OFFICIAL Game Thread: Kings @ Lakers(TNT)

@

Day/Date: Thursday 2/26/04
At: Staples Center, Los Angeles
Time: 7:30 pm(PT)
TV: TNT

Los Angeles Lakers: 35-19

Quick fact: Lakers have played great ball lately, their 4-0 since the break, and we have just seen a whole different team in the 2nd half. Kobe Bryant has clearly led LA averaging around 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Sacramento Kings: 41-14

Quick fact: Sac-Town has won 8 out of their last 10 games, they are also without their All-Star Center Brad Miller. Kings have been the team to beat this year standing at the best record in the NBA.

Probable Starters


Frontcourt

Shaquille O'Neal/Vlade Divac

Brian Cook/Darius Songaila

Rick Fox/Peja Stojakovic

Backcourt

Kobe Bryant/Doug Christie

Gary Payton/Mike Bibby

Keys to the game

<u>Lakers</u>

<ul>[*]Get a hand in Peja's face, don't give him the wide open shots, because he will drain them.[/list]
<ul>[*]Feed it to Shaq early in the game, wear down the frontcourt, and get them into foul trouble. That will be a problem for Sacramento, if Brad Miller does not play.[/list]
<ul>[*]Down the stretch of the game Kobe needs to take over like he has been, put the ball in his hands, and let Kobe create. He has been successful doing that these past 4 games, which have led us to victories.[/list]

<u>Kings</u>

<ul>[*]I don't expect the inside game to be a big factor for the Kings, so it will be up to Mike to get this offense running correctly, set Peja up for the 3's, and get Christie easy fast break transition buckets.[/list]
<ul>[*]Double Shaq, double Kobe, do whatever you have to do from making these players beat you on their own.[/list]
<ul>[*]Try to get Shaq in early foul trouble, Divac can use is flop, or consistently go at him on the offensive end. Without the Big Fella in the middle could mean trouble for LA.[/list]

Key Players



Kobe Bryant --- Peja Stojakovic

Who else? Kobe has taken over since the break and is playing his best ball of the season. Peja, on the other hand in some opinions is a MVP candidate, and has led the Kings to the best record in the NBA.

The 'X' factor

With a banged up Kings team, down the stretch of the game, will the Kings be able to contain the Big 3?

My predictions

This one could go either way, but I will take the Lakers, especially if Brad Miller isn't playing. Shaq will be too much for them inside, and with the way Kobe has dominated lately, their is no reason for me to not pick LA to win. Also playing at Staples were we have only lossed 4 games the whole season, Lakers by 6.

 

This might be a close one.Maybe OT?
But i think the Lakers have more chance of winning.Kobe has been fantastic lately and they have been winning games.Plus they are one of the best home team.They will have a advantage at the Staples Center.They will have a big inside presence with Shaq and the Kings don't have Brad so that will hurt them.
I predict the lakers win by 7.

 

I think the Lakers will win this one. It will, in all likelyhood, come down to the wire like almost every game they play. But, the way Kobe has been playing since the All Star Break, Christie will definitely have his hands full. They have no way to guard Shaq except put a double or triple team on him every time he touches the ball and by doing that, they leave a perimeter player open. The only weakness LA has right now is Slava. He jacks up too many shots and misses most of em. The only thing that could hurt them is that fact that, if he's open, he shoots. They need to keep it outta his hands and in Kobe's, Shaq's, or Payton's. If they do that, they should be good.

 

I think the Kings will get this one. I may jsut be saying that though becasue I'm a Kings fan, but we'll see. I wish the rivalry between these two teams would still be as intense as it was last year... then this game would be more fun to watch.

 

I say Kings by 4. I think lakers will be tired, After Todays come back win.

 

No way the Lakers get caught napping. With C-Webb still out, Miller probably gone, and Bobby Jackson still hurt, LA knows they have the upperhand. The Kings had the pressure on them the first game this year with an injury depleted Laker team in town. This time it's the Lakers who don't want to end their winning streak by getting embarassed by their rivals. This game doesn't matter as nearly as much as the media wants it to but I expect these teams to get pumped up come playoff time.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mydi619:</div><div class="quote_post">I think the Kings will get this one. I may jsut be saying that though becasue I'm a Kings fan, but we'll see. I wish the rivalry between these two teams would still be as intense as it was last year... then this game would be more fun to watch.</div>

How can you be a Kings fan when you're also a Bulls fan living in Chicago? Please elaborate for me.

 

Ahhh, yes, ain't nothin' better than watching the Sacramento Queens versus the Los Angeles Lakers. In order for the Lakers to win this game, they have to do the following. GIVE SHAQ MORE TOUCHES!!! I mean damn, he only had 10 field goal attempts total in the Denver game. Give him the ball, let him take advantage of the Kings injury woes in their frontcourt, and let him make the Kings look stupid inside. I expect total domination for Shaq. Now secondly, allow Kobe to keep shooting the basketball. This is his fifth straight game in which he has scored 30 or more points, so why cool him off? I'm looking for Kobe to make Christie look ridiculously stupid going one on one with him, to find his stroke by hitting outside shots early and to just penetrate and dish off to wide open teammates in the paint. And lastly, Gary Payton has to stick on Bibby like glue. Take him out of his game, make him feel uncomfortable on every Kings possession, and to distract his mind with his trashtalking skills. This should be a very interesting game, but the Lakers will come out strong in this one and completely destroy the Kings, yeah you heard me. Completely destroy the Sacramento Kings. Lakers by 16.

 

Lakers by... uh, 1. Kobe drains the buzzer beater in double overtime and we win.

 

Lakers by no more than 5. the Kings will keep it close though.

 

I'm gonna be irked if I see poor defense again, tonight. Last night was just pathetic. But we won, all that matters. Huzzah~

 

I would say Lakers by 8
Kobe will have a rampage :-D

 

I expect the Lakers to win this one by 10plus. I think their schedule after the all-star break has allowed them to survive without Brad Miller & now Bobby Jackson but tonight against the Lakers they will be missed. Sac-town needs to force an uptempo pace on Shaq & the Lakers.Bobby Jackson is excellent at pushing the ball in fastbreak situations so that will be missed most def. Brad Miller would help to force Shaq to come out a little further on Defense which Shaq hates to do. I think Shaq will probably guard Songiala & play off him to let him shoot the 15 foot jumpers all night. This means Shaq wont have to work on defense which gives him more energy on the offense to kill the injury filled kings frontline. If I was the Kings I would put Shaq in alot of Point guard pick & roll situations. Thats the only way shaq is going to play any defense to

And I expect Rick Fox to be on Peja like glue.Knowing that Sac-towns offensive weapons are limited due to injury & even more than usually they need Peja to put up huge offensive #. This might be a long night for the kings.

 

Of course the lakers win, vlade can't contain shaq, darius songalia, psshhh. Peja can get his shots, just as long as their contested and kobe will take over. Also as long as they get shaq involved he will get double teams which means easy open shots for the lakers. The only way the lakers will go all the way is if shaq is the centerpiece.
Everyone should know that.

 

Lakers by 4.
Kobe: 29 pts, 4 rebs, 6 assists
Shaq: 30 pts, 10 rebs, 2 blocks
Payton: 14 pts, 4 rebs, 5 assists

 

This is just great basketball on display here tonight. You can tell both teams want this game badly. Looking good for the LakeShow right now. The ball movement looks better, and the aggresiveness on offense. Their are still many holes on the defense, the Kings have gotten way too many easy scores. Kobe and Shaq were just killin em at the begenning. From the looks of it right now, the Kings main focus should be stopping Kobe and Shaq obviously, LA is making it look easy right now. However, the game is close, but the Lakers lead the Kings 29-28 after the 1st.

And that damn Mike Bibby and Peja Stojakovic are somethin else....Sac-Town shooting 7/10 from 3 point land after the 1st.

 

Kobe is going on a shooting miss streak here... including a reverse lay up, and some short jumper he for some reason took left handedly...

Edit: Sweet, they just showed some footage of Kobe and Mike in the High School all American game. I've always wanted to see this.

 

Lakers have been playing a very sloppy 2nd quarter, they had so many oppourtunies to score, and let up even more easy buckets to Sac-Town. The ball movement has been poor in the 2nd as well, it's turning into a Kobe-show. Ball needs to be more spread around, to find open shots. I also think Shaq needs more touches, he's got the ball 4 or 5 times at most in the 2nd Q. They need to let him eat at the defense, if they want to have a chance at winning this one. They have let the Kings battle back, and luckily they comitted some turnovers which saved LA a ton. Lakers need to toughen up on defense, and they have this game. That's all, Kings are getting way too many in the paint buckets right now, they need to slow them down a little bit for the 2nd half. Besides that, Lakers are looking good, and I agree, Kobe is getting too happy with that left.

Wow, anyone just see Gerald Wallace spear Shaq? LOL, that was pretty crazy.

<u>Halftime</u>

Lakers 57
Kings 49

<u>Leaders</u>

Points: Mike Bibby 19, Kobe Bryant 18, Peja Stojakovic 14, Shaquille O'Neal 13.

Rebounds: Shaquille O'Neal 5, Kobe Bryant 5, Doug Christie 4.

Assists: Devean George 4, Gary Payton 3, Vlade Divac 3, Mike Bibby 3.

Were getting solid production off the bench, and I look for them to produce more in the 2nd half. I'd like to see more of George/Russell than Fox. I'd also want to see our shooters out there, Payton is getting torn apart by Bibby, I would like to see more flashes of Fisher, and definetley Kareem Rush, looked like he was about to catch fire but was pulled out.

 

Well Kobe made up for his missed shots... like always. So i'm happy. And yeah, that was crazy, I think it took Shaq a few minutes to realize what had happened.

Edit: Alright, i'm starting to get dissapointed in Kobe's shooting tonight. Including some ugly forced shots.

Games over. Nice try by Kobe, close, but no sweat.

Know what's sad? Kobe had more rebounds then Shaq...