Los Angeles @ Miami-can lakers be victorious

The Lakers yet again will be facing Miami Thursday 17th. If kobe and Odom don't add their usual contributions with other players stepping up I don't think LA will win easily, especially with Miami's new addition of veteran Center Alonzo Mourning. It will be an interesting matchup. post me your predictions on scores.

 

Put It this way, you would be better off watching the tourney because I doubt the Heat would let It get close.

At the start of the year I was really looking forward to seeing Shaq/Kobe battle It out but now It has gotten boring even thinking about It. I don't look forward to that match-up anymore than I do when Carter and Mcgrady face off.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post">Miami will own us this game. We can't beat Washington once, and Miami beat them four times. I just don't see it happening.

Plus, you add the fact that they beat us at Staples, how are we going to go into Miami and win? I just don't see it happening.</div>

You say that and think bout this: We beat Dallas twice who beat Miami twice so if you say that you have to look at what the Lakers have beat and see if that team beat Miami. I think we could beat them. Look what happened last game, it was close down to the wire. They didnt kill us it was close. If you ask me I think they got lucky cuz Shaq foulde out in the fourth quarter. It went to overtime where we should of shut them down but we didnt.

 

The Heat are way too hot to be stopped right now, especially against the Lakers and on top of that playing at home too. There is a very, very slim chance that the Lakers will be able to win, but then again with Kobe Bryant on your team, you never know what might happen. But when everything is said and done, the Lakers will have a very difficult time even keeping this game competitive, so I'm projecting a blowout win for the Heat.

98-83 in the Heat favor.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I think we could beat them. Look what happened last game, it was close down to the wire. They didnt kill us it was close. If you ask me I think they got lucky cuz Shaq foulde out in the fourth quarter. It went to overtime where we should of shut them down but we didnt.</div>

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that means nothing. Both teams were going through different stretches and when you look at the stretch that both teams has been as of late, it is going to be very difficult for the Lakers to pull out a win. The Lakers got smacked by the Wizards in their last game, and barley beat an expansion team the game before. The Heat on the other hand has won 13 straight home games I believe and 8 games overall which also includes a 39 point win over the Bucks in their previous game. So when you look at what the Lakers and Heat has done prior to their big game on Thursday, it just wouldn't make too much sense on how the Lakers would have at least a legitimate chance at winning.

 

I honestly don't think that Miami will lose, especially not at home where the Heat have won 13 in a row, and 9 straight. Unless Kobe goes crazy and drops 40 <u>or</u> his teammates contribute a lot, there's no chance. I'm probably not going to watch this anyways, waste of my time to see LA fall. If they do win though, kudos.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">Put It this way, you would be better off watching the tourney because I doubt the Heat would let It get close.

At the start of the year I was really looking forward to seeing Shaq/Kobe battle It out but now It has gotten boring even thinking about It. I don't look forward to that match-up anymore than I do when Carter and Mcgrady face off.</div>

I disagree. It's true that both teams appear to be going in opposite directions right now. However, "rivalry" games can never be discounted as any other game with predictable results. Mind you that the last time these two teams met, it came down to a buzzer beating shot (missed) in overtime. The game was in doubt until the final buzzer sounded.

Aside from Kobe/Shaq - Odom, Buter, and Grant have extra incentives to play tomorrow when they make their first return to Miami. It will not surprise me at all to see these two teams play a competitive game (again).

 

straight up everybody. it's basketball we talkin about anything can happen. Who thought the lakers would loose to detroit last year? Nobody. Toronto have beaten miami this year at miami with vince carter on the bench. I mean the lakers could also do it. so don't be surprise if they won. and watch for kobe to be on his best form.

 

i think if the lakers don't play tierre brown but use cook to spread the D PLUS having the whole team contributing . lakers MIGHT have a chance

 

okay let me put this straight, lakers can win, there is nothing they can do about Wade and Shaq. But if they limit everyone else around them below their usual contributions, and have every player on their team on top of their game they will win. Its gonna take lots of work and effort though.

 

you huys forget whos kobe?we lost by 2 in overtime withought caron butler.the heat were plazying better than than now too

 

Heat is right now, one of the best teams in the league.

The things we need from the lakers to win this game is:

-Big Game by Kobe
-Big Game by supporting cast
-Good Consistant D
-Mihm to have a good game and stay out of foul trouble!

What we need to do is jsut let shaq have a hay day, give him whatever shot he wants.

we contain d wade, haslem, and jones, we can win this game.

kobe needs to guard wade at all times making him work for every shot, if wade is kept under 10 points which is possible if we have a good defensive game and kobe guards him, we can win this game.

It will be hard for the lakers, but as long as we have bryant, anything is possible.

Go lakers!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">I disagree. It's true that both teams appear to be going in opposite directions right now. However, "rivalry" games can never be discounted as any other game with predictable results. Mind you that the last time these two teams met, it came down to a buzzer beating shot (missed) in overtime. The game was in doubt until the final buzzer sounded.

Aside from Kobe/Shaq - Odom, Buter, and Grant have extra incentives to play tomorrow when they make their first return to Miami. It will not surprise me at all to see these two teams play a competitive game (again).</div>

You would consider this a rivalry? teams have to be at least level in terms of talent and overall play for It to be considered a rivarly.

The Heat are also very dominant at home, they have won 13 straight in their building and they don't look like letting up. I do agree that emotions will be high for Odom and Butler who were both loved last year by the Heat fans but they have have to play on more than emotion If they want to have a chance at beating a team who are focusing on homecourt throughout the playoffs.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">You would consider this a rivalry? teams have to be at least level in terms of talent and overall play for It to be considered a rivarly.

The Heat are also very dominant at home, they have won 13 straight in their building and they don't look like letting up. I do agree that emotions will be high for Odom and Butler who were both loved last year by the Heat fans but they have have to play on more than emotion If they want to have a chance at beating a team who are focusing on homecourt throughout the playoffs.</div>


Your right, we arn't elite this year, but we shouldnt be a team to be underestimated.

Our sqaud is extremely inconsistent, thats just cuz their young. They come out and beat the kings by 20 or go into a game a loose by 20, you never know.

I wouldnt count the lakers out of the game, i mean we just have to play a good 48 minute game and contain wade and we will have a good chance of winning.

 

I just don't see us winning this game.

Kobe is not playing good at all the last two games, not only that, but he just flat-out gives up. Its like he doesn't really care anymore. He's playing really poorly, I know he could do better. He could at least grab some more boards or something.

It sucks though... we really have to win this. We're already two wins out of playoff picture...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">You would consider this a rivalry? teams have to be at least level in terms of talent and overall play for It to be considered a rivarly.</div>

I didn't mean rivalry in a sense of franchise-vs-franchise ... but moreso a personal rivarly. There is too much storyline in this game for it to be considered a "regular" game, granted it's not as climatic with this being the 2nd time and the different directions the teams are going.

And since when do the teams have to be equal talent to have a rivalry? The Yankees-Red sox have one of the most well documented rivalries in sports, yet it is also one of the most one-sided "rivalries" there is. How bout UCLA-USC? There are a host of others. Not all rivalries are based purely on equality of talent. There are many rivalries that have a basis from external factors.

Nevertheless, my point was that when emotions are high (and they are high on both ends), anything can happen. That's not to say I'm picking the Lakers to win, but I wouldn't be shocked if they pulled it off.

 

we just lost to philly tonight

 

^What happened in that game, I watched the first half, and into the second half and watched Chucky got ejected, but Kobe started off good, and then well didn't do much after, and Iverson really did his thing.

I don't think the Lakers can win, people are mentioning the last game, but the Lakers were also home last game, and still lose though in a close one, and the Heat are even better now than they were then. The Heat are on a huge streak, and the Lakers are losers of 2 in a row, and the Heat don't lose at home too often either.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">kobe needs to guard wade at all times making him work for every shot, if wade is kept under 10 points which is possible if we have a good defensive game and kobe guards him, we can win this game.</div>
Wow, if you're saying that's what is needed for you guys to win, I think that's a little too much, as good as a defender someone is, to keep Wade under 10 points, he'll either have to be injured, get in foul trouble, or decide to take 27 foot three pointers all game.

The last game I remember him scoring little was against the Nets, he had 13 points in 26 minutes, the Heat won in a 25 point blowout, but Wade hasn't had less than 10 points this year except for a game vs the Wizards where he got injured. He had 0 points in 18 minutes, he was 0-4.

I don't think it needs to be that extreme for the Lakers to win, but they'd need a lot of things to go right, likely big games from Kobe and Odom, hold Shaq and Wade to just decent numbers, about 18-20 points each. Good defense all-around by the Lakers, good games from either Chucky or Butler, and getting a hand in the face of the Heat's shooters, or shooter, Damon Jones.