Charlotte @ L.A. -- 1/30/05

<div align="center">@
<font color="orange">The Charlotte Bobcats (9-31)</font> @ <font color="purple">The Los Angeles Lakers (22-19)</font>
Time: 6:30 PM Pacific
Place: Staples Center
TV: FSN, NBALP</div>

<div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="Orange">Bobcat's Head Coach</font></font>

<font color="orange">Bernie Bickerstaff</font></div>


<div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="orange"> Bobcat's Projected Starting Lineup</font></div></font>
<div align="center">
<font color="orange">(Jason Hart, Kareem Rush, Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor, Primoz Brezec) </font></div>

<div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple">Laker's Head Coach</font></font>

<font color="purple">Rudy Tomjanovich</font></div>

<div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple">Lakers's Projected Starting Lineup</font></font>

<font color="purple">(Chucky Atkins, Caron Butler, Jumaine Jones, Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm)</font>
</div>

<div align="center"><font size="5">Bench Factors</font>

(<font color="orange">Jason Kapono</font>,<font color="purple">Brian Cook</font>)
</div>

<div align="center"><font size="5">Key Players</font>

(<font color="orange">Emeka Okafor</font>, <font color="purple">Caron Butler</font>)
<font color="orange">Emeka Okafor:</font> 15.1 ppg, 1.4 bpg, and 11.1 rpg
<font color="purple">Caron Butler:</font>14.5 ppg, 1.6 apg, and 5.6 rpg</div>

<font size="5">Keys to the Game</font>
<font color="orange">Charlotte:</font>
<ul>
[*]Take Advantage- Charlotte is a dismal 1-17 on the road, picking up can win #2 can be easy. The Lakers are in a deadly tail spin right now, Lamar isn't producing enough, they are without Kobe Bryant...a loss to Charlotte could be their nail in the coffin.
[*]Pound it to Emeka- Emeka is a player that I believe can cause Lamar problems all night. Emeka is producing more on offense than anybody thought he would, give him the ball early and often and let him see if he can draw fouls on Lamar.
[*]Kareem Rush- Kareem is making his return to Staples to face the team that drafted, then traded him. The Lakers know exactly how deadly he can be if his shot is on, do not let him get into a rythm.
[/list]

<font color="purple">Los Angeles:</font>
<ul>
[*]Stop the Tailspin- For the first time this season, the Lakers have lost 3 in a row. They are in a tail spin that only they can stop, and stopping it against a team like Charlotte should be easy enough. If every can play like they did last night against NJ, there is no reason why they won't win.
[*]Who Will Step Up Tonight?- Can Caron step up again? I believe he has more of a future here than Lamar does, can Caron come out and drop 20+ and grab 10+ boards again? Or will he come out and get his 14 and 5?
[*]Season on the Line?- I firmly believe if we lose tonight, we will not make the playoffs. We are going up against the worst road team in the league, if they come in here and win...all our confidence will be shattered IMO. We can't let them get going early, shut them down.
[/list]

<font size="5"> Prediction</font>
L.A. is more than capable of blowing Charlotte out. The Lakers have lost 3 in a row and WILL END THEIR SLIDE IN THIS ONE by winning it 101-95. I am calling 22, 8, and 4 for Caron.