<div align="center"> Los Angeles Lakers: 17-14 Minnesota Timberwolves: 17-15 Date: Monday, January 10th Time: 7:00 PM TV: KSTC, NBATV Previous Games: Rockets @ Lakers 111-104 (WIN) Wolves @ Wizards 117-114 (LOSS) <font color="purple"><font size="1">(Coach Rudy Tomjanovich)</font></font> C - <font color="Purple">Chris Mihm</font> (10.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 0.5 APG) PF - <font color="Purple">Lamar Odom</font> (14.6 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.7 APG) SF - <font color="Purple">Caron Butler</font> (13.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.2 APG) SG - <font color="Purple">Kobe Bryant</font> (28.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.8 APG) PG - <font color="Purple">Chucky Atkins</font> (11.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.9 APG) <font size="4">VS</font> <font color="navy"><font size="1">(Coach Flip Saunders)</font></font> C - <font color="navy">Michael Olowokandi</font> (4.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 0.4 APG) PF - <font color="navy">Kevin Garnett</font> (23.8 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 6.3 APG) SF - <font color="navy">Wally Szczerbiak</font> (15.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.1 APG) SG - <font color="navy">Latrell Sprewell</font> (11.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.9 APG) PG - <font color="navy">Troy Hudson</font> (7.8 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 3.0 APG) LAKERS - <font color="purple">Jumaine Jones</font> Predicted Stats: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist WOLVES - <font color="navy">Eddie Griffin</font> Predicted Stats: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists LAKERS - <font color="purple">Kobe Bryant</font> Predicted Stats: 34 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists WOLVES - <font color="navy">Kevin Garnett</font> Predicted Stats: 24 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists</div> Although this game may seem to be an easy win for the Wolves just by looking at team statistics (where the Wolves lead the Lakers in field goal percentage and assists, among others), the Lakers do have one advantage over Minnesota: rebounding. This comes as a surprise, however, since the Wolves have the leading rebounder locked up in Minny (that being Garnett). Also, Minnesota's gameplay as of late has been all but fantastic...losing seven of their last nine and dropping to 7th place in the West. The Lakers will test its triangle offense for the second time this season, after practicing with it Sunday. The first time? The Lakers were successful against the Rockets, stabbing into Houston for a 24-point lead before halftime and eventually hanging on for the win. The Minnesota defense will surely be tested against the triangle...where Minnesota has held teams to 44% shooting all season, although Los Angeles (said to have a terrible defense) has held theirs to 43%. What is going on in Minny and LA? The last time these teams met, it was the Western Conference Finals. Kevin Garnett was the MVP and the Wolves were on top of the West. Kobe and the Lakers were climbing the mountain with them, and eventually knocked them off to advance to the Finals. Today, it's a different story, where it seems as if both Kobe and Garnett are looking around, wondering what teammate, if any, will step up and earn his paycheck. Possibly Odom and Wally? It seems to be...so watch for these two tonight, where Odom should pull down double-digits off the glass, while Szcrzcrabiojrajl-biak may be breaking down the LA interior defense all night long. Two guys off the bench that may catch fire early will be Griffin and Jones. These two will benefit most from the bench, especially Eddie Griffin, who may be brought in to torch the Lakers with threes and long jumpers. Both Jumaine and Eddie will help out on the glass, and could very well be nice to have on the court for defensive purposes as well. Look for both Griffin and Jones to ignite their teams from the bench in tonight's matchup. The Wolves may have more problems than the Lakers, but I have a feeling it's not so much on the court as it is in the locker room. Something just isn't right with this team, the same team (with the addition of Griffin) that dominated the West last season. The Lakers are experimenting with the triangle, and it could prove to be beneficial to their offense tonight...where they should take this game on the road and continue climbing the ladder in the West, 97-92.
my prediction: Wolves take it by 6. playing at the target center should really boost the t-wolves's confidence. if tney cant break out of the slump however, i wouldn't be suprised. thx for the preview by the way brandon, the dudes here at the minny forum appreciate that.
I think this will be another close game for the Wolves tho...without Sam it comes down to who is going to want to step up and make that big shot down the stretch in the 4th quarter. The Wolves dont defend the 3 very well, so that will be another key, getting up on LA's perimeter shooters. Chucky Atkins, Kobe, Jones, even Lamar all like that perimeter shot, the Wolves got to get up in their chest and force a couple of those guys out of their comfort zone, especially Atkins & Jones, who dont really like to put the ball on the floor. If the Wolves can force Kobe into soley a scorer instead of a scorer & playmaker, then I think they can pull this game out. But they got to make him work for his points, take like 25 points to get to average, cause that takes away from his supporting cast. They all need him to creat opportunities for him, so if he is luanching up shots & not making plays for them then Atkins, Mihm etc. wont do much.
I think they can win it but it'll be close, If T-wolves can stop Kobe and Odom it'll be over, but that'll be tough
WOW!!!!!! we are up 16 and find a way to lose??? whats wrong with us??? SOME ONE HELP US PLEASE!!!!!!
LOST!!! That's it for me! get someone out of there get the trade with the hornets i don't know what but i can't take it any more!
One thing that is clear is this team got a bunch of cats scared to make a big play in the clutch. Its to the point you can see the 4th quarter fear on alot of these cats faces. Alot of these cats is early scorers, they put points on the board in quarters 1 thru 3 but come 4th, they running from the basketball. And they stay getting killed on the boards. And cant defend the 3. Everybody knows LA is in love with the 3 so I dont understand how you dont make it a defensive goal to get up on their shooters at all cost.
What a pathetic fourth quarter. This was an embrassment. I think it's quite a clear now that this team is not a championship material. Better yet, they are not even a playoff team. That's right. They are NOT a playoff team. When you lose to bad teams as they have done consistently since December, you don't deserve to be called a playoff team. That's what the Wolves are. Let's face it. They are not a good team at all. I hate to say it, but it may be time to break up this team. So what if they don't make the playoffs. So what if this ends the Wolves chances of winning a title. So what. This team does not have the swagger or pride to get it done this year. Please don't tell me that losing Sam and Mark Madsen made a difference. They were stinking it up when those two were there too. I thought things were turning it on in the last two games, but I was wrong. Peter Vecesy has been mocking the Timberwolves in the last few weeks and you know what. I agree with everything he said with the exception of him ripping KG as the reason why the Wolves stink. Speaking of KG, what has happened to him. He has not had that kick-tail attitude since last month as he had last year. For whatever reason, things are not clicking with him in December and now in January. He was nowhere to been seen in crunchtime at all. What's wrong with the Wolves you ask? They don't have confidence in themselves as Henacy mentioned and when a team like the Lakers make a run in the fourth quarter, the Wolves belly up as you saw last month. Did the Wolves score double digits in the fourth quarter? Lakers had a 20-5 fourth quarter run to start the fourth quarter as they had the lead. Where is that swagger? I don't see it any more which is why I am starting to think it's best to break up the team. Brian Cook once again killed the Wolves. He made big shots in that Lakers fourth quarter run. He was unconscious out there. This bring me to this point. Why the hell was he wide open? Why wasn't there a body on him? I rarely second-guess Flip at all, but tonight I wondered when the Lakers were cutting it to 75-70, why wasn't KG back on the court. KG came back when the Lakers were within one. I couldn't believe it. KG should have been there at 75-70. Of course that point may have been moot since KG was a non-factor in crunch time, but still. I thought it was interesting Lakers made this run with Kobe in the bench for most of the fourth quarter. Rudy T stuck with the guys when they made that run and he never brought Kobe back even when they were within one and when they led. It's a shame that bad fourth quarter ruined all the good things that they did in this game. They played great for three quarters and for whatever reason, they were so passive and they never recovered. Wolves made stupid shots in the fourth quarter. There was no discipline at all. After watching this game, my inital thoughts were that the Wolves have run its course with this group. They blew a golden opportunity last year and you wonder if the run ended.
Just reading Timberwolf's first line, that fourth quarter wasn't an embarrasment, we are an emarrasment. We had the game in the palm of our hands all throughout, then we find a way to mess it up. Man, they didn't even have Kobe Bryant for a lot of the fourth. I hope this shows everyone that we need some changes, and badly.
George Karl said it best on SportsCenter about how this team needs to be broken up. Mike Wells of the Pioneer Press really rip the Wolves good in Tuesday's paper. Steve Aschburner basically made a great point about how this loss is as bad as the loss last week to the Bobcats. Jim Souhan thinks the Wolves are not a playoff team along with Patrick Reusse. They all hit the nail in the head. I am amazed at how the Wolves kicked the Lakers butt for three quarter and then went belly up. Right now, the Wolves are a very bad team. I was in such a crappy mood today as I was reading this nightmare at Target Center.
Honestly, I don't see how you did lose to us with Kobe out. KB is having trouble with the shoulder again...I'm glad to see Rudy pull him, but wow...I didn't expect us to come back in this game. I really thought the Wolves had it in the bag.
