Portland @ L.A. -- 2/1/05

<div align="center">@
<font color="red">The Portland Trailblazers (17-25)</font> @ <font color="purple">The Los Angeles Lakers (23-19)</font>
Time: 7:30 PM Pacific
Place: Staples Center
TV: FSN, NBALP</div>

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

<font color="red">Maurice Cheeks</font></div>


<div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="red"> Blazer's Projected Starting Lineup</font></div></font>
<div align="center">
<font color="red">(Nick Van Exel, Damon Stoudamire, Ruben Patterson, Zach Randolph, Theo Ratliff) </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="red">Joel Przybilla</font>,<font color="purple">Brian Cook</font>)
</div>

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

(<font color="red">Zach Randolph</font>, <font color="purple">Lamar Odom</font>)
<font color="red">Zach Randolph:</font> 19.9 ppg, 2.0 apg, and 10.0 rpg
<font color="purple">Lamar Odom:</font>14.9 ppg, 3.3 apg, and 10.2 rpg</div>

<font size="5">Keys to the Game</font>
<font color="red">Portland:</font>
<ul>
[*]Randolph- Zach Randolph should give Lamar Odom some problems. He is much bigger than Lamar and should be able to pound him all night, see if he can get Lamar in early foul trouble.
[*]Bench- Their bench is really shallow at the moment due to injuries/suspensions. Their available bench needs to have huge games, be very productive for them.
[*]2nd Chance Points- Zach Randolph needs to power his way to atleast 4 offensive boards and Theo Ratliff needs to be all over the glass, 2nd chance points will be huge for the Blazers in this one.
[/list]

<font color="purple">Los Angeles:</font>
<ul>
[*]Get Another Win- The Lakers beat the Bobcats to end their 3 game slide, they should be able to easily beat the Blazers. This is an easy game, they should be able to add another W to their win column.
[*]Caron and Chucky- Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins have been our two most consistent players since Kobe's injury. They both are stepping up in Kobe's absence and filling the shoes for Lamar. Keep it up.
[*]Lamar- This quite possibly could be his biggest game as a Laker. He is going up against Zach Randolph, a possible all star. Lamar needs to show up for this game if he wants to install confidence in his Laker teammmates.
[/list]

<font size="5"> Prediction</font>
Simple. Lakers win another one, 102-94.