<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Overview:The beauty of a seven-game series is that it will change. Phil Jackson knows that Game 1 is much different than Game 2. That's the one thing that I love about the playoffs: it's a chess game. You've got two guys here that are pretty good coaches. Mike D'Antoni is no dummy. He's won on two continents.I don't know who's got the depth here. These two teams haven't really had a game where everybody has been ready to play.You've got to understand that if you've got a 10-point lead on L.A., Kobe Bryant can take that away from you. He can do one of those McGrady-on-San-Antonio deals. You don't even know how it happened. Kobe will see multiple defenders.Jeff Gross/Getty Images/NBAEWhat to expect from the Suns:Obviously, they're going to run. The nights that they don't shoot the basketball, they're a very mediocre ballclub. Shawn Marion has to continue to score points.Phoenix can press. They haven't done it a lot, but when they have had to press and put heat on, they were very good at it. It would make L.A. change a lot of the things that they do. Smush Parker doesn't have experience, and if they forced Kobe to do extra work bringing the ball up, it would help them in the fourth quarter.I would definitely have that in my toolbox if I was coaching Phoenix in this series. The Lakers are so good in the halfcourt, that I would test their ability to play fullcourt.What to expect from the Lakershil Jackson is a good teacher. The Lakers needed somebody that would really get their attention during the week, on the practice court.They've developed a nucleus. They've had a season where they've grown. They just didn't have immediate success. They really haven't tasted a lot of continuous success. They've been off an on, but he has kept them together.They're going to have to take the game inside and they have to set the pace.The triangle offense is versatile and they're going to have to use more of the low post options against Phoenix than they would against other opponents.The one thing about the trangle offense is that it gives you good balance. The spacing is good if you run it right and they're going to need that balance, because every time they miss, Phoenix is coming out of there. Defensive transition is really going to be important for them.If they can set the pace and the tempo, they're going to get really good shots against this team if they work it inside-out. Phil may post Odom down low. You're going inside before you look outside.I don't think Kobe is going to be the one to get it inside though. He's probably going to see double-coverage a lot. Smush Parker's going to have a lot of responsibility in running the offense. Kobe's going to probably have to be a bit of a decoy for a while.They can't afford to lose Kwame Brown to foul trouble.Their defense has to start with how they play Steve Nash. Phil's liable to let Steve Nash go. As far as his shooting, let him have anything that he gets from the outside. Just lay off of him enough that his penetration doesn't force you to leave other people open.X-Factors:The Lakers have got to have something out of Kwame Brown and he's got to stay foul-free. Chris Mihm coming back is important, but he didn't look too good Wednesday night.Brian Grant has probably got a bone to chew with the Lakers. He's been getting a lot of minutes as they have rested people. I'm sure that he's figuring that this is his last hurrah.How do you figure Eddie House? He's been shooting well. Scoring off the bench is important for them.If Raja Bell gets in foul trouble early, the Suns would really be hurting.Prediction:If L.A. can go in and take the home-court advantage away early, it could be a short story, but if Phoenix holds serve in that first ball game, it's probably going to be a seven-game series.Lakers in seven. They might have to it the hard way.Bill Fitch coached 25 seasons in the NBA for the Cavaliers, Celtics, Rockets, Nets and Clippers.</div>I agree with him on most things I think if the Lakers can take away Phoenix's home court they can pull it off.
STOP!!!Why is everyone tipping us to win? Now if we lose everyone is going to criticise Phil, kobe and basically anyone laker related.I want the underdog status however alot of people are tippin us to win.
That is totally discrediting on what the suns have done all year. The lakers have no inside prescence to take advantage of Phoenix's small frontcourt. Bell and Marion are actually good defenders so they will guard Kobe and Odom. I think that alone will keep the Lakers from blowing up offensively.
I liked John Gambodoro on Suns vs. Lakers. This guy doesen't know what he's talking about. Gambo is god. :beerchug:
Raja bell cannot guard kobe. The only reason why he earlier on in the season had some success was because kobe was in a slump. Kobe know will literally abuse him. You will see.I'm sacred for odom though, Marion is long and can guard him and make him a non factor. We need to hope that Phil is planning something or else it's a sweep.
Raja Bell can do a better job than most people. The times when Kobe really killed us were when Bell was on the bench and the last game he didn't play at all. He frustrates Kobe so much, Kobe has 2 technical fouls against us. Raja Bell will contain him. Nobody can stop him though. I will be happy with a little under 40 points which Raja is definetly capable of doing. And it wasn't just the beggining of the season, it was spread out throughout the whole season and I doubt Kobe was in that many, or in that long of a slump.
There's no such thing as containing kobe bryant. You hope that he's teamates are cold and cannot shoot. Raja cannot guard kobe, i was watching that game he scored 51 and he was just abused Raja and whoever else was on him.I know it's only 1 game but you're talking about the best offensive player in the league against a good defender. Kobe wins this matchup easily That doesn't mean the lakers will win though.
Prince contained Kobe for a whole series when Detroit played the Lakers. So much for Kobe being unstoppable. Bell can do the same thing. Bell has the quickness to bother Kobe.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 22 2006, 03:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Prince contained Kobe for a whole series when Detroit played the Lakers. So much for Kobe being unstoppable. Bell can do the same thing. Bell has the quickness to bother Kobe.</div>1- This is the best kobe we have ever seen. The old version of kobe has nothing on the newer version.2-Prince is a good defender but it was the team system especially the two wallaces which stopped kobe. Prince alone could not stop kobe, he needed backing. Raja cannot guard kobe and you will see this in the playoffs. Watch how kobe will abuse him in the post. Kobe's offensive arsenal is the best in the league way better than it was in 2004. Raja won't even know what hit him.If kobe's missing, it's not because of Raja. It's because kobe's off. There is no-one currently in the league who can stop kobe. Just because Dirk gets shut down by Bruce and Shawn marion doesn't mean kobe will [cheapshot]
When has Marion shut down Dirk? Funny people keep saying this and Dirk has averaged the same against Marion as anyone else. Kobe will get his but it won't be enough to beat the Suns. The lakers will be giving up a lot of points since they won't be able to contain Nash.
Dirk's percentage was 46% and he went 9-25 in game 6. Btw, it was a cheapshot, i don't want to argue about who slowed down who. :focus: We were not talking about who would win, i was saying kobe will abuse Raja and anyone the suns bring on him. Nash will just step on smush, hopefully Mckie can show some resistence.
Kobe will not "own" Raja at all. I think Kobe will only have one huge game but Raja is very physical and really bothers Kobe. They have this little rivalry thing going on I read. But Raja does a great job against him. If Kobe misses, don't make any excuses for him. It will be Raja's defense that makes him play bad in parts of games.
Kobe will hope Raja goes out the game since he is by far the best defender against Kobe on the suns. Kobe will still score a lot but he will shoot like 13-30 and if that is the case than Bell has done his job.
Yeah, that's what he does. He makes Kobe shoot at a lower percentage and he frustrates him so much that Kobe tries to beat Raja instead of winning the game so that's were all those shots come from.
