Time: 4:30 p.m. Location: Wachovia Center TV: TNT ---------------------- Probable Starters: Gary Payton/Eric Snow Derek Fisher/Allen Iverson Rick Fox/Kenny Thomas Slava Medvedenko/Glenn Robinson Shaquille O'Neal/Samuel Dalembert ---------------------------------- Injury Report: Lakers- Kobe Bryant-Out Karl Malone-Out Brian Cook-Out Kareem Rush-Out Sixers- Derrick Coleman-Out Marc Jackson-Out Todd MacCulloch-Out ------------------- Keys to the game: -The keys for the Lakers tonight is they have to continue their gameplan of getting the ball inside to Shaq early. Allow him to take advantage of Philadelphia's center Samuel Dalembert. He's coming off nights of 37 and 36 points his last two ballgames. No excuses to not get to the same results. I also expect Gary Payton to repeat his performance of last night too. Perhaps Derek and Gary could switch so that Gary could guard Iverson. Payton did a good job defending LeBron last night in the second half, and I look for him to buckle down on Iverson as well. - The keys for the Sixers is they have to find a way to maintain an offensive rhythm without Iverson having to do all the work. Which means Eric Snow will have to do a better job at the point, making good decisions with the ball, and not make careless turnovers. Glenn Robinson to take advantage of Slava's soft defensive game, and for Kenny Thomas to do what he does best. To contribute his double digit scoring, and to help out his team with offensive rebounds. He ranks #4 in the league for that category. Laker Fever's prediction- With the Lakers playing an overtime game at Cleveland, and having to fly all over to the East Coast for a game, fatigue might play a factor in this one. But with Shaq coming out with two nights of 30 plus scoring, and Gary Payton finally being aggressive on the offensive end, the Lakers should take this one by no bigger than 3.
It's gonna be tough. The Lakers are shorthanded and are on a road trip. Yet the Sixers have been playing so bad. I'm gonna say the Lakers by 3.
Since 2001 I always enjoy Philly vs. LA games and I belive we can get this one,we lost a though one last year so were make a payback today,the sixers by 6
i think 76ers will be the aggressor and lakers will just hang on and win this game. i'm looking forward for gary payton and shaq to combine at least 50 points. lakers by 4 (93-89)
This is a dangerous game for the Lakers tonight. We are coming off a tough OT game last night, and had to flight out right after to Philly. The Lakers only had two scorers last night with Shaq and Payton, so if they are going to win tonight they need one other player to step up. I just don't see anyone on the Lakers being able to fill that roll on offense. The Lakers have a huge size advantage tonight and it should be enough to win this game. I'll take Lakers by 4, but it's going to be a nailbiter for us.
The throwbacks are in effect tonight, I'm ready for a good game. I like the Lakers, they might start off sluggishly but I think they'll take control late and pull this one out. Lakers by 3. Shaq goes off again: 35 & 15.
LA by 7, I think Slava might have a big game going against the smaller Kenny Thomas / Glenn Robinson.
Crawford just threw Payton out of the game after calling a foul on him that wasn't even his! Screw this BS, I'm sick and tired of these a**hole officials and their agendas. Now the Lakers have little, if any chance of winning this game.
Damn, I didn't even know the game was on yet!!! Poor dicision on Gary to be arguing on a call and getting thrown out this early in the game.
Why does this seem to happen only to Gary Payton? I've seen, and heard some guys say pretty colorful things to the refs and not get TWO technicals. GP must have really taken it up a notch to get himself tossed again like this.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OgShowtime:</div><div class="quote_post">Crawford just threw Payton out of the game after calling a foul on him that wasn't even his! Screw this BS, I'm sick and tired of these a**hole officials and their agendas. Now the Lakers have little, if any chance of winning this game.</div> Yep the Lakers are in trouble. I don't even want to watch it no more. But that's just me TimFlem.
LOL he didnt get ejected because of the foul......its what he said to the officials! What do you think the officials are after the lakers or what?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Joel-33:</div><div class="quote_post">Yikes guys...Heading into the fourth down 27 do you reckon you can come back and win?</div> No way, not to make excuses, but I honestly think the Lakers are exausted from last nights game. I don't see "hungry look" on their faces, and the attitude to win. Almost look hopeless out there, we lost Payton early though, and with Fisher's inconsistency, you could figure the game was going to get out of hand.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting femalehooper:</div><div class="quote_post">LOL he didnt get ejected because of the foul......its what he said to the officials! What do you think the officials are after the lakers or what?</div> I know he didn't get kicked out because of the foul, I was just saying that he was kicked out as a result of him arguing the call. I don't think the officials are after the Lakers, they just have a very keen ear for everything that comes out of GP's mouth. Especially Crawford.
