<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#c8362d"><span style="font-family:Impact">Toronto</span> </span></span><span style="color:#c8362d">(34-28)</span> vs. <span style="color:#FCB135"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact">LA Lakers</span></span></span> <span style="color:#FCB135">(44-19)</span> </div> <div align="center"> When: Tuesday March 11th, 2007 @ 10:30PM EST Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA TV/Radio: The SCORE, FAN 590 </div> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"> <span style="font-family:Impact"><u>GAME PREVIEW</u></span></div></span> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>With the Los Angeles Lakers in a tight race for the top spot in the Western Conference, they can't afford too many more slip-ups down the stretch. The Lakers look to bounce back after having their six-game home winning streak snapped when they host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Los Angeles (44-19) is battling San Antonio, Houston and New Orleans for the best record in the West, but a surprising 114-113 loss to Sacramento on Sunday didn't help its cause. The Lakers entered as winners of 13 of 14 games, but fell behind 71-60 at halftime and couldn't complete the comeback for a victory. “I think we lost this one from the onset - coming out with the right sense of purpose and execution,”? Lakers star Kobe Bryant said. “I think it's a good wakeup call for us.” ?Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points, but missed a potential winning jumper at the buzzer. “I'm OK. I'm moving on,”? he said. “We'll make adjustments offensively.” Winning Tuesday could be critical since the Lakers, who lead the Pacific Division by three games over Phoenix, begin a brutal four-game road trip Friday. They'll visit New Orleans, Houston, Dallas and Utah in a span of seven days. Bryant's 28.0 scoring average against the Raptors (34-28) is his second-best against any club, behind only his 36.2 against Charlotte. He's had plenty of memorable games against Toronto, most notably his 81-point performance two seasons ago in a 122-104 win Jan. 22, 2006. The Raptors are a much-improved team compared to that club that won only 27 games, but they didn't have much success in slowing down Bryant in the teams' first meeting of this season, a 121-101 Lakers win Feb. 1. Bryant scored 46 points on 19-of-28 shooting. “He's the best one-on-one player in the league, hands down,”? Toronto All-Star forward Chris Bosh said after the loss. “It makes it tougher on us to help because he wasn't really selfish with the ball tonight. He played a great game.” Toronto appears to be on course for a second straight playoff appearance as it sits in fifth place in the East. The Raptors, beginning a five-game Western Conference road trip, are trying to catch fourth-place Cleveland in the race for home-court advantage for a likely first-round series between the teams. “This is one of the hardest trips of the season,”? Raptors center Rasho Nesterovic said. “We play against teams that are on top in the West. The first thing is to stay healthy. If we play focused, and stay aggressive things will go well.” The Raptors also face Golden State, Denver, Sacramento and Utah on the trip.</div> <div align="center">Source: Yahoo!Sports</div> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>STARTING LINEUPS</u></span></div></span> <div align="center"> <span style="color:#c8362d">Jose Calderon - Anthony Parker - Jamario Moon - Andrea Bargnani - Rasho Nesterovic</span> <span style="color:#FCB135">Derek Fisher - Kobe Bryant - Vladimir Radmanovic - Lamar Odom - Pau Gasol</span></div> <span style="font-family:Impact"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><u>KEY MATCHUP</u></div></span></span> <div align="center"> <span style="color:#c8362d">Anthony Parker</span> vs. <span style="color:#FCB135">Kobe Bryant</span></div> This is a tough game and Toronto will need solid production from each position to really come out of here with a W. But obviously, you can't talk about stopping the Lakers without focusing on number 8. In keeping with their pattern with opposing swingmen/guards, the Raptors allowed Bryant to carve them up in the last meeting between these two teams. Nobody can realistically expect Parker to shut Kobe down, but it'd help a lot if he didn't give Bryant a clear lane to the basket all game long (the same applies to anyone who has to guard him). On the other side of the ball, Toronto really needs his offensive game to be going from the get-go. With Bosh out, Parker's been our best offensive option and our go-to guy on a number of occasions. He has to continue slashing to the hoop and have a great shooting night. <div align="center"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>PREDICTION</u></span></span></div> It doesn't look good. The Lakers have us beat at almost every matchup and we will have a tough time on the defensive side. Really, the best we can hope for is a spectacular shooting night (similar to what we put up in our last game against Boston).
Be a man Chutney and say the Raptors will win, I'll excuse your bias this time. You know you want to... I on the other hand, will gladly choose the Lakers tonight (especially after being embarrassed in the second quarter by the Kings; they should be pretty pissed from the start).
If Toronto takes my advice and attacks Kobe's finger, this is a win. Somehow I don't believe anyone on our roster would be willing to do that though...... maybe Brezec. Thanks Bas.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Mar 11 2008, 04:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If Toronto takes my advice and attacks Kobe's finger, this is a win. Somehow I don't believe anyone on our roster would be willing to do that though...... maybe Brezec. Thanks Bas.</div> Fair point Chut, although Kobe said it best, thank God it's not the 80's.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Mar 11 2008, 04:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Mar 11 2008, 04:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If Toronto takes my advice and attacks Kobe's finger, this is a win. Somehow I don't believe anyone on our roster would be willing to do that though...... maybe Brezec. Thanks Bas.</div> Fair point Chut, although Kobe said it best, thank god it's not the 80's. </div> I think they asked Byron Scott about that during the All-Star break and he said he wouldn't have thought twice about it when he was playing.
Man, with the clocks set forward, how am I supposed to stay up until one (really two) to watch us get beat? DVR here we go. Guess I won't be checking the internet tomorrow.
Well if Chris Bosh isn't playing we really don't have any excuse for losing this one. After an embarrassing effort last game against Sacramento, I expect the Lakers to come out with more focus and intensity. We just can't continue to cruise through games like we've done in the past.
I expect this game to be over by the 4th quarter. I look for Kobe to be in his mood tonight. Mamba status, assassin like!
Back to Back threes! Calderon did a nice job hitting Kobe's hand. Another three pointer from Kobe! Great job by Lamar with the driving. Another one for Kobe!!! The turnovers are keeping this game close unfortunately.
Wow that's one of the worst fake flagrant fouls called that I've ever seen. A nice find to Kobe right on the next play. Farmar puts us back ahead. I've never seen Karl play like this.
Ugh, I want to watch this game but I'm absolutely exhausted after 10 hours at school. The Raps look to be playing some good D, so hopefully we can keep it close, if not win it. Rasho is the man.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Mar 11 2008, 10:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Rasho is the man.</div> Wow, Rasho tipped that ball in for Lamar, bad luck. Puke to Gasol. I really just want him to pass mostly...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bynumite @ Mar 11 2008, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Coby Karl re-energize this team because we look flat like Lohans sister.</div> OOOO nice one man. The Lakers were sad again in the first quarter. They're very sloppy. Thank god we have the part-time owner of the Raptors though. :] Kobe's 8/11 and averaging 39 points in his previous 12 games against Toronto I believe.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller)</div><div class='quotemain'>Thank god we have the part-time owner of the Raptors though. :]</div> lol, nice one. Andrea started to pick up towards the end of the half which is encouraging. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see how he builds off that, because I'm done for the night. Go Raps.
The Lakers finally get a double digit lead with back-to-back Farmar shots in the early fourth quarter. Timeout Raps.
