<div align="center"> <font color="orange">The New York Knicks (14-29)</font> vs. <font color="purple">The Los Angeles Lakers (23-20)</font> Tuesday, January 31st, 2006 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York 4:30 Pacific; Local </div> [div=50%] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="orange"> <font size="1">(S. Marbury, Q. Richardson, M. Rose, M. Taylor, E. Curry)</font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Stephon Marbury - 18.6 Leading Rebounder: Eddy Curry - 6.6 Assist Man: Stephon Marbury - 7.0 The Bench Man: Channing Frye (14.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.0 APG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/stephon_marbury.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Stephon Marbury</font> PPG: 18.6, RPG: 3.4, APG: 7.0 The Coney Island PG has been off and on with Larry Brown all year. He's had voices in his ear to listen to Brown, and his play will improve. Tonight, he goes against the Lakers' Smush Parker, also a NY native. It should be a good exciting matchup if Parker brings his game. Marbury will have to get the rest of his players involved. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/quentin_richardson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Quentin Richardson</font> PPG: 7.2, RPG: 3.7, APG: 1.4 One of the league's most popular journey man, Quentin Richardson has been injury plagued this year. He has the not so easy task of defending Kobe Bryant tonight, something which should be a nightmare. Kobe has been on a rampage lately, and I don't think Richardson will stop him. What Richardson does have to do though is work Kobe down in the post with his big body, he can't settle for the 3's. </font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/malik_rose.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Malik Rose</font> PPG: 13.4, RPG: 2.9, APG: .6 Malik isn't even a sure thing to start, as Larry Brown changes his lineup every game, or so it seems. If Rose does start, he gets Lamar Odom. Should be simple, Malik has a big body and should pound Odom, who's been in a worse than usual slump. If Malik plays decent defense, he can force Lamar into turnovers, something Lamar's been doing a lot lately. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/maurice_taylor.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Maurice Taylor</font> PPG: 6.7, RPG: 3.5, BPG: .26 Maurice isn't a big threat, but his opponent isn't one either. This should be a really boring matchup. Maurice Taylor v. Kwame Brown? Not exciting? Right. What Maurice has to do though is grab rebounds, mainly offensive ones. He needs to create second shot opportunities for his team. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/eddy_curry.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Eddy Curry</font> PPG: 14.7, RPG: 6.6, BPG: .85 The new Knick has been having a decent year for them. Tonight, he faces possibly the second hottest, no wait, THE second hottest Laker in Chris Mihm. Curry needs to pound Mihm in the post and force him to pick up tick tack fouls. He can't be sucked out into the midrange game of Mihm, on defense. If Mihm gets going on the outside, it'll be problems for Curry. If Mihm doesn't get going, but takes shots from the outside, it'll be one less rebounder for the Knicks on the inside, so Curry needs to try to keep Mihm in the post. </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 - 35.9 PPG Leading Rebounder: Lamar Odom - 9.4 RPG Assist Man: Lamar Odom - 5.4 APG The Bench Man: Brian Cook (6.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, .8 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: 11.6, RPG: 3.1, APG: 3.1 The NY native is returning home, so maybe he can chip in a big performance. He had a lackluster game against the Pistons, after missing the team flight because he overslept. We need Smush to get back into the zone. He's going against another NY native in Marbury, so he should get motivated for this matchup. If he doesn't, it could end up being another game where Kobe has to put in a double effort. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kobe_bryant.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Kobe Bryant</font> PPG: 35.9, RPG: 5.6, APG: 4.3 The league's best player should continue his scoring rampage against the Knicks. He's in the world's most famous arena so expect a more than decent performance out of Kobe. He knows his team needs to even out their season long road trip with a win tonight, so Kobe will do everything in his power to will his team to victory, even if it means taking over again and dropping...hmm...can we get 100 this time, Kobe? </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: 14.2, RPG: 9.4, APG: 5.6 The league's stupid player? The award goes to...LAMAR ODOM! C'mon man, where's your game at? Normally we get a good game out of you every 1/4 of our games, I think we're pushing 7 crappy games now? This bonehead almost had a triple double last game: 9 points, 8 rebounds, and...8 turnovers. Game before that? 7 turnovers against the Warriors. He needs to stop turning the ball over, or let Kobe handle it. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kwame_brown.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Kwame Brown</font> - PPG: 6.0, RPG: 5.9, BPG: .67 League's second dumbest player? Yes, Kwame Brown! Yes! The Lakers have the league's two stupidest players. I don't know what Kwame's deal is. He has the body to be the best player in the league, but has the mindstate of a gopher. Maybe, if Eddy Curry gets hot, we can use Kwame to have his once in a blue moon games and be effective defensively. His defense has fallen off lately, that's all we ask out of him is defense, can he bring it back? </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/chris_mihm.jpg[/imgl]<font color="purple">Chris Mihm</font> PPG: 10.5, RPG: 6.9, BPG: 1.30 Our teams second best player, Chris Mihm! He's had a string of good games going lately, including 15 points against the league's best post defensive team. Mihm can have another good game here if he can stay out of foul trouble. He needs to stop picking up those stupid tick tack fouls and play hard-nosed defense, but be smart about it. He's capable of being a Brad Miller type of center, and he's putting it all together, he just needs to continue to learn the game. </font> <font size="3">Keys to the Game</font><ul>[*]<font color="orange">Don't Quit</font> - Larry Brown just recently called his team a bunch of "quitters." Tonight, they need to come out with the mentality that they can't be beaten by the Lakers on their home court and prove to Larry that they didn't quit. If they can do that, the crowd should get behind them early and it will make things a lot easier.[*]<font color="orange">How Do You Stop Kobe?</font> - Well, you can't. Especially if you're Quentin Richardson, but you can try. The Knicks best shot at winning is just forcing Kobe Bryant to beat you..wait, what am i talking about? The Raptors tried that. Didn't work. Well, uhm..god luck Q.[*]<font color="orange">Force Turnovers</font> - With Lamar Odom distributing the ball, that shouldn't be hard. The Knicks need to force early turnovers, and force them when the Lakers are on a run. Turnovers can kill any momentum, and the Knicks don't want the Lakers to get a full head of steam.[*]<font color="purple">The World is Watching...</font> - ...Kobe Bryant. He's playing the most famous arena around the world, an arena in which legends are made...maybe Lamar should get that note. Kobe is a legend, he will strive to get this win for the Lakers, but he can't try to hard, if he doesn't have the shooting touch tonight, let him be effective other ways, let him distribute the ball, be a playmaker.[*]<font color="purple">Lamar</font> - I just have one thing to ask of him, because he's too stupid to comprehend more than one thing. Don't turn the ball over.[*]<font color="purple">Bench</font> - This could be a game in which the bench plays a huge role. Devean George, Brian Cook, and Sasha Vujacic all need to come into the game and play smart ball. Cook and George need to hit their spot up jumpers and Sasha needs to limit his turnovers and make smart decisions on defense.[/list]<font size="3">Prediction</font> After a throttling by Detroit, the Lakers should come into this one and win it fairly easy. Lakers: 102, Knicks: 94..
The Lakers must get back on track tonight by beating the struggling Knicks. The Knicks are coming off a blowout to the Hawks, and Larry Brown has called his team a bunch of quitters. A lot of problems in NY, and the only consistency they have appears to be the lineup shake ups each night. The Lakers have plenty of problems of their own. The NY duo of Odom and Parker have been struggling lately and continue to play inconsistent. These two need to make some noise tonight in their return to their home state of NY. Lamar Odom's turnovers are almost equal to his point output the last two games, unacceptable! The local media has been ripping Odom the last couple of days, and both PJax & Kobe have criticized him and put the onus on Odom to step up. Let's see for once in his career if he can respond to a challenge and start making some much needed progress with the Lakers. I say Lakers by 10 tonight 94-84.
First of all before I say this I will say I do not watch Laker games unless their agaist one of my teams. Are the refs giving Kobe the point oppurtunities? Every time I look at the Lakers box score since that 81 Point game I see 20 something Free Throw attempts. I know he is good at taking it to the hole, but I mean come on. I think it is clearly obvious that David Stern wants him to break Wilts 100 or something or become the next "MJ". Kobe is getting loads of media attention this year. Anyone else think this? If I am wrong I Am sorry.
Bynum had 16 points on 7-7 shooting, very impressive. I still haven't seen the whole game because the game is delayed but I'm looking forward to seeing exactly how he scored those points. Great effort off the bench by him. But 58 freethrow attempts by the Lakers and 24 for the Knicks? What happened there...?
Lakers put it on the Knicks tonight 130-97. As for your question Diesel, Kobe started off very aggressive and was taking it to the rim and drawing contact. He kept catching Crawford and QRich with his pump fakes. To be honest, the refs let the Knicks play very physical on Kobe in the game. The Knicks are just a lousy defensive team and don't have any defensive rotation at all. Larry Brown actually used everyone on his roster in the first half. I like how Sasha played tonight, he wasn't settling for three pointers like he normally does. He took a couple of steps in and made a higher % shot. The Knicks are just a terrible team. 95% of their shots came from the perimeter and they didn't run their offense and move the ball around. Lakers took care of business tonight and nice to see Bynum have a strong outing. 7-7 from the field and 16 points in just 12 minutes.
Bynum was a beast....he had great footwork and moves down low in the post....sheesh i mean i know it may only be against the Knicks, but his play tonight was awesome...I think Shape agrees with me *High 5's All Around*
* high 5's* The Lakers preped Detroit for that loss. lol. j/k Nice blowout victory. We needed one of those.
Good Game Bynum having solid points inside, good to see Ronny on the sideline and Wafer/Green getting some trash time. Good Dominance by Kobe in the first half.
wow, the knicks are just a really bad team right now... Kid Bynomite was nice today, he showed some footwork, but I don't want him to become too dependant on that up and under...I'd rather see him go straight up with purpose rather than develop into a finese player. He's gotta work on passing out of the post as well...it seems when he gets the ball, he already makes up his mind on what he's gonna do...This is the first tim'e i've seen him play extended minutes so those are the things I noticed....still, great effort tonite and hopefully its a sign of things to come...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Bynum eats Curry</div> Of course, it's no contest. Socks > Curry
