<div align="center"> @ <font color="darkslateblue">Minnesota Timberwolves (37-34)</font> @ <font color="gold">Los Angeles Lakers (33-37)</font> Time: Sat, Mar. 31, 2005, 10:30 P.M. Eastern Time TV: <font color="red">TNT</font> Place: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA --- Ballers: <font color="darkslateblue">Michael Olowokandi</font> ( C), <font color="darkslateblue">Kevin Garnett</font> (PF), <font color="darkslateblue">Latrell Sprewell</font> (SF), <font color="darkslateblue">Trenton Hassell</font> (SG), <font color="darkslateblue">Troy Hudson</font> (PG) Top bench baller: <font color="darkslateblue">Sam Cassell</font> Coach: <font color="darkslateblue">Kevin McHale</font> (11-8, interim coach) --- Ballers: <font color="gold">Chris Mihm</font> ( C), <font color="gold">Jumaine Jones</font> (PF), <font color="gold">Caron Butler</font> (SF), <font color="gold">Kobe Bryant</font> (SG), <font color="gold">Chucky Atkins</font> (PG) Top bench baller: <font color="gold">Devean George</font> Coach: <font color="gold">Frank Hamblen</font> (9-18, interim coach) <font size="5"><font color="blue">Top</font> <font color="gold">Ballers</font>:</font> <font color="darkslateblue">Kevin Garnett: 23 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists.</font> <font color="gold">Kobe Bryant: 34 pts, 9 assists, 5 steals.</font> <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="Blue">Team</font> <font color="Gold">Analysis</font>:</font> <font color="darkslateblue">- Minnesota:</font> The Wolves have won their last 4 games entering this game, and appear ready to overtake Memphis for the final West playoff spot. However hot they are, they're still missing last season's swagger that made them one of the elite teams. After their best win of the season in New Jersey, they couldn't put away the Clippers in the fourth and could have lost the game had Cassell and Garnett not stepped up. The confidence level is still not there, and they could be in trouble if the Lakers get hot from the field. <font color="gold">- Los Angeles:</font> The Lakers must step up to hold that closing window on the final playoff spot. They're 3.5 game behind Minnesota as the no. 9 team, and this is a golden opportunity for them to narrow that gap. Just forget about the rest of the schedule, they have a game now, they gotta play now. Don't worry about the next and next games, take it one at a time. The Knicks victory showed they've still got heart to compete. They've gotta come out and be the aggressors, get an early lead, and try to take control of the game. <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="Blue">Predict</font><font color="Gold">ion</font>:</font> The game will be close throughout, the Wolves will be up by 5 with 2 minutes left, but the Lakers will rally and send the game to OT. The home team will work it out in the extra session behind clutch jumpers from Jumaine and Chucky to win this one, 118-115.</div>
This game would have been a lot more exciting if both teams were still in the playoff hunt. The Lakers fall to, I think six games back now, so their playoff hopes are practically gone. It is still a must win for the T'Wolves. They remain two games back from the Nuggets, and this is the start of a very tough road trip which brings us teams such as the Suns(though, without Amare), and the Kings(have been struggling). A good West Coast trip can put them into the playoffs, but they have to count on the Nuggets to lose some games too, which is a big favor to ask, seeing as how the Nuggets have won 14 of their last 16 games. I think this game will only be in the low 90's, high 80's and I think the 'Wolves will be victorious. We are riding a four game win streak, and are looking to extend it to five games. Sammy coming off of the bench has been pretty big for this team lately, as has Kandi finally playing some good basketball.
^ with the win yesterday the Nuggets have extended their game lead over Minny to 2.5 and they've overtaken Memphis for no. 7 spot So the Wolves need to target on Memphis no longer Denver phewww!
The top teams in the West last year are now struggling to make the playoffs. The Lakers are obviously out of contention, but I'm a Kevin Garnett fan, and I'm pulling for him to make it this year. The Lakers don't have anyone to match up with KG tonight, unless Odom (game-time decision) suits up and plays. The Lakers usually get the better of the TWolves, but Minny has been peaking this past week and are clawing their way back into the playoffs. The Lakers are always dangerous at home, but the TWolves have more motivation to win and I expect them to turn it up a level against the team that bumped them out of the playoffs last year. The Lakers will keep it close, but the TWolves will come away with the victory 103-96.
I actually can't decided what will happen. There are three possibilities that I think would lead to the outcome today: -Kobe has a bad game - Lakers lose -Turnovers and unforced mistakes by the Lakers - Lakers Lose -LA have another good all around performance with all players involved - Lakers Win
Lakers by 3. After losing so much winnable games, they're due to win a game in which they're underdogs.
Hmm....Lakers need a miracle but they are not mathematically eliminated...so anything can happen. If LA wins this game (Which i think they will if hudson and spreewell and wally dont have ggreat games) LA has handled minnesota pretty easily this season and there is no reason they cant now.
I live in England and woke up to listen to this game online at 7:40am English time. This is 10:40pm LA time. Why has the game already finished? I thought it was starting at 10:30pm? Anyway, I looked at the stats and we attepmted too many 3's. We attempted 30 and they attempted 10. We made .233 of ours and they made .500 of theres. We made 7-30 and they made 5-10. It looks as if we lost because of our old problems that we seem to get sorted out for a short while only. This is the first time I am giving up on our team this season and saying we won't make the playoff's. I belive we could have put on a winning streak and made it if we would have won this game.
Yeah you're right threre.. Lakers have to reduce their attempts from outside.. Otherwise they will loose much more.. Our playoffs hopes are, as said before, practically gone.. Too bad, not a good playoffs without the Lakers.. The Lakers problem are, I think, that Kobe can't get rid of the ball as good as before when he had Shaq to pass it on to.. He has tried and for some games he had been succesful.. But obviosly not enough to leed the Lakers to Playoffs, unfortunately.. Come with more comments on the Lakers' situation..
what was going on with chucky and kobe? why the hell were they laughing when they were still losing by 5 points in the first half? especially atkins who kept on laughing and smiling after he missed so many open threes
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Laker_fan:</div><div class="quote_post">I live in England and woke up to listen to this game online at 7:40am English time. This is 10:40pm LA time. Why has the game already finished? I thought it was starting at 10:30pm? Anyway, I looked at the stats and we attepmted too many 3's. We attempted 30 and they attempted 10. We made .233 of ours and they made .500 of theres. We made 7-30 and they made 5-10. It looks as if we lost because of our old problems that we seem to get sorted out for a short while only. This is the first time I am giving up on our team this season and saying we won't make the playoff's. I belive we could have put on a winning streak and made it if we would have won this game.</div> Games starts at 7:30PM La time always
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting whatever:</div><div class="quote_post">what was going on with chucky and kobe? why the hell were they laughing when they were still losing by 5 points in the first half? especially atkins who kept on laughing and smiling after he missed so many open threes</div> Like Kenny Smith said, "It's a sign of a defeated team out there." Not only was Atkins laughing about it, he walks over to the bench and Tierre Brown gives him a high five and is joking about, too. Last night's game was blahzay blahzay. The Lakers only positive was making the extra pass, and Devean George had some nice plays. I also liked that Luke Walton pass from the top of the key inside to Butler for the flush. Aside from that the Lakers stunk again. They settled for 3point shots all game long, except for the final 3 minutes. Chucky shot 8, Kobe shot 7, and George shot 6, it was just ridiculous. The Lakers hot more 3's than FTs in the game, and played right into Minnesota's defensive game plan. Trenton Hassell even spelled it out at halftime, "We need to make the Lakers a perimeter shooting team." They did just that, and the Lakers got behind in the 3rd quarter.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Zoltar:</div><div class="quote_post">Games starts at 7:30PM La time always</div> I'm not used to the timezone's. In England, there is only one time whereever you go. I think that game time was 10.30pm EST.
