<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.
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
Were down 8 Get Q outta there, he is stinking it up! Thats from a Q fan!!!! Kobe hasn't scored yet though and I don't think the lakers can last any longer without Kobe scoreing. I am not watching the game but can somebody fill me in on who is covering Kobe, most of the time JJ or Q? It's probably JJ but I wanna make sure.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtKing:</div><div class="quote_post">Were down 8 Get Q outta there, he is stinking it up! Thats from a Q fan!!!! Kobe hasn't scored yet though and I don't think the lakers can last any longer without Kobe scoreing. I am not watching the game but can somebody fill me in on who is covering Kobe, most of the time JJ or Q? It's probably JJ but I wanna make sure.</div> Sometimes Marion, sometimes Q ... Kobe 0-10 shooting at the half ...ouch ..
Suns - 107 Lakers - 102 Suns Win! Amare had another amazing game, 33 points and 14 boards. Well Kobe had 10 assits and a triple double but he also shot the ball 33 times and was 10-33, Kobe must have to ball 90% of the time, to get 10 assits along with 30+ shots. Marion another double-double and Q Rich is still slumping.
