Turiaf Likely Starting Tonight

This is an important bounce back game for the Lakers. They cannot afford to drop two straight games at home especially against a lottery Philly team.

The 76ers always seem to play us tough and with a short bench the Lakers won't have an easy time tonight.

Andrew Bynum dominated in the first meeting, but after being exposed in the Celtic game you can count on Philly to be very physical with Bynum tonight. Hopefully Bynum learned a lot from the Boston game and goes off tonight. It's important for his teammates to get him some easy buckets early on to build his confidence back.

I was hoping the Lakers would experiment with Kwame/Bynum on the court at the same time since Odom is out for this game. But without Mihm available it makes it risky to have them on the court for an extended period. The Lakers don't have a true backup center after those two.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Philadelphia 76ers continue their road trip, as they visit the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at the Staples Center.

This is the second and final meeting of the campaign between the clubs. On December 21st, Andrew Bynum scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Lakers over Philadelphia, 106-101, at the Wachovia Center.

The Lakers have won three of the last four contests with Philadelphia. The Sixers have lost two straight and seven of their last eight at the Lakers.

Philadelphia is 2-2 on its current six-game swing. On Wednesday, Carlos Boozer scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lift the Utah Jazz to a 110-107 win over the 76ers at the EnergySolutions Arena.

Andre Iguodala scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed six rebounds in the loss for the Sixers, who have dropped two of their last three games. Andre Miller had 25 points and eight assists for Philadelphia, while Samuel Dalembert posted 20 points and 10 boards in defeat.

The Sixers are 7-9 on the road this season. They will visit former Philadelphia star Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday at the Pepsi Center.

On the injury front for Philadelphia, guard Willie Green (strained left groin) is probable for Friday. Green has missed six straight games.

The Lakers play the fourth of a five-game homestand. They are 2-1 on the stand and will host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in the finale of the homestand.

On Sunday, Paul Pierce finished with 33 points and eight rebounds as the Boston Celtics continued their fantastic start with a 110-91 win over the Lakers at the Staples Center.

Superstar Kobe Bryant ended with 22 points on just 6-of-25 from the floor, while Lamar Odom collected 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss for the Lakers, who had a four-game winning streak stopped.

Los Angeles is 11-5 as the host this season.

The Lakers will be without Odom on Friday after he was suspended one game and assessed a Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two for his foul on Boston's Ray Allen in the fourth quarter of the 110-91 loss.

Odom, who is averaging 14.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this season, is eligible to return on Sunday when the Lakers host the Pacers.</div>

Source: Star Telegram

 

The Lakers need to make sure they don't double team Reggie Evans when he gets the basketball. We have a bad habit of double team incapable scorers leaving outside shooters open for high percentage shots.

The Lakers have to rebound the ball well tonight and attack the paint. 76ers are a pesky team that presents a lot of matchup problems for us.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Records: Lakers 19-11; 76ers 14-18
Offensive ratings: Lakers 111.2 (7th); 76ers 103.9 (22nd)
Defensive ratings: Lakers 106.4 (12th); 76ers 105.3 (7th)
Projected Starting Lineups: Lakers: Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Trevor Ariza, Ronny Turiaf, Andrew Bynum
76ers: Andre Miller, Rodney Carney, Andre Iguodala, Reggie Evans, Samuel Dalembert

Lakers Notes: This is the game Lamar Odom sits and it’s not going to be easy to replace the 16 points and 10 rebounds a game he has averaged in the Lakers last 10. In the last 10 Odom has been shooting 51.1% (eFG%) and 35% on his 20 threes.

Kobe and Fisher have not been nearly as solid in the last 10. Kobe is shooting 45% (eFG%) overall and 29.8% from three, down from his 48.5% overall and 33.5% numbers for the season. Fisher’s numbers are 45.8% (down from 52.1%) and 33% (down from 37.9%) in the last 10.

Mihm is out another month (give or take) with an Achilles problem. I just want the guy to get healthy — remember two seasons ago he was, besides Kobe, the one guy who brought it every night, who really worked hard. I had hoped to eventually see that Mihm again. If his body doesn’t betray him.

On the injury front, Sasha Vujacic has had back spasms (which hurt like hell, by the way) and is a game-time decision. So is Radmanovic with a twisted ankle.

The 76ers Coming In:Ladies and gentlemen, start your rebuilding.

That’s what the trade of Kyle Korver signaled — the Sixers, behind new GM Ed Stefanski, are wisely blowing up what they have and starting over. I expect Andre Miller is moved at the trading deadline (although Stefanski likely will not take lowball offers).

The question is how will all this impact the team on the court this season? They are 5-5 in their last 10 and have been getting great play of late from Miller and Iguodala (a guy who thrives slashing to the basket in isolation, but is also hitting 36.6% of his threes the last 10 games). Dalembert has been giving them good minutes as well.

The bench play has hurt the 76ers of late — for example the last time these two met Louis Williams had been shooting 43.8% from three-point range off the bench, but in the last 10 that is down to 30%.

Last Time They Played: The 76ers had no answer for Andrew Bynum — he had 24 points on 10 of 11 shooting, plus pulled down 11 boards. Kobe, Fisher and Odom also were all in double figures as the Lakers cruised — they never had a huge (20ish point) lead but they led almost the entire game and took control with a third-quarter run. It was not one of Kobe’s more efficient games, in the fourth quarter he was 0-5 from the field (but did get to the line for 5 free throws, hitting them all). For the game he shot 35% (eFG%).

The Lakers did continue their trend of not stopping quick guards — Andre Miller had 21 points on 9 of 17 shooting. Iguodala added 20 but was 7 of 20 from the floor. The now-traded Korver had 11 points in 31 minutes for the Sixers in that game.
Keys To The Game: The Sixers try to create turnovers with a pressure defense, last meeting the Lakers exploited this by getting past the pressure out top and getting the ball to Bynum in great (and isolated) positions. Fisher and Odom also were able to exploit the pressure with smart plays that led to open looks. The Lakers need to do that again tonight.

The Lakers — particularly Turiaf and other guys on the front line — really need to crash the boards tonight because the Lakers will miss Odom in that regard against a good rebounding team. The 76ers grab 31% of their missed shots, the second highest percentage in the league. The Lakers cannot allow a lot of easy putback baskets tonight. Put a body on Reggie Evans.

Tonight’s Game: Where Britney Spears’ Seat Is Empty Happens: Last season the Lakers had the young-team’s habit of playing to the level of their opponent. They had great games against the league’s best but struggled with the teams they should beat. We’ll see what happens over the next seven games, if the Lakers have matured. This is a game the Lakers should win but the Sixers have enough talent and are playing well enough to beat teams that overlook them.

Where you can watch: Game time is 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). In Los Angeles tune into Fox Sports, nationally you’ll need League Pass or watch online with the ESPN gamecast.</div>

Source: Forum Blue & Gold

 

Scouting Report from Lakers.com

Since we last played Philly on December 21st, the Sixers traded Kyle Korver to the Jazz for Gordon Giricek. Philly won three in a row after their loss to us. On this west coast trip they lost to Portland, beat Seattle, then lost a hard fought game to Utah. They have one more game on this trip after our battle tonight. This team does a good job of hanging around in games and pressuring their opponents into mistakes so they can get out in transition. They did a good job pressuring the ball and playing the passing lanes against us in Philly. They look to manufacture points off their defense.

In the game at Philly, the Sixers did a great job of being active and applying pressure after free throws, and in dead-ball situations. We need to do a better job of valuing and protecting the ball. They applied more and more pressure as the game progressed. We need to do a better job of exploiting this through the use of our automatic pressure release options. We can use their aggressive defensive tactics against them with proper spacing. Every time we pushed the lead to the 8-10 point range instead of protecting the ball and executing, we turned it over or made bad decisions which led to easy buckets for Philly and a tighter game than it should have been.

Offensively, the Sixers run some basic NBA offensive actions. We will see drags (transition screen and rolls), zippers, hawk cuts, ucla action, and single-double. Another problem we had in Philadelphia was some basic defensive lapses on very familiar sets. We gave up two layups on simple hawk cuts (see video clip). Once again, giving up a basket here or there may not seem like a big deal across a 48 minute game but it can change momentum and have a big impact on the flow of the game.

Old Scouting Report from Lakers at Sixers - 12/20/07

The Sixers are 5-5 in their last 10 games and last played and lost on Wednesday in Indiana. This team loves to get out in transition and is ranked 6th in the league in fast break points at about 15 per game. They will try and run off makes, but tend to really get going off of their defense. They are an excellent rebounding team and have players who can pressure the ball and play the passing lanes. This team is probably better when they play small and pick up the pressure. They really look to manufacture points off their defense.

Head Coach Mo Cheeks will start Miller at the 1, Green at the 2, Iguodala at the 3, Evans at the 4, and Dalembert at the 5. Miller has been solid in all areas and will distribute the ball and run the team. He will look to back down and post up smaller guards. We need to contain his penetration and stay down on his pump fakes. Willie Green is an explosive, athletic, offensive minded player. He can hit to three but is very dangerous as a driver/slasher. Iguodala is still a better diver/slasher and defender than an outside shooter, but he can get hot and knock down a series of 3?€™s. We need to be aware that he is always a candidate for a lob. Reggie Evans is a beast on the boards (especially offensive). We cannot allow him to beat us down there. Dalembert is a good rebounder and an excellent shot blocker.

Off the bench, Cheeks comes with Louis Williams at the 1, Kyle Korver at the 2, and Jason Smith at the back-up big positions. Williams is a quick, pesky defender who is getting better with more playing time. He will pressure our guards up court and loves to penetrate going left. Korver is a shooter and they will run a lot of pindown type action for him. He moves very well without the ball and he will look to find openings in transition and trailing for 3?€™s.

Offensively, they will run some standard NBA sets but are probably more dangerous when they are ?€˜just playing?€™. They will break sets and create isolations so we must be ready on every possession to lock in with our team defense.

The Sixers are 5-5 in their last 10 games and last played and lost on Wednesday in Indiana. This team loves to get out in transition and is ranked 6th in the league in fast break points at about 15 per game. They will try and run off makes, but tend to really get going off of their defense. They are an excellent rebounding team and have players who can pressure the ball and play the passing lanes. This team is probably better when they play small and pick up the pressure. They really look to manufacture points off their defense.

Head Coach Mo Cheeks will start Miller at the 1, Green at the 2, Iguodala at the 3, Evans at the 4, and Dalembert at the 5. Miller has been solid in all areas and will distribute the ball and run the team. He will look to back down and post up smaller guards. We need to contain his penetration and stay down on his pump fakes. Willie Green is an explosive, athletic, offensive minded player. He can hit to three but is very dangerous as a driver/slasher. Iguodala is still a better diver/slasher and defender than an outside shooter, but he can get hot and knock down a series of 3?€™s. We need to be aware that he is always a candidate for a lob. Reggie Evans is a beast on the boards (especially offensive). We cannot allow him to beat us down there. Dalembert is a good rebounder and an excellent shot blocker.

Off the bench, Cheeks comes with Louis Williams at the 1, Kyle Korver at the 2, and Jason Smith at the back-up big positions. Williams is a quick, pesky defender who is getting better with more playing time. He will pressure our guards up court and loves to penetrate going left. Korver is a shooter and they will run a lot of pindown type action for him. He moves very well without the ball and he will look to find openings in transition and trailing for 3?€™s.

Offensively, they will run some standard NBA sets but are probably more dangerous when they are ?€˜just playing?€™. They will break sets and create isolations so we must be ready on every possession to lock in with our team defense.

 

Flawless game last night for the most part. I thought Kwame looked pissed when he was asked to go back in the game to play in garbage time LOL. Once he scored he got in the flow though. Prior to the game he told the Laker announcers he was going to experiment with some new moves to get to the rim and blow by his defender.

Late in the game he caught a pass in the high post, caught the pass, faced Jason Smith and blew right by him. Unfortunately, Thaddeus Young came over and swatted Kwame's soft finish into the 2nd row seats.

I was listening to the Laker pre-game show and Matt Money Smith asked Kurt Rambis if Laker fans would ever see a front court lineup with Kwame and Bynum on the floor at the same time. Rambis acknowledged the Lakers have always wanted to use this lineup because of the defensive advantage it would give the team. However, neither player is comfortable playing away from the basket.

He went on to say Kwame is amazing in practice and makes everything. He can shoot the ball and scores easily in practice, but once the game start he gets anxious and you see the goofy and awkwardness on TV. He said with Kwame it's 100% mental and the Lakers haven't figured out how to get him to settle down and see the game in slow motion like most of the players do.

Rambis also said the coaching staff has been driving the point to the players that they have to remain focus during this soft schedule up ahead. Last year and even this year the Lakers have lost game they should've won because they weren't focused and didn't stay within their system. The losses to Milwaukee, Cleveland, and New Jersey were games the team got overconfident and gave up the victory. He said their expectations for these next 6 games is to win them all because next month the Lakers only have 3 games at home. February is going to be brutal for this team.

I loved the game last night because the Lakers were making an effort to get the ball into Bynum and Kobe was attacking from the free throw line elbows. He is most efficient when he plays on the elbows and operates from the free throw line and in. This is where Michael Jordan dominated teams and without Odom on the court Kobe could operate in those areas.

I think it's an adjustment the Lakers should go with more and I like Ariza attacking from the baseline to give Kobe a slashing target when a double team comes. Ariza is also good at getting his hands on the offensive glass and keeping second chance opportunities alive.

Fantastic team effort last night and I was jumping up and down like the rest of the guys when Coby Karl hit that last shot.

 

Kwame's got great touch, he just rushes everything in the game. I remember reading scouting reports about him in HS, he was a good shooter, especially for a big man. I don't get it, I never will.