<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">There won't be Shaq versus Kobe. Or Shaq versus Phil. Or Phil versus Pat. But there will be Dwyane Wade versus Kobe Bryant, the continuation of a mini-rivalry established when the Miami Heat guard blistered Bryant and the Lakers last month for 40 points and 11 assists, his gift to Heat fans in a 101-85 Christmas Day blowout. The Lakers never led, trailed by as many as 19, and were beaten badly as Wade punched through them on too many screen-and-roll plays to count. They were more or less as soft and gentle as the pricey body lotion the league packed into gift bags for them after the game. Bryant had his lowest-impact game of the season ? 16 points on four-for-17 shooting ? and added to an overall viewing experience that left Coach Phil Jackson saying he'd rather have stayed in the locker room at halftime and watched "A Christmas Carol." He was only partly joking. "It was on national TV on Christmas in front of all of our families," forward Luke Walton said Sunday. "We got embarrassed out there. We definitely have some bitterness in our mouths." The Lakers weren't the only ones feeling irritated by the whole holiday thing. Even the winners were less than thrilled with what went on. Shaquille O'Neal, the centerpiece of three championship runs with Jackson and the Lakers, was angry when Jackson knocked his work ethic by saying O'Neal "didn't like to work" when he was with the Lakers. O'Neal countered by referring to Jackson as "Benedict Arnold," declining to elaborate, but not really needing to state the obvious ? that Jackson had reunited with Bryant in Los Angeles, a personal affront in the eyes of O'Neal. Neither Bryant nor O'Neal spoke to reporters after their teams practiced Sunday, although Jackson was available for comment. He suggested it would be better if O'Neal played today because it might wrinkle the Heat's recent success. "If Shaq was well, I think it would be a bigger distraction than if he's not because they're playing really well," Jackson said. O'Neal has been out for more than two months because of torn cartilage in his left knee. He was initially injured Nov. 12, had surgery a week later and told reporters Saturday there would be "zero" chance he would play today, although he is getting close to a return. Meanwhile, the Heat keeps rebounding from a sour start to its post-championship season. Despite going without O'Neal and Coach Pat Riley, who is out indefinitely while recovering from hip-replacement surgery, Miami has won a season-best four consecutive games, including a 119-110 victory Saturday in Utah. "We've got our so-called swagger back," Wade told reporters Saturday. Riley's temporary replacement, Ron Rothstein, is 4-2, and Miami is winning on the road, something it failed to do consistently until starting 4-1 on a six-game trip that ends tonight. "They're still the champs until someone throws them out of the playoffs," Jackson said, providing a brief history lesson. Time hasn't been kind to the Lakers in this rivalry since they traded O'Neal. They are 1-4 against the Heat, last month's loss taking the prize as the most one-sided of their defeats.</div> Source
Kobe has to win this game and he has to win this matchup. Otherwise, everybody are going to say again that Wade > Bryant etc. We should win this one, then we would have at least 2 wins of a road trip against teams Magic, Heat, Mavericks, Spurs. And if we're lucky and win this one, maybe we can be more lucky and win one game out of the next two. I can't watch it live, but I'm going to download it for sure.
The Lakers are contemplating using Mo Evans to start off on Wade defensively tonight. Kobe Bryant doesn't have the lateral quickness to defend Wade with his sore groin, and they don't want Kobe picking up two quick fouls and losing him. Kobe would guard Kapono, and Luke would matchup with Haslem. In other words, the Lakers would go with small-ball tonight. Wade loves to run his defender into picks, to create space. The best way to stop Wade is to run under the screen and give Wade an open jumpshot. If the defender tries to run through the screen with the big man stepping out to defend Wade, it leads to a layup and a foul. Wade is deadly when he can get in the lane and draw contact. The Lakers need to force him to shoot from the outside to win, or send an aggressive double team and force him to give up the ball. The Lakers have to utilize their deep bench tonight to wear Miami down. I'd like to see quick substitutions in this game to force tempo and keep the team playing with a lot of energy. The Heat struggle against teams who can run, because they don't have the foot speed to keep up. Playing uptempo basketball will neutralize Zo's impact on the game and will force him into picking up cheap fouls.
^ Lol, no kidding. When I come on tomorrow, the Heat vs. Lakers game thread is going to have 5+ pages worth of replies.
Smush has taken two EARLY pull up jumpers, Phil's not happy about that. On the rebound, Luke tried tipping it in but got fouled. He made one of the free throws. 11-11. Kapono travels. Walton with the nice layup, again.
Bynum picks up his second foul. Mourning is at the line and he hits both of them. Turiaf checks in. Smush drives and is way short on the layup. He's 0-3. Cook gets the put back, though. D Wade hits it. Kobe Bryant with the double clutch fall away from the free throw line. 17-15 Lakers. Wade misses, Turiaf with the board. Smush nails the three with the assist from Kobe. Timeout Miami.
<div class="quote_poster">Mamba Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">There Brian, happy now?</div> Good job Mamba
Out of the timeout, Wade gets the layup. L.A. turns it over. Haslem misses the jumper, Walton boards it. Smush hits the three. L.A. is 4-4 from downtown. Beautiful passing from Kobe, to Walton, to Turiaf, to Cook for the dunk!
Cook with the block on Haslem, Walton saves it. Bryant to Cook who is just short on the three. Wade misses the layup. Bryant fakes right and passes left to a streaking Turiaf who has the nice dunk!
The Space Cadet is in the game. Kobe's got 5 and 4 already. Wade with the slam dunk, he's already got 16 points. Radman throws it to Wade, and he gets the assist to Payton. Radman is called for the charge, terrible call.
