LA Lakers @ Seattle Sonics Gamethread

<div align="center"><font color=""DimGray"">Game Info: 7:30 pm Pacific Fri Mar 31, 2006
TV: ESPN </font>

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<font color=""Purple"">Lakers:</font>



<font color=""purple"">PG: Parker SG: Bryant SF: Odom PF: Cook C: Brown</font>

<font color=""DarkGreen"">Sonics:</font>



<font color=""darkgreen"">PG: Ridnour SG: Allen SF: Lewis PF: Wilcox C: Swift</font>


<font color=""Red"">Injury Report:

<font color=""Purple"">Lakers:</font>
Kobe Bryant: Back Spasms?


<font color=""DarkGreen"">Sonics:</font>
Rashard Lewis: Sprained right ankle
Nick Collison: Out
Danny Fortson: Out
</font>




<font color=""Purple"">Lakers:</font>

<font color=""purple"">Kwame Brown:</font> Kwame has shown the Lakers what everyone expected him to do in the last couple of games. He was defending, rebounding, attacking, and scoring. Last game against the Spurs, he was quiet, but still racked down 10 boards and 9 points, a near double double. For the Lakers to do well, we need Kwame to step up on offense and defense.
<font color=""purple"">
Effort:</font> Effort and heart. The things the Lakers have failed to show in many games. Without effort and heart, there is no way we will be the Sonics. We dont have the most talented players, so what the players have to do is be more detirmined and dive for loose balls and play tough D. If not, we will look like how we did last night against the Spurs in the second half.

<font color=""purple"">Defense:</font> The Sonics are a very good shooting team. With Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, the Lakers must defend the perimeter and not give up open shots. With Chris Wilcox, the Sonics have a good inside presence, and we all know what Chris can do. If you dont, then ask Chris Mihm.

<font color=""DarkGreen"">Sonics:</font>

<font color=""darkgreen"">Contain Kobe Bryant:</font> This is not going to be an easy task. Kobe is one of if not the best offensive players in the league. The one thing the Sonics dont need is Kobe catching fire, because once he does, he will be unstoppable.

<font color=""darkgreen"">Defense:</font> The Sonics arent known for their defense, but in order to beat the Lakers, they need it. The last game they won against us, they won pretty much a shoot out. This game though, I know the Lakers will play much better defense, so the Sonics wont be able to score 120 points in 4 quarters. So in order to win, they must play good D.

<font color=""darkgreen"">Ray Allen:</font> Ray Allen is one of the best offensive players in the league. He isnt very flashy, so he doesnt get the media attention as lets say Kobe and Vince. But Allen gets things done. He is a tremendous shooter and can hit the 3. If Allen gets hot, the Sonics will be a very dangerous team.



<font color=""Purple"">The Lakers lost night in a very winnable game to the Spurs. They were actually up at first, but then all of a sudden everything went wrong, which led to a lost. I know that Phil Jackson got on them hard after the loss, so given that, I see the Lakers returning with energy and beating the Sonics, 94-86</font>





LETS GO LAKERS!!

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94-86? Seattle's defense is horrible, I see LA putting up at least 100. I'll say LA wins 109-102 with Kobe going for 45.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">94-86? Seattle's defense is horrible, I see LA putting up at least 100. I'll say LA wins 109-102 with Kobe going for 45.</div>
good point. who knows? i guess your prediction is more realistic

 

One thing became painfully clear as we watched the tape of our home loss at the hands of the Sonics on March 12th. We need to run faster. I know that sounds kind of simple but that is the honest truth of the situation. There were a few areas of the game that Seattle excelled in on that Sunday afternoon but this was the most glaring and painful. Our transition defense was horrific as Seattle consistently beat us up the court and was able to out-score us 24-12 in fast break points. We gave up 120 points and that is obviously way too many points. Specifically, the Sonics big men – Johan Petro, Chris Wilcox, and Robert Swift – just ran by us and were rewarded with good passes that led to dunks and layups. One of the points of emphasis in the triangle offense is that we must always have floor balance.

Proper floor balance puts you in position to have an effective transition defense. On March 12th we actually had decent floor balance but the Sonics just ran past us. That is an easy item to fix so I would think the Sonics big men will have to work harder for their baskets tonight.

The other item that hurt us is the fact that too many of our players spent too much time complaining to the refs instead of just playing through it. Upon review of the game film we charted eight points that were a direct result of at least one of our players being out of position because of how they reacted to a call (or non-call). There was a seven point differential in the final score so that kind of behavior is simply unacceptable. Once again, like running harder/faster in transition, this is an easy item that we expect to improve upon in this game.

One of the questions going into this game is the health of Rashard Lewis. He sprained his ankle in a game vs. Memphis on March 26th and missed their last game. He is listed as a game time decision. His ability to play both inside and outside creates a tough match up. He had a big game in their win at Staples center and is a key contributor to some other big wins that Seattle has in the last month.

Finally, we know attention must be paid to Ray Allen. Whether it is in pick and rolls (especially in transition), coming off screens (where he is arguably the best in the league at moving without the ball and is a proficient catch and shoot player with a quick release), or in his occasional post up sequences, Allen is a complete and dangerous offensive weapon. He also played excellent defense in their win. We must be able to contain him without turning the rest of the roster loose.

 

Lakers: 104
Sonics: 95

Kwame goes for 20/10 with the rookie Petro guarding him. With Lewis out, we'll have a better chance of winning.

 

lets go Kwame! I made a sig for you! Dont make me look bad! haha

 

awww! why cant the lakers lead over the sonics???

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting trenchteam:</div><div class="quote_post">lets go Kwame! I made a sig for you! Dont make me look bad! haha</div>
By "Jordan was Right," I assume you're not talking about how he just gave up on him.

This game is really streaky. Seattle's offense is great to watch when they get on a run. Kobe isn't playing great, but that block was awesome.

 

kobe's unsettled for some reason

 

Kobe looks like he's just waiting to go off.

I'm in a pretty bad mood after watchin the first half, Seattle leads 56-52, though I can take solace in one thing:

Seattle is playing out of their mind and the Lakers are playing worse than I've seen then in month's yet they are only down 4. Once Lamar and Kwame get going I look for Seattle's little party to turn into a nightmare.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">By "Jordan was Right," I assume you're not talking about how he just gave up on him.

This game is really streaky. Seattle's offense is great to watch when they get on a run. Kobe isn't playing great, but that block was awesome.</div>

It suppose to mean Jordan was right about drafting him.. errr.. Made another sig. haha. I made like 8 today. I've been on a tear in photoshop.

 

I wouldn't call it outstanding...first half was average (pretty sh*tty actually) because of all of seattle's transition points, the 3rd qtr was amazing...and now it's getting back to average

 

hmmm... kobe's on fiyah! but i dont like looking at his FG% hahaha

 

***** u Sonics, ***** you sonic fans, and finally, ***** you Ray Allen.

That's all I gotta say lol.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Lakers defense is outstanding tonight, let's hope they can close this game out in the final period.</div>
Lakers defense is outstanding......in the 2nd half. I wouldn't say we play outstanding defense, it's just solid.

With a win like these, we keeping the Kings in check. Lets hope we can continue to stay at the 7th, and maybe the 6th seed (Memphis losing tonight, yay!) Getting into the 8th seed playing against the Spurs is a bad idea, we're definitely not ready for them yet.

 

Lakers played one hell of a game and I'm proud that they showed they can play D , and get the ball moving on offense.

 

Ball movement was good. 22nd 40+ output for Kobe. One more and he ties Baylor! Kwame has been looking good. I still hate sasha. Walton had a nice 3 point play in the 4th!

 

I've never liked Sasha, he has been known to get angry when he gets subbed out for Kobe.....for that I hate him lol, j/p. I still don't like him as he isn't a solid and reliable PG. Lakers need to sign a good one for next year or something as Smush is great but he isn't a "true" PG. I want a good PG for the future!!!