<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> October 31, 2006 - 10:30 pm ETGame aired on TNT</div> <span style="color:#6600CC">Phoenix Suns</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">(0-0)</span><span style="color:#FF6600">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Raja Bell</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Boris Diaw</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">C</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kurt Thomas</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, Marcus Banks, James Jones, Jumaine Jones</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Los Angeles Lakers</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">(0-0)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Smush Parker</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Sasha Vujacic</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Luke Walton</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Lamar Odom</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">C</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Andrew Bynum</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Vladimir Radmanovic, Brian Cook, Maurice Evans, Ronny Turiaf, Shammond Williams</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant will not play (recovering from right knee surgery)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kwame Brown will not play (bruised rotator cuff)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Chris Mihm will not play (right ankle)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Last Season's Stats: 18.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 10.5 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash, the winner of the past two MVP trophy's, is now looking to lead this team to the promise land. He is the best playmaker in the game, he makes everyone around him better, and he's very consistant. It's a treat to be able to watch a player of his caliber.</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Last Season's Stats: 21.8 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 2.0 spg, 1.7 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion is a very unique athlete/player. He's very explosive, he can do everything on both ends of the floor, and he's a joy to have around. What makes him more valuable is that he can defend both forward positions. In the past couple seasons, The Matrix has proven himself to be one of the most versatile players in the NBA.</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Last Season's Stats: 8.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.0 bpg in 3 games</span><span style="color:#6600CC">When Amare is healthy, he is one of the most dominant players in the league. The thing is, he hasn't been healthy. He has knee surgery last year and he' looking to make a strong comeback. It will be very interesting to see how this young stud bounces back.</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Lamar Odom</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Last Season's Stats: 14.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.5 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">As you can see from his stats, Lamar Odom does everything. He's a 6'11'' versatile athlete. He can shoot, he can post up, he can rebound, he's a terrific passer, he can handle the ball, and he's a solid defender. It's always a joy to watch a player with an all-around game like Lamar's.</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Phoenix's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Last Season's Stats: 8.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.0 bpg in 3 games</span><span style="color:#6600CC">If Amare can come in looking good, he could have his way with Bynum.</span><span style="color:#6600CC">LA's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Vladimir Radmanovic</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Last Season's Stats: 9.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 138 3PM</span><span style="color:#6600CC">LA needs Vlad to come in and knock down shots. He is a valuable player to have in the triangle offense, seeing how he will be left open at times. If he can knock down shots for the Lakers, that will be great to compliment Kobe (when he returns) and Odom.</span> Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">Lamar Odom</span><span style="color:#000000">I had to change this due to Kobe not playing. But this is a great matchup, both Marion and Odom are extremely versatile players. Odom really dominated Marion a couple times in last year's playoff series, but Marion will not let that happen on a regular basis.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesI'm interested in seeing Andrew Bynum starting. It will be interesting to see how he does and how he fills in for Kwame and Mihm. CelticBalla's PredictionI think Phoenix just has the better team, so I'm going with them to take the game. It also helps that Kobe isn't playing lol. Phoenix takes it.
Key match up is odom and Marion, not kobe and raja. Raja has become soo overrated when kobe destroyed him this season. There's no "going at it". Kobe simply destroys him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Melo061 @ Oct 31 2006, 02:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Key match up is odom and Marion, not kobe and raja. Raja has become soo overrated when kobe destroyed him this season. There's no "going at it". Kobe simply destroys him.</div>Eh, the rivalry of Kobe/Raja is there man. Kobe destroys everyone, so that's irrelevant. The NBA doesn't have many rivalries whatsoever anymore, so when there is one I am taking advantage of it and using it as a key matchup.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Oct 31 2006, 05:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Eh, the rivalry of Kobe/Raja is there man. Kobe destroys everyone, so that's irrelevant. The NBA doesn't have many rivalries whatsoever anymore, so when there is one I am taking advantage of it and using it as a key matchup.</div>A key match up to me is a match up which is a game changer. Kobe-raja match up isn't. Odom/marion match up is. We have beaten the suns with kobe playing mediocre. Kobe's scoring has no impact on the suns.
I don't consider it a rivalry when one side is consistently dominate © Kobe/Raja. I think the Lake Show takes this one at home...Another good game write-up man.
Lakers are going to be very shallow for big men... it's going to hurt them a lot.But the Lakers will still win.
I dont think vlad will be LA's x factor,partly because Diaw and Thomas will have there time with him, and if they dont gaurd him down the stretch, Marion will have a field day with this guy, he does stretch the d at times, but hes not a defensive/ and not a real offensive threat
I think the Lakers will take this. The Suns are the better team but I don't think they'll be that great at the start of the season and they'll have trouble getting Banks and Amare into the mix. Yeah the Lakers lost Kwame, but he's really not all that good. On any night Bynum can be just as good or better an I'll predict a good game from him tonight. The Suns will win every other game against the Lakers though.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (STAT @ Oct 31 2006, 05:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Suns are going to take this easily. I see no reason as to why we should lose to these guys.</div>Oh come on. It wasn't too long ago this same Laker team had your heart sunk to the ground when the series was 3-1. Granted, Phoenix came back and made it to the Western Conference Finals, but no way is this an easy win.
God, are STAT and I the only ones that are Sun fan enough to think they'll win? WHERE'S TEH SUNS FANS? ORANGE AND PURPLE!!!!!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Something-To-Say @ Oct 31 2006, 04:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>God, are STAT and I the only ones that are Sun fan enough to think they'll win? WHERE'S TEH SUNS FANS? ORANGE AND PURPLE!!!!!!</div>I'm a Suns fan but I'm not going to be biased this season.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Something-To-Say @ Oct 31 2006, 06:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>God, are STAT and I the only ones that are Sun fan enough to think they'll win? WHERE'S TEH SUNS FANS? ORANGE AND PURPLE!!!!!!</div>I predicted Phoenix to win, but I had to correct STAT when he said it was going to be an "easy" win. That's just wrong.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Oct 31 2006, 05:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm a Suns fan but I'm not going to be biased this season.</div> :rock: I was surprised when I saw your pick 'em... I won't be biased either.
*****UPDATE*****Kobe Bryant will sit out tonight's game: http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/430...versus_phoenix/Oh well. At least he's playing it safe, though. No need to rush it, smart move by Kobe.
No Kobe. No Kwame Brown. Looks like this game isn't going to be too exciting.I was really looking forward to the Kobe-Bell matchup.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BALLAHOLLIC? @ Oct 31 2006, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No Kobe. No Kwame Brown. No Tim Thomas.Looks like this game isn't going to be too exciting.</div>No Chris Mihm either. But why is Tim Thomas out? I heard nothing about this. Can you please give me a little update here?
