<font color="RoyalBlue"><font size="3"><div align="center">Los Angeles Clippers (26-34) @ Los Angeles Lakers (30-28) Friday March 8th, 2005 - 10:30PM ET Tipoff (on FoxW, KTLA)</div></font></font> Projected Lakers Starters <font color="Indigo">PG - Chucky Atkins SG - Kobe Bryant SF - Caron Butler PF - Lamar Odom C - Chris Mihm</font> Projected Clippers Starters PG - Rick Brunson SG - Corey Maggette SF - Bobby Simmons PF - Elton Brand C - Chris Kaman Lakers lead the season series 2-1 Key Stat Thirteen of the Clippers' last 18 losses have been by margins of five points or fewer. Key Match-Up Kobe Bryant vs. Corey Maggette These two always go at it when the Lakers and Clippers lock up. Both players have been on a tear offensively lately, Kobe Bryant is coming off a 40 point and 37 point performance, and C-Maggs has gone for over 30 in two of his last three games. Both players have a knack for getting to the line, and both teams also have problems getting into foul trouble. The Lakers cannot afford Maggette getting their big men into early foul trouble, otherwise the Clippers are going to dominate the painted area and make it hard for the Lakers to compete. Kobe Bryant or Caron Butler have to force Maggette to settle for the perimeter basket by baiting him into open looks. Maggette will force shots if he is struggling and the Lakers can take advantage of long rebounds to get out on the break and score on transisition baskets. Kobe Bryant has to continue being in attack mode tonight as well. The Clippers are a good shot blocking team, so Kobe and the Lakers need to get into their offense early and prevent the Clippers from getting set on defense. Lakers' Keys to the Game - Get started quickly on offense - Swing the ball around to tire out the Clippers - Box out and avoid cheap fouls early on - Hold the Clippers to under 100 points Clippers' Keys to the Game - Force the other Lakers to beat them - Work the pick and roll - Recognize the Laker shooters in transition Prediction The Lakers have played well their last two games, and are looking to complete the sweep on their homecourt during one of their final homestands of the season. The Clippers are coming off a tough loss last night to the Grizzlies and could be fatigued playing 3 games in 4 nights. The Clippers got burned all night on transition defense by Brian Cardinal and Jason Williams. They have to do a better job tonight of finding Atkins, Jumaine Jones, and Kobe when the Lakers get into transition to avoid open 3 pointers and wide open layups. The Lakers have been winning games by improving their defense. They have to be strong on the boards tonight because the Clippers big men are very active inside the paint and can easily get 10 offensive boards leading to more opportunities to score. The big men on the Lakers' bench has to be ready to play tonight, because the Clippers have three capable post players coming off the bench. The trio of Moore, Wilcox, and Rebraca help the Clippers get back into games and switch momentum in their favor by getting offensive put backs. The Lakers have to take advantage of Clipper turnovers and pressure Brunson or Anderson when they bring the ball up. Forcing the Clippers to play against the 24 second shot clock is a formula for success. It makes it hard for them to feed Brand in the post and it forces them to take a lot of low percentage perimeter shots. Without Jaric or Kittles on the court, the only consistent perimeter threat is Bobby Simmons. The Lakers are playing great basketball right now on both ends of the court. They need to win again tonight to and have momentum for their 6 game road trip. I predict the Lakers winning 103-93 and leading for the majority of the game. Laker Quote of the Day <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bryant played with Shaw for championship seasons in 2000, 2001 and 2002. "We've been through so many battles together," Bryant said. "He knows this offense, and he knows the ups and downs that a season can take on a player, and the mentality and emotions of a player." </div>
Nice win for the Clippers, this makes the season series 2-2, and if the Clippers were healthy, they would've taken it 3-1 Kobe played great offensively, him and Maggette were really going at it like they always do. Maggette had 30 points, but Kobe had 41 points, and both shot well, and got to the line, but Maggette had the better all-round game with 3 rebound and 7 assists, as opposed to Kobe's 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Brand was also a beast in this game with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks, and Kaman had another solid gmae with 12 and 7. Their wasn't too much noise from the Clippers bench today except for Ross who had a few baskets, but the starters were able to hold for the win.
Man, what a rough loss tonight. The Laker defense was terrible tonight and the team collapsed in the second half despite 41 points by Kobe. After taking an 8 point lead at halftime, the Lakers had a complete breakdown in the 3rd quarter being outscored 33 to 18. The Clippers played flawless basketball with only 3 turnovers, and shot 51% from the field. Corey Maggette got to the rim anytime he wanted and the Lakers could not handle Elton Brand inside. Lamar Odom really struggled in the second half picking up 3 fouls in the 3rd quarter and ended up being tossed from the game after getting two technicals for throwing the ball into the stands. To make matters worse the TWolves won their 3rd straight and tied the Lakers up in the playoff race. Both teams are now 1/2 a game back of the Nuggets for the 8th spot. The Lakers lost focus complaining about the officiating and it cost them the game tonight and probably any chance of making the playoffs.
``I was playing bad and my team was playing bad,'' Odom said in explaining his behavior. ``I made a mistake. I overreacted. It was a dumb decision. <font color="Red"><font size="6">I'm not using my brain out there.</font></font> I embarrassed myself and my team. I know it looked bad, but I didn't throw it at a fan and I never intended to hurt anybody.'' Sort of sums up tonight's game.
nice perfromance by kobe again!!But the only things that count are W?s. i did not watched that game but what i can see from the stats is that Butler Mihm and Atkins did not had their best games.
Odom simply put....cost the Lakers a legit chance at winning this game....down by 4 i think...missed 2 layups.... then got T'ed up and ejected...way to go Lame-er Odumb
