<div align="center"> <font color=""Purple"">Where: Staples Center When: Tuesday, October 31st 7:30 pm Pacific</font> <font color=""blue"">Suns Starting Lineup:</font> <font color=""Blue"">PG: Nash SG: Diaw SF: Marion PF: Thomas C: Stoudamire</font> <font color=""Purple"">Lakers Starting Lineup:</font> <font color=""purple"">PG: Parker SG: Bryant SF: Radmanovic PF: Odom C: Bynum</font> <font color=""Purple"">Phil Jackson has done a great job of guiding one of the youngest teams in the league to be a competitive one. Last year was a learning process for many of the players, and while they learned, Kobe Bryant gunned up the shots and points to take the pressure off them. Now, armed with playoff experience, a full season of learning from Jackson and more confidence, expect more help for Kobe. Odom is making that jump from a good NBA player to a borderline great one, and both Smush Parker and Kwame Brown should be better than last year to cement themselves as serviceable starters. As a whole, this team is deeper and more experienced than last year. Instead of respectability, the goal is to make a push for home court in the playoffs. It’s not too far out of our grasps. </font> <font color=""Purple""> Expect a triple double from Odom and a double double from Bynum. Odom should attack the weak side, while having Kobe to his right, waiting to hit an easy jumper or drive hard to the rim. If we can contain Nash, and if Lamar can draw some attention from his defenders, Kobe will run these guys to death, and the Lakers will win this game, 106-97. </font> </div>
God this makes it feel like I can grab the upcoming season already...first to comment on the first game of the season woot anyways we should own them on the boards, we have to be methodical and take our time on offense, because that stops the Suns from being able to run. On D get back and try to make them shoot jumpers, no layups or dunks please. Containing Nash will slow the entire team down so we must get it done. Period. let's get this win to start out right *HIGH 5 LAKER FANS*
<div class="quote_poster">illmatic Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">isn't it a little to early for this game thread? We still have Denver to play on Thursday.</div> Presaeson. I don't think anyone has done a preseason game thread.
if bynum plays solid basketball for the weeks kwame's out....any chance he you guys think he might be a starter even after kwame comes back?
<div class="quote_poster">LAKERSKB8 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">if bynum plays solid basketball for the weeks kwame's out....any chance he you guys think he might be a starter even after kwame comes back?</div> Breakout season anyone? Everything happens for a reason. I am not saying I'm happy both Mihm and Kwame are injured, but I've longed to see this kid get the minutes he deserves.
While I'm happy with the potential of Bynum getting a bulk of the minutes early on, I'm also not thrilled about it. I think Kwame in the starting lineup gives us a much better chance at this point that Bynum. His game is a little more polished, especially on defense, which is the one point Bynum really lacks in comparison to Brown in. Kwame is one of the strongest players in the NBA and is VERY difficult to post up, Bynum, while getting stronger, isn't at that level yet. I also don't know how well his offense will perform when he's playing extended minutes and having to put forth effort on both ends. To say the least, it worries, yet excites me, about the thought of Bynum starting. Also, I think the Phoenix starting lineup is a little off. I think Raja Bell will be in the starting lineup over KT, and we'll see Diaw make the switch to the 4. If Bell isn't in the lineup, they don't have anyone that can focus completely on guarding the main guy on the other team. If Marion has to guard Kobe, Kobe will wear him out on the offense and Marion won't be as effective on offense. Beyond that, if he has to guard Kobe, who's guarding Odom? Bell will be in that lineup. He was the starter all last year, no need to change it. Bell gives them a tenacious defender and he extends the defense. They need that going against the Lakers and they need the ability to stretch the defense with the type of offense they run.
I have mixed feelings about Bynum starting as well... Its like throwing a lamb into a pack of hungry lions. He's going to have to work like a madman. Should be a great experience for him, but at this point, its time to get the Lakers back to elite status with Bryant in his prime. No more rebuilding. The team we have now IS our TEAM. Hopefully Bynum will do great. Im thinking positive!
<div class="quote_poster">Moo2K4 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">While I'm happy with the potential of Bynum getting a bulk of the minutes early on, I'm also not thrilled about it. I think Kwame in the starting lineup gives us a much better chance at this point that Bynum. His game is a little more polished, especially on defense, which is the one point Bynum really lacks in comparison to Brown in. Kwame is one of the strongest players in the NBA and is VERY difficult to post up, Bynum, while getting stronger, isn't at that level yet. I also don't know how well his offense will perform when he's playing extended minutes and having to put forth effort on both ends. To say the least, it worries, yet excites me, about the thought of Bynum starting. Also, I think the Phoenix starting lineup is a little off. I think Raja Bell will be in the starting lineup over KT, and we'll see Diaw make the switch to the 4. If Bell isn't in the lineup, they don't have anyone that can focus completely on guarding the main guy on the other team. If Marion has to guard Kobe, Kobe will wear him out on the offense and Marion won't be as effective on offense. Beyond that, if he has to guard Kobe, who's guarding Odom? Bell will be in that lineup. He was the starter all last year, no need to change it. Bell gives them a tenacious defender and he extends the defense. They need that going against the Lakers and they need the ability to stretch the defense with the type of offense they run.</div> If they go with Diaw, they'd be going small which means more points in the paint and rebounds for the Lakers.
And if they go small, they also give themselves the best chance to win. The Suns team is not a team that goes big. They run and run a lot, and by going small, it works best. If they go with a starting five of Nash/Bell/Marion/Diaw/Stat, they get more scoring out of that. Plus, with the Lakers, they have Radman and Odom in the frontcourt. Diaw is very capable of guarding one while Marion can guard the other. However, if Bell isn't in, Marion has to likely guard Kobe, and that leaves them with KT on either Radman or Odom, which is a mismatch regardless of which way you cut it. Both can get him out on the perimeter and beat him that way, Radman can get him out of the paint to give more space for Odom or Kobe to roam, and Odom can take him off the dribble and make plays that way. This is all solved if he doesn't start. That gives them the ability to put Bell on Kobe, who has been decent against him, and allows Diaw to match up with Radman and Marion to match up with Odom, both matchups work better than KT on either of them.
<div class="quote_poster">Moo2K4 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">And if they go small, they also give themselves the best chance to win. The Suns team is not a team that goes big. They run and run a lot, and by going small, it works best. If they go with a starting five of Nash/Bell/Marion/Diaw/Stat, they get more scoring out of that. Plus, with the Lakers, they have Radman and Odom in the frontcourt. Diaw is very capable of guarding one while Marion can guard the other. However, if Bell isn't in, Marion has to likely guard Kobe, and that leaves them with KT on either Radman or Odom, which is a mismatch regardless of which way you cut it. Both can get him out on the perimeter and beat him that way, Radman can get him out of the paint to give more space for Odom or Kobe to roam, and Odom can take him off the dribble and make plays that way. This is all solved if he doesn't start. That gives them the ability to put Bell on Kobe, who has been decent against him, and allows Diaw to match up with Radman and Marion to match up with Odom, both matchups work better than KT on either of them.</div> I don't care if they start the whole damn roster. All I know is that the Lakers will prevail in the end.
I wouldn't go that far. The Lakers have a shot, but Phx is finally healthy, which means they're going to be dangerous. They have a deep roster again this year and with Stat back, they have one more option for Steve Nash to toy around with on offense. If we don't get back on defense and defend the perimeter the way we did in the first four games of the playoffs, there's no way we win. They have a lot more firepower than we do, and while they don't play defense, they can outscore anyone. If our players are off and if we don't get back, we don't have a chance.
The Suns starting lineup is a little off. Either Amare or Kurt Thomas will be coming off the bench. Amare's been coming off the bench during the preseason games, because he still has a lot of rust in his game. Both Diaw and Raja will be in the starting lineup for Phoenix. Nash-Bell-Marion-Diaw-Amare or Kurt Lakers starting lineup looks about right, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Walton starting ahead of Radman in this game. PJax likes to go with players he's familiar with, and Radman hasn't exactly excelled in preseason. The key for the game is going to be Odom's production. When he outplays Marion, the Lakers beat Phoenix, so it's crucial for him to outrebound Marion and stay out of early foul trouble. I also want to see Odom attacking the rim and making his damn free throws. Lakers must cut their turnovers in half. They've had 20+ turnovers in their last 4 preseason games, including 30 the other night. Turning the ballover 30 times to Phoenix usually results in a blow out. Controlling tempo will also be the key to a Laker victory. You're not going to beat Phoenix in a shoot out, so the Lakers need to walk the ball up and be very methodical and efficient on offense. Phoenix doesn't like to foul, so the Lakers should go straight down the middle and score on high percentage shots. The Lakers transition defense also has to be alert on every possession. Phoenix gets the ball up court faster than any team in the league, and the Lakers always seem to get caught. One of the guards has to be a stop gap for when the Phoenix players release down the court for cherry picking opportunities. The combo of Bynum and Turiaf need to give us at least 20/15 in this game.
<u>Pre Game Predictions</u> 1. Who will lead the Lakers in scoring tonight? 2. Who will lead the Lakers in rebounds tonight? 3. Who will lead the Lakers in assists tonight? 4. Who will Andrew Bynum "truck" tonight? 5. Will the Lakers win or lose? 6. Will Lamar Odom get a triple double? 7. Will the Lakers have more FTAs or 3PTAs? 8. Will the Lakers have under or over 20 turnovers? Each question you get right is worth 1 point, and after each month there will be a prize for the highest score. If you edit your choices after the game starts to cheat, you'll be disqualified. Which means all picks must be in before the game starts. I'll keep an updated point total and your scores will be reset to zero at the end of a month. Since there's only 1 game for the month of October, tonight's game will count towards your November point total.
<div class="quote_poster">shapecity Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"><u>Pre Game Predictions</u> 1. Who will lead the Lakers in scoring tonight? 2. Who will lead the Lakers in rebounds tonight? 3. Who will lead the Lakers in assists tonight? 4. Who will Andrew Bynum "truck" tonight? 5. Will the Lakers win or lose? 6. Will Lamar Odom get a triple double? 7. Will the Lakers have more FTAs or 3PTAs? 8. Will the Lakers have under or over 20 turnovers? Each question you get right is worth 1 point, and after each month there will be a prize for the highest score. If you edit your choices after the game starts to cheat, you'll be disqualified. Which means all picks must be in before the game starts. I'll keep an updated point total and your scores will be reset to zero at the end of a month. Since there's only 1 game for the month of October, tonight's game will count towards your November point total.</div> 1. Mo Evans 2. Odom 3. Odom 4. No one. 5. Sadly, lose. 6. No. 7. FTA 8. Under.
1. Who will lead the Lakers in scoring tonight? Lamar Odom 2. Who will lead the Lakers in rebounds tonight? Lamar Odom 3. Who will lead the Lakers in assists tonight? Lamar Odom 4. Who will Andrew Bynum "truck" tonight? no one 5. Will the Lakers win or lose? No Kobe = loss 6. Will Lamar Odom get a triple double? No 7. Will the Lakers have more FTAs or 3PTAs? 3PTA 8. Will the Lakers have under or over 20 turnovers? Over
<div class="quote_poster">authentiq Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">is it official Bryant won't play?</div> Yeah it is, unless it's some trick or treat joke and Kobe Bryant will be introduced as Jack Bauer.
