Thought I would help 44 out, Delete if you wanna.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- <div align="center">@ <font color="purple">The Los Angeles Lakers (28-27)</font> @ <font color="green">The Boston Celtics (29-28)</font> Time: 4:30 PM Pacific (tape delay) Place: Fleetcenter TV: KCAL, NBALP</div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple">Lakers' Head Coach</font></font> <font color="purple">Frank Hamblen</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple"> Lakers' Projected Starting Lineup</font></div></font> <div align="center"> <font color="purple">Chucky Atkins: 13.4 ppg, 4.3 apg, 2.7rpg Kobe Bryant: 27.6 ppg, 6.7 apg, 6.1 rpg Caron Butler: 14.4ppg, 1.7 apg, 5.3 rpg Lamar Odom: 15.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 10.3 rpg Chris Mihm: 10.5 ppg, .6 apg, 6.8 rpg</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="green">Celtics' Head Coach</font></font> <font color="green">Doc Rivers</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="green">Celtics' Projected Starting Lineup</font></font> <font color="green">Delonte West: 4.7 ppg, 1.2 apg, 1.3 rpg Ricky Davis: 15.0 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.8 rpg Paul Pierce: 21.8 ppg, 4.1 apg, 6.8 rpg Antoine Walker: 20.7 ppg, 3.7 apg, 9.5 rpg Raef Lafrentz: 11.3 ppg, 1.2 apg, 7.3 rpg</font> </div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple">Bench</font><font color="green"> Factors</font></font> (<font color="purple">Jumaine Jones</font>,<font color="green">Al Jefferson</font>) </div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple">Key</font><font color="green"> Players</font></font> (<font color="purple">Kobe Bryant</font>, <font color="green">Antoine Walker</font>) Projected Stats <font color="purple">Kobe Bryant: 28 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds</font> <font color="green">Antoine Walker: 24 points, 4 assists, 11 rebounds</div></font> <font size="5">Keys to the Game</font> <font color="purple">Los Angeles:</font> <ul> [*]<font color="purple">Defend</font>- The Lakers have lost their last thier last 3 games because they simply can't play defense. They need to get back in transition, defend the 3, and stop easy baskets. It really isn't that hard. [*]<font color="purple">Season Over?</font>- I said last preview, the Lakers needed to beat the Knicks to make the playoffs...I am holding to that, but the Lakers don't have to. Come in here and play with F'ing urge and want to win. [*]<font color="purple">Production From EVERYONE</font>- Chris Mihm, Lamar Odom, Chucky Atkins, Caron Butler, Jumaine Jones, Tierre Brown, and the rest of the gang all need to step up and help Kobe out. [/list] <font color="green">Boston:</font> <ul> [*]<font color="green">Attack From the Start</font>- They are going up against a deflated Laker team. If they come in here early and hit their shots, play D, they will leave with a win. [*]<font color="green">Antoine</font>- He has looked great so far with the Celtics. He should be able to take it to Lamar who has struggled all year with players bigger than him. [*]<font color="green">Run</font>- Lakers haven't been able to stop the run lately, if they can get out and run, they can turn this into a long night for the Lakers. [/list] <font size="5">Random Movie Quote*: </font> Mike Lowery: It ain't exactly a pool, man. It's like a big-ass puddle wrapped in blue plastic. *Idea stolen from Supersonic <font size="5"> Prediction</font> Well, the Lakers have lost 3 in a row..why not make it 4? My confidence in them has been shattered lately...Boston wins 105-100.
Anyone find it ironic that that "Bench factor" matchup is a former Celtic? LOL Interesting how life plays out sometimes. 'Toine's return to Beantown......should be fun to watch.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">'Toine's return to Beantown......should be fun to watch. </div> Thats what I think will tip the scales in the Celtics favor. The Fleet should be insane. It's always fun when the Lakers come to town, but then you add the prodigal player's return? Can't wait to go to this game. Odom killed us in the second half last week, Raef just couldn't stay with him. I think Walker will at least slow him down a little more.
Right now the Lakers are like that fighter who's on his last leg in the 12th round. They are either going to come out swinging or get put out of their miserable season.
WEEI is reporting the Celtics have officially resigned FA PG Gary Payton. Assuming the Commissioner's office doesn't have any objections, GP could be available for tomorrow's tilt with LA also. Imagine the Fleet if GP's back also. <font color="DarkGreen"> <font size="6">I-N-S-A-N-E.</font> Welcome to the Jungle </font> <font color="DarkRed"><font size="1">If my wife didn't have to work the next morning, I'd be scrambling to check ticket availability.</font></font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">WEEI is reporting the Celtics have officially resigned FA PG Gary Payton. Assuming the Commissioner's office doesn't have any objections, GP could be available for tomorrow's tilt with LA also. Imagine the Fleet if GP's back also. </div> I wish, but he wasn't waived until 7:30 last night, so he won't technically clear waivers until Wednesday at 7:30, which would be literally as teh game with the Lakers is starting. If he's coming back, it would be Friday against Charlotte.
Very nice win to get a measure of revenge for the game last week. The Fleet was rocking, best regular season game in a while. Amazing ovation for Walker in the starting lineup. Couple notes along the way: -After that fast start I thought Kobe was going to go for 50. But Ricky really knuckled down on the defensive end and held him in check the rest of the game. Between the superior defense and the 29 points, probably Ricky's best game this year. -You know Antoine's return was a big deal when Pierce almost had a triple double and I didn't hear a word about it on the postgame show. -Walker had some early game gitters, so he was obviously looking to get his teammates going instead. They really fed off his emotion and seemed to realise the local magnitude of the game. -Antoine missed his first 3 and people started booing. Welcome home. -But, Walker should be relieved to know that he's off the hook, because Mark Blount is clearly the Fleet's new whipping boy. I almost felt bad for him... and then I remembered he's making $40 million. -25 minutes, 6 points, 4 fouls. There's the Chris Mihm I remember.... -Good thing that Al had a monster game, cause if he went 1-15 with no rebounds, he would have grabbed that #8 right back, and that would have been awkward... -What an amazing recovery by Justin Reed. He looked really good for a guy that had been fighting injuries all season. -Phenominal game by the young points, combining for 12 assists versus only 1 turnover. But still, I'd welcome GP back because when both West and Banks picked up 2 fouls, Doc was stuck keeping Marcus in. Probably a good idea to bring him back just for the depth. Solid win to get the homestand off on the right foot and also a big deal because the team had the local spotlight for a change. They've got some time between now and the start of baseball season to really re-establish themselves on the local sports scene. Tonight's win will really help that cause.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">-25 minutes, 6 points, 4 fouls. There's the Chris Mihm I remember....</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What an amazing recovery by Justin Reed. He looked really good for a guy that had been fighting injuries all season.</div>
