<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> January 17, 2007 - 9:00 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on ESPN</span></div><span style="color:#6600CC">Los Angeles Lakers</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">(25-13)</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. Sasha Vujacic</span><span style="color:#000000">San Antonio Spurs</span> <span style="color:#999999">(27-12)</span><span style="color:#999999">PG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span> <span style="color:#999999">SG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili</span> <span style="color:#999999">SF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen</span> <span style="color:#999999">PF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span> <span style="color:#999999">C</span> <span style="color:#000000">Fabricio Oberto</span><span style="color:#999999">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Michael Finley, Brent Barry, Beno Udrih, Eric Williams</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:#999999">SA:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Francisco Elson will not play (tear in right rotator cuff)</span><span style="color:#999999">SA:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Matt Bonner will not play (torn MCL)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 27.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5.5 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Luke Walton</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 12.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.3 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 19.9 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.0 bpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 19.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.6 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 16.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.9 spg</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">6.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">LA's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Andrew Bynum</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 8.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">As A Starter: 9.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.8 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">With no Kwame, and Tim Duncan on the opposing end, the young fella obviously has to step up big time. He needs to be aggressive, he needs to put a body on the Spurs' bigs, and he needs to be effective on the glass.</span><span style="color:#000000">San Antonio's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 7.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.5 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">We all know why I have Bowen as the X-Factor: to do the best job he can with Kobe. Enough said.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen</span></div><span style="color:#000000">Arguably the best player in the world vs. arguably the best perimeter defender. It really doesn't get much better than that.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesThis is going to be a great game, and I'm REALLY looking forward to it. Both of these teams are elite NBA teams, and anything can happen. CelticBalla's PredictionI think it's going to be a great game, as I said above, but I think San Antonio (with the homecourt advantage) will take it. LA doesn't have Lamar, and assuming Bowen does a decent job on Kobe (not shutting him down, that is physically impossible), it will be up to the role players for LA to get it done. I'll take the Spurs in this one, they are just the better team and it is a home game.
I think that this is going to be a great game. The spurs are coming off of a loss so I think that they are going to be hunry for a win. And what better team to do it on than the Lakers at home. Bruce is going to have to play great defense on Kobe. If he can hold him to under 25, I will be very happy. If Bruce holds him to under 25, the next person on that list to stop for me is going to be Luke Walton. With Bowen guarding Kobe for the majority of the game, Manu is going to have to put out a great defensive peformance on Walton. Make sure that he doesn't get left alone for 3's, and to force him to go baseline so that is isnt as easy for him to create off the dribble.The only other player on that team that I think could possibly hurt us is Smush Parker...he is very athletic and that might give Tony some pressure. I think that Bynum is going to have a tough night. He is going to be going up agaisnt a very good defender in Duncan on the offensive end, and as for Bynum on the defensive end, it is going to be even worse. If you have wathced this kid play alot this year (which I have), you will know that he can sometimes get "foul happy", and IMO, the only way for him to get close to stopping Duncan is to foul him alot. Having a guy like Brown would really help them out this game IMO.The player that I think is the X-Factor for the Lakers tonight is none other than Brian Cook. He is going to have a VERY big advantage because either Duncan or Oberto is going to be getting the guarding assignment. If he can take his game out to the perimeter (which he is very good at), and hit down some shots early, it will force the Spurs to put Oberto on the bench which IMO, will hurt their matchups on their offensive end. Basically, the role players of the Lakers have to come up very big in order to beat a better Spurs team on their home floor.My final prediction....Spurs: 97Lakers: 92
Well, so far in the game, Tony is really taking it to Smush. He seems to be the only one that is really playing to win as of right now. Bryant comes out with 2 fouls early which I am very pleased about.Also, the anouncers said they are surprised that Tony is doing so well because Smush is a "good defender". I just thought I should share that because I found it funny considering Smush is a pretty bad defender.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Jan 17 2007, 09:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, so far in the game, Tony is really taking it to Smush. He seems to be the only one that is really playing to win as of right now. Bryant comes out with 2 fouls early which I am very pleased about.Also, the anouncers said they are surprised that Tony is doing so well because Smush is a "good defender". I just thought I should share that because I found it funny considering Smush is a pretty bad defender.</div>I noticed that they said that to, and have really grown to dislike national TV, it's like they never know what they are talking about. When I had my league pass, I never watched national TV games unless it was a thursday. They always say stupid stuff like that, I heard one of the TNT announcers say that Ariza was a poor defender before. As for the game, it has been a good game. Luckily for the Lakers their backups can come in and play well, they really helped keep the Lakers in this game, and kept them playing well. Tony Parker and Duncan are lighting up, Parker is driving at will and Duncan is doing all kinds of things. His maturity and know how has really been shown, especially when he was going against Bynum. I also like that idea by the Spurs doubling Kobe almost every time he comes off that screen with the ball in his hands this second half so far. Don't allow him to just go around that screen and shoot.
Wow, I don't think I have seen the Spurs play this sloppy all year long. I'm shocked, actually. But, you have to give credit to the Laker defense in the second half, they have been all over any ball that they have a chance at getting, and they have been converting off the turnovers. "Space Cadet" has been shooting the ball very well.And yeah, that Kobe dunk on Duncan got me out of my seat. Just explosive as hell!
Kobe dunked on Duncan too? Wow, everybody is doing that nowadays. You can make a 10 minute youtube video of him getting dunked on, watch out Shawn Bradley.
Great road win for the Lakers. They got really sloppy, and San Antonio battled back, but the Lakers came up with the big plays. Ronny Turiaf - that's great for him. I'm happy for him, that he got that big basket. Kobe made a few late mistakes, but overall he had a Kobe Bryant-like game. He shot the ball very well, and he made some huge plays (a couple of which will get on SportsCenter). Radmanovic also was shooting the ball from deep very well tonight, and that gave the Lakers bench a huge boost.Tony Parker, in the first half, was deadly. Duncan had himself a good night, and he took advantage of the inexperience of Bynum. He abused him on the block and got him in foul trouble. Brent Barry hit that huge 3 (beautiful play drawn up by Pop), too bad Manu missed his.But great win for LA, they are really having a great year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Melo061 @ Jan 18 2007, 12:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>MVP MVP MVPThat's all I can say</div>I have to agree with you man...Kobe is the best player in the world. period. What he is doing with this Lakers team is unbelievable. He has shown leadership qualities as of late that really make me love the guy as a player and person. He is so good that its undeniable. Nobody in the league can guard him anymore and that was proven tonight. Bruce Bowen looked like a fool....
That game was intense as hell. Smush came to play in the clutch (although he got murdered the other 42 minutes). Kobe was firing on all cylinders, did anyone see him playing D on Duncan in the fourth. It was on a switch and Turiaf wanted to switch back but Kobe said no and kept TD out of position the whole play. It was amazing. Duncan really got taken to tonight. Kobe dunked on him twice. Vlad dunked on him. Bynum dunked on him. Turiaf hit the dagger right over him. It just wasn't a good night for him in that aspect.BTW Vlad has put together a couple nice games in a row. This is the best ball he's played all season (not saying much).
That was pretty awesome. I hate the Lakers and Spurs probably moreso than any other teams, but that was a fun game to watch. Why the hell were the Spurs letting Bowen shoot? Seriously, he has to have one of the worst shots I have ever seen. (fakeedit: god, 2-9)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lakaboy42 @ Jan 18 2007, 01:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>BTW Vlad has put together a couple nice games in a row. This is the best ball he's played all season (not saying much).</div>It's cause Phil called him a Space cadet..
