<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> January 4, 2007 - 10:30 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on TNT</span></div><span style="color:#6600CC">Los Angeles Lakers</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">(20-11)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Smush Parker</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Luke Walton</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Brian Cook</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">Maurice Evans, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jordan Farmar, Ronny Turiaf</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Sacramento Kings</span> <span style="color:#000000">(14-15)</span><span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Mike Bibby</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kevin Martin</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Ron Artest</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kenny Thomas</span> <span style="color:#000000">C</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Shareef Abdur-Rahim</span> <span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">John Salmons, Ronnie Price, Corliss Williamson, Francisco Garcia</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Lamar Odom will not play (sprained right knee)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kwame Brown will not play (sprained ankle)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Chris Mihm is out for season (recovering from ankle surgery)</span><span style="color:#000000">SAC:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Brad Miller will not play</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 28.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.2 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Luke Walton</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 12.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.1 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Mike Bibby</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 17.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 6.0 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Ron Artest</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 15.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.4 spg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Kevin Martin</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 21.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Jordan Farmar</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 26</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">5.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.6 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">SAC:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Quincy Douby</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 19</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">3.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg. 0.5 spg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">LA's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Andrew Bynum</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 7.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">As A Starter: 8.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.5 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Bynum played excellent basketball in the beginning of the year, when Kwame was out then. He needs to bounce back to that level, especially with Odom out. He's going to have all eyes on him, and he needs to rise to the occasion. I hope he does, because he has a chance to be a very good NBA center in the future.</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Sacramento's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Kenny Thomas</span><span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 6.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">No Odom and no Kwame = easier opportunities for rebounds, which is the strongest part of Thomas' game. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but easier. If he can step in and give the Kings 10+ rebounds and do the dirty work, that would be a great help.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Ron Artest</span></div><span style="color:#000000">Arguably the best player in the world vs. a top 3 perimeter defender. Ron Artest is licking his choppers right now; he lives for matchups like this. Kobe does as well. This is going to be great.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesCharles Barkley will be taking the place of Steve Kerr, calling the game alongside Marv Albert. Oh boy... CelticBalla's PredictionI think this is going to be a great game, but I see LA coming out with the win. I am predicting Andrew Bynum stepping up tonight, Kobe being Kobe, and one Lakers role player having an excellent game. I say Artest plays solid defense, but having a bad shooting night.
Ah, I can't wait to see the Artest-Kobe matchup as the Lakers try to continue to progress in the west and the Kings hope to get back up to .500, these two teams always battle it out.
I love Lakers-Kings games on TNT. It's like the meeting of my favorite matchup with my favorite channel. It'll be interesting to see if Jackson goes with Bynum and Turiaf rotating as big men or goes small and plays Vlad and Cook at center.
Wow... look at the Lakers lineup. Hopefully it will be a good game for the Lakers, love seeing Bynum getting a starting role, can't wait to see how he does.
Should be a good game. I'll be watching. Hopefully Artest can put the Suns ahead the rest of the division by 3 games.
Brian Cook was on fire. Bynum is doing pretty well and Kobe is doing a very good job getting everyone involved.
That was a great first quarter for the Lakers. Kobe was setting up his teammates beautifully, Brian Cook was RED HOT during the first 5 or 6 minutes of the game, Luke Walton did a really nice job, and Andrew Bynum started to get aggressive. Jordan Farmar has made a couple questionable decisions, and he's trying too hard. He needs to play smart basketball with Smush in foul trouble. I am a fan of Farmar, I hope he plays better throughout the rest of the night.Sacramento is obviously doing a poor job defensively, they are lacking aggression on the glass, and they aren't playing together offensively. They need to get it together.
I can't watch this But I'm following it on NBA.com, seems like the Lakers are doing not too bad.But I still can't get over the 'alley-oop' Luke Walton did... :no1:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (7Goat @ Jan 4 2007, 08:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I can't watch this But I'm following it on NBA.com, seems like the Lakers are doing not too bad.But I still can't get over the 'alley-oop' Luke Walton did... :no1:</div>What alley-oop?EDIT: I am watching this on HD, it looks AMAZING.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LakersFan247 @ Jan 4 2007, 08:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What alley-oop?EDIT: I am watching this on HD, it looks AMAZING. </div>The one Kobe threw to him on the the 3-0 against Philadelphia where Luke just stood there.Man that was a slow second quarter. Both teams shot a combined 47 free throws in a quarter. That's just ridiculous. The Lakers are playing well. Kobe's picking and choosing his spots, Luke's been good, Bynum's been great in spurts. It was great to see Bynum finally getting something done on the boards in that second quarter. He's too tall and (tonight) going up against too small of competition to be getting beaten rebounding. Cook was great opening up. He's cooled down but is still playing well. I can't really judge the defense. Sacramento has 58 points but 23 of those have been at the free throw line. There's been a few lapses but for the most part it's been about average I'd say.
JESUS CHRIST WTF IS WRONG WITH THIS TEAM, ONCE YOU GET A LEAD JUST KEEP PLAYING STRONG... BUT NOOO. GIVE KOBE SOME WADE TREATMENT AND WE'D BE UP BY 30 AND WINNING THIS.STUPID MOTHER *ucker!Steam gone.
I know they lost they lead and all, but Kobe for sure got fouled.Seems like the superstars are not getting there calls any more. But still the refs have to call Fouls that are fouls.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cavsrules @ Jan 5 2007, 12:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I know they lost they lead and all, but Kobe for sure got fouled.Seems like the superstars are not getting there calls any more. But still the refs have to call Fouls that are fouls.</div>Kobe gets the exception because he's Kobe.
