<div align="center">http://espn.go.com/i/nba/profiles/players/0213.jpg"> It0-4[/b] when Garnett scores 20 or less. And if he repeats his dismal playoff performance in Game 3 with 22 points and 11 rebounds, consider this series over. Garnett must use his energy and passion to fire himself up and his teammates. He must get himself well positioned in the low post, spin and muscle his way to the basket, and start knocking down some shots. If he can consistently have a nice rhythmic flow to his game, he can definitely be one unstoppable force. To me, what his statistics must look like tonight are 30 plus points and contributing 20 rebounds. Karl Malone's offensive numbers have staggered this playoff series, and the Lakers can live with that knowing the offensive productions they've received from their other players in Shaq, Kobe, George, and their other role players, but the biggest trait that has made a name for himself is defense. Malone has done a terrific job on Kevin Garnett this series by harassing him in the low post, disrupting and disturbing his game by making him sweat and work for each and every field goal opportunity, and he tends to "pull the chair" out of the bag at times. He's played this game for 19 years, so he's very experienced in situations like this. If Malone can repeat what he's been doing playing ferocious, physical defense on Garnett, and also hold him at or around 20 plus points, then the Lakers will be in good shape. Advantage Tonight: TWolves <u>Centers</u> With the quartet of centers that Minnesota has thrown on Shaq, who knows what person really is the starting center for this team? I feel Ervin Johnson will have a hard time on Shaq tonight just knowing that for one Shaq is very angry for how the referees officiated the game in the closing seconds of Game 3, and with himself staring down the Minnesota bench as he received his curtain call for his performance, who knows what he'll have in store tonight? And if you're Minnesota, there's no way you want to wake up The Diesel. What ervin and the other trifecta centers have to do is use their fouls well. If you don't want to get beat badly in the low post, you might as well foul him to allow himself to shoot two free throws, because if he bricks constantly from the line, (which he tends to do very often) it's like a turnover that you can use to your advantage which could mean points on their offensive trips. And also, they must do a better job of keeping him away from the basket, and double-teamming him whenever neccessary. For Shaquille O'Neal it's rather simple. Get yourself very comfortable in the low post, keep the opposing centers at your back at all times, and use your agility and strength to get to the basket and score points. With the lean bodies that will be thrown at him for huge portions of the game, there's no excuse to not have a monster game tonight. Something that we keep complaining about is his free throws. A huge liability. I wonder if the assistants were helping him in the gym to find a way to put some sort of a rotation on the basketball, because the way that basketball flies off his hand is horrific looking. He'll have to really bend his knees, concentrate heavily on that rim, and make free throws at a consistent basis. because if he does that, any form of a Hack-A-Shaq strategy will be thrown out the window. Shaq says he makes them when it counts, so let's see the evidence. Advantage Tonight: Lakers <div align="center">Players To Watch Game 4 </div> <div align="center">Kevin Garnett & Kobe Bryant</div> <div align="center">Garnett: 20.7 pts, 10.70 rebs, 4.0 assists, 1.33 steals Bryant: 24.0 pts, 3.30 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.67 steals</div> Emo's Prediction In my opinion, I think the Minnesota Timberwolves will come out and play an intense, physical style of basketball with a huge sense of urgency knowing that they don't want to return home to Minnesota down 3-1 in this series, however the Los Angeles Lakers are 7-0 this year at home, and they'd want nothing more to be up 3-1 in this series with a huge chance of returning to the NBA Finals. Something Payton and Malone desperately were seeking when they signed contracts this past summer. A chance to return to the Finals for Payton since 1996 and Malone 1998. This game will be close throughout, but with the Lakers experience, they will prevail in the end when it counts. Lakers by 7.
Thanks for covering for me, Really busy today. Anyways I think Shaq is the key. If he can hit his FTs again like he did in game 1 I think we win. I take L.A. by 6 in this one.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Gary Payton played one of his best games of the 2004 playoffs, but all of his points came mostly in the first quarter of Game 3 with Kobe having to surrender his game a bit so that he can receive more offensive looks to his advantage. </div> You say that as if it was bad that Kobe has to surrender his shots. The only time I think Kobe should be shooting at will is when trying to stir a comeback and when he's hot. The media turned nothing into something, making way too big a deal about Kobe not taking his shots. Payton was hot, and when you have a player on your team who's hot, you give him the ball. Even if you are Kobe Bryant. I was proud of Kobe for realizing that he was four other capable players on the court right with him, something that it seems he forgets. During Game 3, he played within the flow of the game, not forcing the game to come to him.
Well the Timberwolves will be their with a chance to win it again tonight. They just need somebody to reach out & grab the victory. Last game they had plenty of people to score to keep them close but nobody really step up during those crucial points thru out the game to put them over the hump & give them the lead during the game. Thats why they kept cutting the lead to 2 or 4 or 5 etc., but then go on a 2 or 3 possession scoring drought & the Laker lead would go back up to 7or 8 etc, so tonight somebody going to have to step up & grab the victory when they get close. On defense, they need to recover to the Laker shooters quicker, in the 1st half Gary Payton, Devean George etc got nothing but open looks. The wolves will still have to double Shaq alot in the post but their rotation to the perimeter shooters have to be quicker to take away some of those open opportunities. Also Flip shouldnt go into the 4th quarter, with the mindset of just using the Hack-a-shaq for the entire quarter. for 1, if the game is close I think that tells your defense that you have no confidence in them to get the stops they need. And it puts you in the fouling mindstate & then you end up fouling the good Laker free throw shooters like Kobe alot as well. And of course you dont want to be over the penalty for an entire 4th quater again tonight. If I was Flip I would maybe just use Hack-a Shaq for that last minute(between the 3:00 & 2:00 minute mark of the 4th) that it is ok for you to use Hack-a- Shaq. The Lakers should have may be 2 or 3 possessions during that time. That means you get to since Shaq to the free throw line about 6 times. Based on what he has done so far in the last to games, he may make 1 at the most, so thats when it ends up working because both teams will probably be in the penalty by the 2:00 mark, so you have a chance to get to the line aswell. And KG needs to score more while Karl Malone is on the floor. He needs a 25 & 15 MVP type performance. The Wolves are desperate I hope they pull this one out tonight.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Also Flip shouldnt go into the 4th quarter, with the mindset of just using the Hack-a-shaq for the entire quarter. for 1, if the game is close I think that tells your defense that you have no confidence in them to get the stops they need. And it puts you in the fouling mindstate & then you end up fouling the good Laker free throw shooters like Kobe alot as well. And of course you dont want to be over the penalty for an entire 4th quater again tonight. If I was Flip I would maybe just use Hack-a Shaq for that last minute(between the 3:00 & 2:00 minute mark of the 4th) that it is ok for you to use Hack-a- Shaq. The Lakers should have may be 2 or 3 possessions during that time. That means you get to since Shaq to the free throw line about 6 times. Based on what he has done so far in the last to games, he may make 1 at the most, so thats when it ends up working because both teams will probably be in the penalty by the 2:00 mark, so you have a chance to get to the line aswell.</div> You da man Henacy. You should be their coach, but don't blame you if you didn't want to cause look at Van Gundy. But I feel like Shaq will have a monster game and if they do all the things you posted and I don't even think that will be enough to pull the TWolves over the hump. Bottomline is that Laker starters are just more talented and are gelling right now so Lakers should have this as well. Unless the lazy Lakers come out tonight.
this was just amazing, i expected kobe to get more than 30 points/ Now its pretty much clear who will win that series (like it was before anyways ) even if theyll lose the next one theyre gonna win the last one at home
Just to much LA for Minny. Great effort by KG though, he almost had a TD. Unfortunately for Minny fans the rest of the team couldn't hit those big shots at the end.
Kobe Bryant scored 22 of his 31 points in the final 24 minutes and led his team in scoring in Game 4. Shaquille O?Neal added 19 points and 19 rebounds to the winning effort. <font color="blue">Game Recap</font> <font color="blue">BoxScore</font>
Great game by the Lakers, and the one and only court-to-court playa Kobe Bryant. But too bad I didn't see his reverse lay up in the third quarter, Marc Stein wrote it is "one of the greatest circus shots Bryant has ever made, and you know that's a deep field." This makes me curious, how incredible was the reverse? Does anyone have a video link to that? If yes, please post it here anyone has it I really wanna see it! Thanks
The Lakers had a great game,so i give my props to the Lakers But what really impressed me was Kobe's performance last night..he had a long day with court preceedings early in the morning,than coming back the same day to get ready for the nights game,and a lot of people were saying that he would be "exhausted","too pooped out",to even be a factor,but he was a factor,and he was one of the primary reason's that the Lakers won
Kobe is officially the 3rd best player in the NBA, behind Duncan and Garnett. Actually Garnett doesn't have that rank secured. I think Kobe's about to replace Garnett's spot.
Nice game, Kobe once again turned it on in the second half, and he made one of the most amazing layups ever. I think we will close this series out in Minny tomorrow.
I kinda feel sad for Minny. I don't mean to write them off yet, but it's pretty safe to say that this series is over. Minny did have a great season and I'm happy for KG for finally making it this far.
