<div align="center"> <font color="Purple">Los Angeles Lakers</font> (5-4) @ <font color="Orange">Phoenix Suns</font> (6-2) Previous Games: Clippers @ Lakers 103-89 W Suns @ Hornets 95-84 W Projected Starting Lineups LAKERS <font size="1">(Rudy Tomjanovich)</font> <font size="1">(Chucky Atkins, Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm)</font> <font size="4">VS</font> SUNS <font size="1">(Mike D'Antoni)</font> <font size="1">(Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire)</font> Factors off the Bench <font size="1">(Brian Grant, Casey Jacobsen)</font> Game MVPs <font size="1">(Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire)</font></div> Brandon's Analysis I'll make this one short and sweet: contain Amare, and don't allow anyone to get hot from beyond the arc. Also, the Lakers need to really push the ball towards Richardson and make him work extra hard on defense, seeing that he's a weak defender...he may be put on Caron. Amare is going to have a scoring-fest on Mihm, unless Brian Grant is used tonight to play an aggressive game against Stoudemire. Odom should defend Marion well in the post, but once he lets him out by the perimeter, he may have a heap of trouble playing against Marion, who is a true SF...and this may cause us to pull down less rebounds, if Odom is drawn away from the hoop. Nash may end up throwing another 15 assists in this game...that is, unless Kobe has anything to say about it. The Lakers need to play like the Pistons to win this one...close the passing lanes between Nash and Amare, and intercept anything in the air (hands up at all times). Brandon's Prediction If the Lakers play like they did against the Clippers and in the preseason against the Suns, they'll win this game. If they don't stop Amare and Nash, it's game over. It's going to be a great game, no doubt...so grab a few bags of popcorn, tell your girlfriend/boyfriend to call you later, and plant yourself on the couch to watch the Lakers take the lead in the 4th and beat the Suns, 98-93.
I think the Lakers will fall to the suns in this game, but the game will be close. If the Lakers get off to a good start, they need to maintain the pace of the game and Kobe needs to get everyone involved just like his terrific game against the clippers. Steve Nash IMO is going to be the most impotant player on the suns squad in this game, no one can really contain him and Kobe can't switch as he's got Qrich, Marion or JJ. Caron will also need to play a great deal and continue his good play. In the end though, the lakers will lose. 102-97
I'm picking the Lakers. I think the key is stopping Amare. If we can make him work on both ends of the court, we'll pull away in a close one. 100-96
Should be a nice game, both teams are young and athledic. Should be a very close game but I think the Suns in front of the home crowd will take this one. Suns - 101 Lakers - 98
These game will be a very good one indeed.Amare is taking the leauge by storm right now, and the Lakers are going to have to work hard to slow him down.The key to the Suns sucess right now, is they are playing as a team.Nash is making plays, Amare is scoring, and the supporting cast is realizing their role, and executing. The Lakers are going to have to get Kobe going, the Suns arent the best defensive team and I can see Kobe having a big game.The Suns will probaly put Shawn Marion on him and Marion is a solid defender, we'll see what happens. The Suns are at home and hot, I believe they'll take this one 98-91.
This is big game for the Lakers and Suns. Both will bring their A game tonight, and you have to give the slight edge to the Suns because of homecourt. I was impressed with the play of the Lakers against the Clippers, and I'm hoping that team shows up tonight. So far the Lakers have followed a great performance by a piss poor one, and I hope they break that trend tonight. Steve Nash is a Laker killer and we don't really have anyone to matchup with him. Containing him tonight is going to be the key, but the way he's been passing the ball and creating wide open looks for his teammates worries me. I also don't like the matchup of the benches. The Suns have a huge edge in that department as well. I'm going to predict a close game and the Suns winning by 5 tonight.
Odom...9 points and 8 boards in the first quarter. Butler...10 points and 3 boards in the first. Kobe shot twice and has 3 assists. Oh, and the Lakers are up by 12, 27-15...at the end of the first.
Should be a pretty good game. Both teams are even at every position, but I think The Lakers will get them here...
What a shot by Atkins to end the half off another Kobe assist as the Lakers lead by only 1 after leading by as many as 17. Kobe scored only 3 pts in the first half but I predict he'll add another 19 in the second half we'll see... Lakers take this one by 7.
Good first halfs by Butler, Odom, and Chucky. But, Kobe, for the love of god, hit a shot. He went 0-10 in the first half, and if the Lakers are going to get it done in the 2nd half, he needs to hit from the floor. However, he did dish out 5 assists to look at the positive side, but 0-10 isn't working well with me. But, Lamar, Chucky, and Caron made up for it, combining for 32 first half points. So, if they play that well in the 2nd half, they may not need Kobe...but it would be nice to see Kobe come out of the half and knock something to begin the 3rd...cause, even though the other three are playing well, Kobe still needs to get his offense flowing.
Kobe's getting it going now, 0-10 in the first half, 6-10 in the 3rd, including 3/3 from beyond the arc. Suns better watch out before he lights em up. But...if they do that...the other guys have been playing well all game, so, right now, they could be in a bind on how to defend. Also, Kobe had 3 more assists in that quarter, and is currently 2 assists and 2 boards shy of a triple double.
Good game by both teams. Kobe was distributing the ball, but again tried to do too much. And the Lakers sorely need another Center/Power Forward and a true Point Guard. The Lakers could really use Karl Malone right now.
Kobe proved again, he is playin team ball. 10 assists. I thought the officiating was bad at the end. But hey, thats just me. I thought the Lakers won the game. The trifecta of Kobe, Butler, and Odom played great today.
