size="3">Keys to the Game</font><ul>[*]<font color="red">Feed Shaq Early</font> - Give the monster the ball early and often. Let him take his former home crowd out of it, early. Let him get the Lakers bigmen in trouble. If Shaq is in this game, dominating, there is virtually no chance for the Lakers.[*]<font color="red">Dwyane Wade</font> - The 3rd year star is going to have his hands full with Kobe Bryant. You can't stop him, but Wade will have to slow him down to the best of his ability. If that happens, then Wade should have the confidence to get his job done on the offensive side of the ball as well.[*]<font color="red">Take the Crowd Out of It</font> - The Laker crowd will be heavily into this game because of the history between Kobe and Shaq. If the Heat come out early and minimize the home crowd effect, the Lakers could be in trouble, especially if their players aren't stepping it up. [*]<font color="purple">Lamar! Lamar! Lamar!</font> - Former team. Big game. STEP IT UP.[*]<font color="purple">Kobe Bryant</font> - He can't try and do too much. He needs to rely on and trust his teammates in this game, or this could turn into a whipping of the Lakers. He'll get his points, rebounds, and assists, but he needs to let the other players get theirs also. When the time to takeover comes along, Bryant will do it.[*]<font color="purple">The Bigs</font> - The Laker bigs will have to stay out of foul trouble and go above and beyond their calls of duty. Kwame will have to play his tight post defense on Shaq again and Mihm will have to be in the game for more than 12 minutes, that means staying clear of fouls for him. They'll have to get easy putbacks and get Shaq and Haslem in foul trouble, which means they'll also have to hit their free throws.[/list]<font size="3">Prediction</font> This should be a very exciting game. I think both teams will show up for a gunfight, and I think L.A. will finally pull out a win against the Heat. I look for production from Smush and Kwame again, to compliment Kobe's. I say Wade goes for 32, 7, and 4. Kobe goes for 39, 6, and 5. Shaq, I think, will be in foul trouble and/or ineffective because of Kwame Brown's defense. Lakers: 102, Heat: 98
Nice preview, I think the Heat will come out with the victory however. I can't see Kwame Brown stopping Shaq on defense. He did well last time, but Shaq still got 18(?) rebounds. Wade will be the hero of the game though and season sweep the Lakers for the 2nd year in a row.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Diesel:</div><div class="quote_post">Nice preview, I think the Heat will come out with the victory however. I can't see Kwame Brown stopping Shaq on defense. He did well last time, but Shaq still got 18(?) rebounds. Wade will be the hero of the game though and season sweep the Lakers for the 2nd year in a row.</div> I'm not saying he will stop him, and most of those rebounds where against our other big men--Chris Mihm and Brian Cook. I just think the Lakers will finally squeek out a win against the Heat, should be a great game!
I hope La to take this one but i think that it won?t happen in this game.I really would like to see Odom to have a gooood game and kobe to score 40+.
Some other players will have to step up big other then Kobe. If its a close game I think Kobe will take the Lakers to victory in the final seconds.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting xclutchx:</div><div class="quote_post">Some other players will have to step up big other then Kobe. If its a close game I think Kobe will take the Lakers to victory in the final seconds.</div> So far Kobe has had the oppurtunity to take the victory in the final seconds both Christmas. The result. He hasn't hit that shot and I dpn't expect him to today either.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Diesel:</div><div class="quote_post">So far Kobe has had the oppurtunity to take the victory in the final seconds both Christmas. The result. He hasn't hit that shot and I dpn't expect him to today either.</div> Lightening strikes twice. Don't give him another chance to put the game away, because he will. Wade also had the chance in both games to get the W but he ruined his buzzer beater and near buzzer beater. However, the Heat still came victorius due to other players clutch play. Both Wade and Kobe have failed twice each.
BYNOMITE! WHAT A MOVE ON SHAQ! Shaq, being the not-so-respectful man he is, can't take it. Gets all huffy, Go Bynum!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting K8B:</div><div class="quote_post">BYNOMITE! WHAT A MOVE ON SHAQ! Shaq, being the not-so-respectful man he is, can't take it. Gets all huffy, Go Bynum!</div>Bynum did take a little shot at Shaq at first so lets not try to put it all on Shaq now. However, Shaq should have been the better man, and just kept playing it?s a young kid got a little excited. A elbow from Shaq won?t help his career. Bynum does have a bright future though I will give him that.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Best Kept Secret:</div><div class="quote_post">Bynum did take a little shot at Shaq at first so lets not try to put it all on Shaq now. However, Shaq should have been the better man, and just kept playing it?s a young kid got a little excited. A elbow from Shaq won?t help his career. Bynum does have a bright future though I will give him that.</div> My bad. I thought Shaq threw two elbows to Bynum's one. I am in the middle of watching 24/Laker game. I flipped back to the Laker game and I saw Shaq's elbow first, then they showed Bynum, and then a Shaq one again. My bad.
I think Bynum was more angry at Shaq embarrasing him first with that put back jam! I am guessing Shaq went over his back a little on that one. But to his credit Bynum went right back and Shaq and demanded the ball. The kid has fire I give him that!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Fiyah:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Bynum was more angry at Shaq embarrasing him first with that put back jam! I am guessing Shaq went over his back a little on that one. But to his credit Bynum went right back and Shaq and demanded the ball. The kid has fire I give him that!</div> lol talk about embarassing, shaq threw that one down right ON him, made him FALL ON HIS BUTT lol
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting rookie789:</div><div class="quote_post">lol talk about embarassing, shaq threw that one down right ON him, made him FALL ON HIS BUTT lol</div> Bynum got him right back though, lost him before Shaq could blink on that spin move and dunk.
yaeh baby! fianally kobe wins over the over confident heat and best yet he's patched up things with Shaq! Odom did a good job and so did george... go lakers! Kobe = Mvp
Great game Back to back dunks by Shaq and Bynum. The kid looks promising. Especially if he has the heart to pull some moves on Shaq, he already is half-way there. How do we stop Kobe? Like the commentator(Kerr I think) said, most of his shots don't even touch the rim...
