<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Los Angeles Lakers attempt to break even on their four-game road trip and Rudy Tomjanovich looks for a successful return to the Toyota Center when they visit the Houston Rockets on Saturday. The contest also marks the first meeting between the two teams since the Lakers eliminated the Rockets from last season's playoffs in six games. Los Angeles fell to 1-2 on the trip with a 122-113 loss against the surprising Orlando Magic on Friday. Kobe Bryant was 14-of-31 from the floor and scored a season-high 41 points. Bryant also dished out eight assists and collected seven rebounds for the Lakers, who lost the battle of the boards, 50-32. Chucky Atkins added 21 points, including four 3-pointers, and Lamar Odom chipped in with 16. Los Angeles' bench was outscored by Orlando's, 54-13, with Brian Grant scoring all 13 points for the Lakers. Saturday will mark the first time that Los Angeles coach Rudy Tomjanovich will square off against his former team. With two-time scoring champion Tracy McGrady sidelined by a hip injury, Houston had its three-game winning streak snapped Thursday with a 96-91 setback against the Minnesota Timberwolves.</div> <div align="center">Link</div>
well if the lakers can contain yao somehow then maybe they have a chance. but if they cant contain him then theyre going to have to stop the supporting cast especially mcgrady to win. this is going to be a tought game for LA with the way they are playing right now. houston by 5
The way the Lakers have been playing on this road trip all signs point to another blow out loss. The Rockets haven't hit their stride yet, but they present the Lakers with an outside and inside attack. The Lakers have looked terrible on defense and are failing to recognize a teams strength and weakness. Last night they insisted on double teaming one of the softest teams in the league, and allowing the Magic to do what they do best and beat the Lakers with the 3-ball. The Magic shot over 50% from three point land and had wide open shots all night long. Unfortunately the Lakers face the threat of solid perimeter shooting and a dominant big man tonight. The Lakers will have to choose their poison tonight between trying to stop TMac or trying to stop Yao. Chris Mihm was owned the last time the Lakers faced a dominant inside presence against Duncan, and he got into early foul trouble. Keeping Mihm on the floor has been crucial for the Lakers in each game. When he's played 30+ mins the Lakers are 3-1 and when he plays less than 30mins they are 0-3. The Lakers need to keep it simple tonight and BOX OUT. They have been hurting themselves allowing second chance opportunities to their opponents. If they allow the Rockets extra shots, the Rockets will take full advantage of it with all the scorers they have on the team, TMac, Yao, Howard, and Jackson. The Lakers have to move the ball around on offense and be aggressive to the hole. Yao is intimidating, but he does get baited into fouling and the Lakers stand a chance if they can get 2 quick fouls on him. The Lakers also need to push tempo to make Yao or Mutombo less of a factor in this game. Unfortunately this is the 4th game in 5 days for the Lakers on the road, and their low on energy after back to back losses. The Lakers rarely lose three in a row, and a win tonight would be huge for them. I'm just not sure they are prepared to face the Rockets and I don't think the team is going to improve their horrendous defense overnight. I expect the Lakers to fall behind early, make a comeback after halftime, and then fade away in the 4th quarter like they did in Memphis and lose by 14 tonight.
Im going with Lakers:89 Rockets:85 but deep in side I think Rockets win, I hope im proven wrong by the team.
The Lakers-Rockets game will be a close one,as it will be a more highly contested game played by the Lakers than most people will imagine.If the Lakers can get Kobe,Odom & Adkins to have some great numbers and to see that T-Mac and Yao not get the ball as much as they normally would,than the Lakers could pull it off. But i'll go with Houston-94-93
Anybodys game im not predicting anything, because its all about who gets the calls and wants it more thats who will win this game.
If T-Mac doesnt play we still have other problems. Dont forget Yao. We need to find a way to contain him like said before. Im scared about this game. It doesnt feel right. I hope the Lakers will win but its gonna be hard.
Hmm... Lakers need to focus on two things: Yao Ming and causing the double team. The ONE problem that has been exposed this year against Houston is their poor defense when they run double teams. This has shown in the preseason and regular season so far, so the Lakers need to work off Kobe Bryant, and Kobe needs to draw the double, and pass to the open man... ...which brings me to Yao Ming. First off, it's no question that we need to defend the post heavily...but if anyone watches the Rockets, Yao has trouble against quick teams; guys like, for example, Butler and Tierre, who can run circles around him and take his mind off defending the hoop...and that's where Mihm comes into play. What needs to be stressed against Yao is penetration. Put him in a position where he has to leave Mihm...because he won't be able to get back in time if the pass is sweet and on the money. Back on track...to the double team...the Rockets are going to have to double team Kobe to win this game. So...there's no argument that there will be an open man nearly everytime down court, so this game falls on Kobe Bryant's shoulders, not to score 50 points...but to rack up buckets AND throw 8-10 assists in this game, or if not assists, at least effective passes that lead to buckets. If the Rockets avoid the double team, then Kobe will light McGrady up for 40 and it all falls on Mihm's shoulders then, to effectively grab boards and play smart basketball when our guards are penetrating and drawing Ming away from the hoop.
Im gonna probably catch this game on NBA TV tonight, I think the lakers are gonna take it unless T-Mac is playing because unless its T-Mac VS Kobe the lakers have the clear advantage at the SG position and the rockets are going to get dominated there.
GoodGame Lakers too bad you had some fans (me) dying in the last minutes. Great Job Odom if he keeps that up the we will do fine. Great job by the bench they were better than yesterday. What sucked is that we lost that 23 point lead early in the third we almost had a repeat of yesterdays game but we didn't. GO LAKERS!!! TMac or not a W is a W.
I keep getting worried about the Lakers lapsing after getting a big lead. Im not sure what is going on with them
The Lakers almost lost that won after a huge lead. Kobe was unselfish in this game and so the Lakers got rewarded with a win. Great game by both Yao and Lamar Odom.
Good Game for both teams, Yao played great, Lakers played like a team which was great. Kobe great game. ODOM great game, is that your 4th double double this season, 1 every 2 games, damn boy keep that up. Atkins, man this guy seems to be playing better lately? He seems to be cutting and scoring, I am starting to like him, he is playing smart and shooting well. Butler, what can I say I think he is capable of ten times more but still he put in a good effort. It was funny because of how big Yao is, Mihm checked in and I didn't see it and Yao was posting him up and that's when I turned my head and looked and I am like holy shit they put that midget, not seeing it was Chris Mihm cuz Yao is freaken huge, and said hes going to have no problem scoring and Yao freaken misses the lay up. It was funny Yao is huge, I mean he seems like he's 8 foot now haha. GOOD GAME LAKERS! Hey I said Good Game a lot haha, well I thought everyone played good, I wish TMac played so we wouldn't be criticized for winning with out him playing, it doesn't matter, Kobe would've shut him and down and Odom still wudv'e done his thing.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Billa_Bong:</div><div class="quote_post"> Hey I said Good Game a lot haha, well I thought everyone played good, I wish TMac played so we wouldn't be criticized for winning with out him playing, it doesn't matter, Kobe would've shut him and down and Odom still wudv'e done his thing.</div> Even though we didn't have McGrady in this game, we can't really use that as an excuse. The Lakers played a tough game the night before in Orlando, we were at home relatively rested, and we simply got outworked in this game. Even though I hoped we'd win, I am happy for Rudy T and any success he has coaching the Lakers.
Woohoo Lakers back at .500. Behind Odom's 20 points and 13 boards. Haven't read up what Kobe did but anyways good to see they got a W.
Kobe was relatively quiet. I thought the Rockets did a good job on him. He committed 5 turnovers, and mostly took perimeter shots. He scored the first 9 points for the Lakers in the third quarter. He did have one sweet two hand dunk.
