<span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%">Game 5</span>May 2, 2007 on 10:30 PM EST7:30 PM PSTPhoenix leads the series 3-1 PG: Jordan Farmar - 4.4 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.7 RPG, .61 SPGSG: Kobe Bryant - 31.6 PPG, 5.4 APG, 5.7 RPG, 1.44 SPGSF: Luke Walton - 11.4 PPG, 4.3 APG, 5.0 RPG, 1.00 SPGPF: Lamar Odom - 15.9 PPG, 4.8 APG, 9.8 RPG, .95 SPGC: Kwame Brown - 8.4 PPG, 1.8 APG, 6.0 RPG, 1.2 BPG PG: Steve Nash - 18.6 PPG, 11.6 APG, 3.5 RPG, 0.75 SPGSG: Raja Bell - 14.7 PPG, 2.5 APG, 3.2 RPG, 0.64 SPGSF: James Jones - 6.4 PPG, 0.6 APG, 2.3 RPG, 0.55 BPGPF: Shawn Marion - 17.5 PPG, 1.7 APG, 9.8 RPG, 1.95 SPG, 1.53 BPGC: Amare Stoudemire - 24.0 PPG, 1.0 APG, 9.6 RPG, 1.34 BPG<u>Los Angeles Key Players Off Bench</u>Maurice Evans - 8.4 PPG, 1.0 APG, 2.9 RPG, 0.5 SPGRonny Turiaf - 5.3 PPG, 0.9 APG, 3.6 RPG, 0.9 SPGVladimir Radmanovic - 6.6 PPG, 1.2 APG, 3.3 RPGBrian Cook - 6.9 PPG, 1.0 APG, 3.3 RPGAndrew Bynum - 7.8 PPG, 1.1 APG, 5.9 RPG, 1.56 BPG<u>Phoenix Key Players Off Bench</u>Leandro Barbosa - 18.1 PPG, 4.0 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.2 SPGBoris Diaw - 9.7 PPG, 4.8 APG, 4.3 RPGKurt Thomas - 4.6 PPG, 0.4 APG, 5.7 RPG<u>Key Matchup</u>May 3, 2006. Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers. NBA Playoffs. Game 6. This is what it's all about. Raja Bell commits a very hard foul on Kobe Bryant grabbing him by the neck and throwing him onto the floor. Ejection. Suspension. A new rivalry is born. After this, I think Kobe Bryant really wants redemption on Raja Bell and the Phoenix Suns. This matchup is going to be key because not only is Kobe going to have to step up on the offensive end but Raja Bell is going to have to contain him and not make any stupid fouls taking himself out of the game and forcing one of the bench players to play Kobe, the most explosive scorer in the NBA. This matchup will not only be key in Game-1 but through the entire series. Can Kobe get hot and can he be stopped? That's the question.<u>Los Angeles X-Factor</u>Lamar OdomLamar really needs to be aggressive offensively. He's going to most likely be defended by one of the best defenders in the league, Shawn Marion. He needs to take advantage of the height advantage he has on Marion (Nearly 3 inches) and be aggressive like he was last year. He needs to be efficiant and make most of his shots, to take the pressure off of Kobe.<u>Phoenix X-Factor</u>Raja BellRaja needs to play very tough defense on Kobe and get in his face. He needs to limit Kobe's shots and make him hit tough shots. If Kobe shoots less than 40% because of the amount of shots he takes, the Suns are able to win this game with their fast paced offense. Bell just needs to contain Kobe because Kobe can't be stopped but he can be contained.<u>Los Angeles Injuries</u>None<u>Phoenix Suns Injuries</u>None------------------------------------------------------------Game 4 Recap - Suns 113 - Lakers 100Steve Nash did what he usually does - only better than he's ever done it. With that, the Phoenix Suns have a commanding 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round playoff series. Nash had a career-high 23 assists - one shy of the NBA playoff record - to go with 17 points, and the Suns raced to a 113-100 victory over the Lakers on Sunday to move within one win of advancing to the second round. Amare Stoudemire had 27 points and a career playoff-high 21 rebounds for the run-and-gun Suns, who vowed to speed things up after a lethargic performance in Game 3. "We just wanted to be in the right spots and just wanted to be a lot more aggressive,'' Nash said. "I just felt like I was going to be more aggressive, put the onus on myself to make plays.'' The Suns averaged an NBA-leading 110.2 points during the regular season, scoring at least 100 in all but 14 of their 82 games and less than 90 only twice. After losing Game 3 to the Lakers 95-89, coach Mike D'Antoni and his players knew they had to quicken the pace. Did they ever. Shawn Marion had 22 points and 11 rebounds, supersub Leandro Barbosa scored 16 points and James Jones added 11 for the Suns. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Nash's 23 assists, Stoudemire's 21 rebounds and Shawn Marion's 22 points made the trio the first in NBA playoff history to record at least 20 in each category in a single game. "The speed of the game was ours,'' D'Antoni said. "They surprised us with their intensity in Game 3. Today wasn't a surprise. We have our system, and we ran it pretty good today. We had 34 assists on 41 baskets and that's because of our spacing. That's what we do - we've done it all year.''<u>Upcoming Games</u> Game 5: Wed., May 2 @ PHX, TBDGame 6: Fri., May 4 @ LAL, TBD**Game 7: Sun., May 6 @ PHX, TBD**** - if neccessaryThoughts and predictions on the game and series?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (STAT @ Apr 30 2007, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>suns win and the series ends!!!</div>Exactly, its over.
I'm expecting a win...it better be a win at least. 5 games was my goal, they can't stretch it out any farther. I'm not too worried though because the Lakers are down 3-1 and we are going back home. A blowout would be nice so the starters can get some extra rest.
As long as the Lakers play hard I'll be fine with whatever outcome. They're the most successful playoff team ever, they should start looking like it.
Bell should have a great game for his newborn Sun(Son )!It's a boy! Bell to play in Game 5 against LakersMay 2nd, 2007 @ 2:33pm by James Schmehl/Sports 620 KTAR and Johnny Villarreal/Sports 620 KTARSuns guard Raja Bell will play in tonight's game against the Los Angeles Lakers following the birth of his newborn baby today, according to Sports 620 KTAR's John Gambadoro.This afternoon, Bell's wife, Cindy, gave birth to their first child, a baby boy that weighed in at 8 pounds and 2 ounces and was 21 inches long.Earlier today, it was unknown if Bell would play in tonight's game.D'Antoni said the Suns experienced a similar situation last season after Bell was suspended for Game 6 against the Lakers in the postseason. The Suns trailed the Lakers 3-1 in a first-round series last year, then won three straight to advance."It's kind of a little out of our control whether (Bell) will be here tonight," Steve Nash said in the morning shoot-around. "If he is - obviously a huge boost for us. If he's not - then we'll have to find a way to get it done."If Bell was unable to suit up, Leandro Barbosa would have started in his absence."LB would have to step up," D'Antoni said. "Boris Diaw will come in also and we'll move Shawn Marion back to guard Kobe Bryant some."Instead of Marion, Bryant must again try to avoid Bell, who was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team Monday.Bryant is averaging 32.5 points in the first round series and said he was excited for Bell and the newborn baby."That's always a special time," Bryant said. "You know, my daughter's birthday was yesterday, so we celebrated it yesterday, they flew out here and, you know, family is extremely important and my thoughts and prayers are with (Bell) and his family."Suns and Lakers Game 5 tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. tonight at US Airways Center.
Sarver was on Gambo & Ash today talking about Bell having a child and said they named him Kobe :HAHAHA:
I expect a huge game out of Kobe tonight, but I feel it wont be enough...The Suns are definitely the superior team.
Hustle & Flow....I like it. No more run and gun. It's Hustle & Flow.Barkley wearing a Suns jersey....
Its so funny to hear Suns fans say "Kobe Sucks" Kobe sucks, thats just funny as hell. Yeah I know they do it to make him miss shots and all but I just think it's funny.
The Suns are making the same mistake that cost Golden State a win last night. They keep driving into the paint only to kick it out for a three. It was about time someone on the Suns grew a set and went directly at Odom to pick up his 5th foul.
What an incredible comeback by LA..too bad Odom had to get in foul trouble he was really THE GUY for LAKobe needs to step up and have an incredible 4th quarterIt seems like Phoenix doesn't want this as much as LA does..as that's how it should be..LA SHOULD want it more
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cavsrules @ May 2 2007, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'> anyone just hear Kobe? He just said "Wheres the f*cking foul" </div>I said the same thing. Kobe getting punished downlow and not getting the calls and then on the other end gets called for a ticky tack charge. Gaad...regardless though, Lakers have fought back and are going to need a near perfect finish to pull it out.And another thing, Doug Collins is freakin pissing me off with giving the reasons why this is a huge game for Phoenix and how they need it...please. This game is ALOT bigger for the Lakers. This is a freakin elimination game for them, it can't get any bigger!
Jeez, the Suns don't miss from downtown. Thats pretty much summing up the Lakers season, if the Suns keep making them the L.A Lakers are gonna be sent home and packing.. Now two of my favorite players are gonna be out of the playoffs. :no1:
Kobe is the only superstar in the league that doesn't get help from refs. They give LeBron, Wade, etc. the star treatment and get them to the line when they are looked at, yet Kobe gets f*cking hacked 57 times on the way to the hoop and he consistently gets no call. It's such bullsh**.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ May 2 2007, 09:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kobe is the only superstar in the league that doesn't get help from refs. They give LeBron, Wade, etc. the star treatment and get them to the line when they are looked at, yet Kobe gets f*cking hacked 57 times on the way to the hoop and he consistently gets no call. It's such bullsh**.</div>I just watched a slow motion replay of Kobe getting 'stripped' in the paint and Marion got his arm. :no1:
<span style="font-family:Arial">No excuses can be made, I don't think you would have won either way.</span>
