<div align="center"><font size="7"><font color="Purple">WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS GAME 1</font></font> http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/radoslav_nesterovic"> [b]O 16.2 points per game, 3.6 assists per game, and 11.2 rebounds per game Nesterovic: 5.5 points per game, 1.5 assists per game, and 6 rebounds per game O'neal is clearly better. Stronger and quicker, he should give Rasho hell. The only way to stop him is make him shoot FT's. If Shaq cant hit those, then it will be a long series for him and possibly the Lakers. Advantage: Lakers Keys to the Game <u>Los Angeles-</u> Perimeter D/Transition D Smart Decisions with the ball Make the Spurs shoot FT's, they are a horrible FT shooting team Bench play Malone needs to match up with Duncan on Defense and Offense <u>San Antonio-</u> Try the Hack-A-Shaq, he shot under 30% I think in the first series Bowen needs to make Kobe struggle again Manu needs to take advantage against the Lakers second team Give Duncan the ball because he is quicker than Malone, and help Rasho guard Shaq Prediction I think L.A. will come out trying to make a statement in game 1. Kobe is the best player in the league, and I think he will have a big game, and a big series. I take L.A. by 3 and L.A. to win the series in 6.
This is going to be a good one. I think we're going to be able to determine who is going to win in the game by the end of the first quater. I think both teams especially the Spurs is going to come out real agressive and try to attack Shaq. They know that Rasho has no chance against Shaq and what would be a better way to help Rasho by getting Shaq in foul trouble early in the game. I expect Duncan to have a typical game, 20 Points 10 Rebounds 5 Dimes nothing more nothing less. I see the Spurs winning Game 1 by 7. Ginobli and Parker is going to be the key to help the Spurs win the game. The Lakers dosent really have anyone to contain Manu and Tony. Derek Fisher is their best bet but there is no way he can hold both of them down. In order for the Lakers to win they need Gary Payton to step of defensively and lower their production. As for Bowen he needs to try and hold Kobe under 30 Points if they can do that....They will be fine. I'm personally rooting for the Lakers and I believe that they will win the series. But the Spurs had a nice long break and they're rejuvenated and I expect the home crowd to get into real early.
This will be a very tough series to call.. The Spurs are still the team to beat, and as a diehard Laker fan, that kind of makes me nervous. Everything goes through MVP Duncan, and he always gets the job done. For the Lakers to beat the Spurs, they need to contain their role players, since Duncan cannot be stopped. And for the Spurs to beat LA, I feel they need to contain Karl Malone. He's the X factor in this series because he can kill the opponent. He dropped 30 points in round 1, and he's dying for a ring. Look for the old man to come out strong.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Q Rich3:</div><div class="quote_post"> Tony Parker clearly has the advantage statistically, but he does not have the playoff experience that Gary "The Glove" Payton has. </div>Throw that playoff experience out the window. Look Parker did last year as a 20 year old, led his team to an NBA Championship. Payton has yet to do that, although he has never had a Tim Duncan on his team. He does have a Shaq, a Kobe, and a Malone so he has no excuse this year. Parker still has the edge until Payton proves he can hang with this young star. Spurs win game one and win this series in 6.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Throw that playoff experience out the window. Look Parker did last year as a 20 year old, led his team to an NBA Championship. Payton has yet to do that, although he has never had a Tim Duncan on his team. He does have a Shaq, a Kobe, and a Malone so he has no excuse this year. Parker still has the edge until Payton proves he can hang with this young star. Spurs win game one and win this series in 6.</div> Kills me to say this BUT you make damn good sense :thumbsdow Lakers could get upset this year, but its always good to keep high hopes
I think Karl will come out strong in this game, along with Kobe and Gary. I just dont' have a feeling Shaq will have a big game offensively in game 1, but I do think he'll play good D. This is the Spurs home court and all so I'll give them the respect they deserve, if the Lakers want to win this one they have to play good throughout the game, and not go on droughts both defensively and offensively. I'll take the Lakers by 6 on this one, in a close game throughout.
I have the feeling that the Spurs may take game 1, just because of the hot streak they are on, but you must have faith. Lakers by 2 tomorrow and they win the series in 6-7 games--I hope!
The hot streak is the reason the Spurs will lose game 1. They are due for a loss, and they will not be ready for the adjustments the Lakers have made in the last couple of games. The Spurs have not faced a physical team in their few games, and they won't be used to the pounding the Lakers are going to throw at them. The Lakers know the Spurs are tough at home and are playing with a high level of confidence. Game 1 is more important to the Lakers because they can take away the Spurs momentum and confidence by stealing game one in San Antonio. If the Lakers want to put the Spurs on their heels, and the best way for them to accomplish that is to take game 1. My prediction is Lakers by 4.
im going have to go with Spurs by 4 or by 24 in a blowout for game 1. for the series, im not sure. its going to be tough to call the lakers out but hopefully bowen plays as poor defense as he does shoots free throws (dirty motha)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">The hot streak is the reason the Spurs will lose game 1. </div>Thats what the critics were saying when they swept the Grizz last series. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">They are due for a loss, and they will not be ready for the adjustments the Lakers have made in the last couple of games. </div>I feel like the Spurs will blow out the Lakers in the first game and it will be up to them to make the proper adjustments for game two. I just don't see the Lakers winning this series. They struggled against the Rockets and they aren't even close to on the level that the Spurs are on. The Spurs will crush them in Game one. Lets get this game started already!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">I feel like the Spurs will blow out the Lakers in the first game and it will be up to them to make the proper adjustments for game two. I just don't see the Lakers winning this series. They struggled against the Rockets and they aren't even close to on the level that the Spurs are on. The Spurs will crush them in Game one. Lets get this game started already!</div> <font color="Purple">Whowhat!! <font color="Purple">Crush the </font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font>. <font color="Purple">Hmmhmmhahahaha, I do not concur with your analogy of the </font> <font color="Silver">Spurs</font> <font color="Purple">dominating the</font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font>. <font color="Purple">It is the</font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font> <font color="Purple">who shall crush your precious</font> </font> <font color="Silver">Spurs</font>. :mrgreen: <font color="Purple">j/k but I feel like it's gonna go down to the wire and I can't wait to see the outcome of this game. Of course I want the</font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font> <font color="Purple">to win, but I don't think nobody's blowing out anybody</font>.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 30 standing ver:</div><div class="quote_post"><font color="Purple">Whowhat!! <font color="Purple">Crush the </font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font>. <font color="Purple">Hmmhmmhahahaha, I do not concur with your analogy of the </font> <font color="Silver">Spurs</font> <font color="Purple">dominating the</font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font>. <font color="Purple">It is the</font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font> <font color="Purple">who shall crush your precious</font> </font> <font color="Silver">Spurs</font>. :mrgreen: <font color="Purple">j/k but I feel like it's gonna go down to the wire and I can't wait to see the outcome of this game. Of course I want the</font> <font color="Gold">Lakers</font> <font color="Purple">to win, but I don't think nobody's blowing out anybody</font>.</div>You are probably right. Just a gut feeling I'm going off of, nothing more. I hope to see a great game.
this is a sick series...both teams are confident, especially the spurs and both the fans and the teams fear the other team because they both know one can beat the other on any given night....it all comes down to execution... Prediction Game 1: Spurs by 5 Series: Lakers in 7
A big key for the Lakers will be Kobe Bryant, obviously. Will he approach this game as Kobe vs. Bowen, or Lakers vs. Spurs. He hurt the Lakers will the before mentioned mentality. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Will Kobe Bryant hurt the Lakers by taking his battle with Bruce Bowen too personally? It is no secret that Kobe is one of the most talented all-around players in the NBA. No single player in the league is more capable of sinking a shot any time the inclination strikes. Very few defenders can honestly say they have any bearing on whether Kobe has an off night. It just so happens that one of those guys will be inside his jersey for the duration of the Lakers' second-round series. Bowen, the Spurs' first-team All-Defense wing player, hates getting scored upon like Allen Iverson hates practice. Hates it like Mark Cuban hates suits and ties. Hates it like Robert Horry hates November through March. Are we getting the point here? Bowen is both tireless and relentless. He never lays on a screen, quits on a play or fails to get a hand up. Having said that, it is important to understand that Kobe Bryant is capable of having a big series against the Spurs. It all comes down to how Kobe operates within the offense. As demonstrated by his performance in the last meeting between these two teams, a Lakers loss in which Bryant shot a dismal 9-for-26, Kobe will struggle if the majority of his offensive opportunities are one-on-one situations against Bowen. In that game, Bryant repeatedly abandoned the offense in an attempt to take the Spurs' stopper off the dribble. The result was a series of forced jumpers and tough drives into the best help defense in the NBA. Kobe must trust his teammates and be willing to be a playmaker as well as a scorer if the Lakers are to move on in their quest to regain the NBA championship that the Spurs wrestled away from L.A. last season. There will be other matchups more advantageous to the Lakers. Shaq versus Rasho Nesterovic might be a good place to start. Taking Kobe's competitiveness into account, the answer to question No. 2 is doubtful at best.</div> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2004...tory?id=1793334
^ i totally agree. He will be the deciding factor of the game, but i will also love to see Malone vs. Duncan, just so many titles for this matchup. I think the Spurs have rested a little too long especially with the adjustments the Lakers have made. I understand that the spurs are on a large win streak not losing at all in april, but even i think that it is time for a loss. Even though i want it to happen , i will still need to face reality as i see game one being taken by the spurs. spurs by 4 (but i am not predicting the series winner yet until after this game)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Mr.Fundamentals:</div><div class="quote_post"> (but i am not predicting the series winner yet until after this game)</div>That is the great thing about this series, no one has any idea as to who is going to win this series. I know who SHOULD win this series but it is too hard to tell. It depends which Lakers team shows up. They can easily get swept in this series and they can also win this series in 6 or 7. Game one will tell a lot...hopefully.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">That is the great thing about this series, no one has any idea as to who is going to win this series. I know who SHOULD win this series but it is too hard to tell. It depends which Lakers team shows up. They can easily get swept in this series and they can also win this series in 6 or 7. Game one will tell a lot...hopefully.</div> That is exactly what I've been thinking. I think the key in this series is gaurding the pick and roll. Everyone has been emphasizing Payton's defense as a key but I really think its up to Malone and Shaq to help. If they can be as effective as they were gaurding the pick and roll during their wins against the Kings and T-Wolves than they can easily beat the Spurs. As good as Duncan is, Parker and Ginobili are the backbone of the team.
