<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> January 18, 2007 - 10:30 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on TNT</span></div><span style="color:#6600CC">Los Angeles Lakers</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">(25-13)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Smush Parker</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Luke Walton</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Brian Cook</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">C</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Andrew Bynum</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Maurice Evans, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jordan Farmar, Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic</span><span style="color:#000099">Dallas Mavericks</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">(32-8)</span><span style="color:#3333FF">PG</span> <span style="color:#000099">Devin Harris</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">SG</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jason Terry</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">SF</span> <span style="color:#000099">Josh Howard</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">PF</span> <span style="color:#000099">Dirk Nowitzki</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">C</span> <span style="color:#000099">Erick Dampier</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jerry Stackhouse, Deaven George, Greg Buckner, DeSagana Diop</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Lamar Odom will not play (sprained right knee)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kwame Brown will not play (sprained ankle)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Chris Mihm is out for season (recovering from ankle surgery)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 28.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5.6 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Luke Walton</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 12.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg</span><span style="color:#000099">Dirk Nowitzki</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 24.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.2 apg</span><span style="color:#000099">Josh Howard</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 19.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.9 apg</span><span style="color:#000099">Jason Terry</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 16.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.0 apg</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#FFCC00">LAL:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Jordan Farmar</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 26</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">6.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.4 apg</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">DAL:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Pops Mensah-Bonsu</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000099">1.0 rpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">LA's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Andrew Bynum</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 7.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.7 bpg</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">As A Starter: 9.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">With no Kwame, and Dirk/Damp/Diop on the opposing end, the young fella obviously has to step up big time. He needs to be aggressive, he needs to put a body on the Mavs' bigs, and he needs to be effective on the glass.</span><span style="color:#000099">Dallas's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000099">Devin Harris</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 10.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.9 bpg, 1.2 spg</span><span style="color:#000099">Harris needs to bring a bunch of energy and he needs to play good defense against the Lakers guards. He'll get his matchups with Smush, Evans is tough off the bench, Farmar, and he'll get some shots at Kobe. He needs to make the best of it.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#6600CC">Kobe Bryant</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000099">Josh Howard</span></div><span style="color:#000000">Arguably the best player in the world vs. one of the best young players in the league. Howard is a petty good defender, and he'll get to guard Kobe down the stretch. We'll see how he handles him.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesThis is going to be a great game, again. Both teams are rollin' right now. CelticBalla's PredictionI think it's going to be a great game, as I said above, but I think Dallas is going to win. I predicted that San Antonio would win last night, they didn't, but I don't think LA can come in and beat both SA and Dallas on the road on back to back nights.
Going to be a good one with the way L.A has been playing.I get to see Wade 1st, then Kobe... Only thing missing is LeBron.
This game is at 9:30 EST. Im pretty sure anyways.Too bad we have to face Dallas with no rest. Ehh let's beat em anyways
I think Dallas will pull away in the 2nd half since the Lakers just had a tough game yesterday and they have to play on the road today against a better team. I don't know who I'd want to win, I guess the 1st seed is the most important thing right now so...go LA...
It's going to be tough coming off a game last night at San Antonio but I still have confidence in the team. Go Lakers. :rock:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Jan 18 2007, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This game is at 9:30 EST. Im pretty sure anyways.Too bad we have to face Dallas with no rest. Ehh let's beat em anyways</div>Nah. Every Thursday, TNT has 2 games. One at 8:00 pm ET and the second at 10:30 pm ET.
Yeah since the game is in Dallas I expect the mavs to win. The lakers will be slightly tired from last night so it will be hard for them to put a great effort like they did against the spurs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Jan 19 2007, 08:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah since the game is in Dallas I expect the mavs to win. The lakers will be slightly tired from last night so it will be hard for them to put a great effort like they did against the spurs.</div>Basically.Dallas 109Lakers 96
Well considering that since Dallas started 0-4, and have gone 32-4, with TWO of those 4 losses coming at the hands of the Lakers...the Lakers have a shot at knocking Dallas off again.
I'm not liking the feeling of this game so far. Anthony Johnson getting a lot of minutes and slowing down the offense. I guess Harris has the flu. Harris is Dallas's primary ballhandler so the offense doesn't look as fluent as normal.
Dallas is much more exciting to watch with Harris in the lineup but wow is Dallas a great rebounding team when they go big. Terry, Howard, George, Nowitzki, and Dampier. George did a pretty good job on Kobe but Kobe isn't as energized as I've seen him before.
Dallas is just blowing em out.56-73 right now as I type with about 7:28 Left in the 3rd.Maybe we will see a come back like the Pacers did vs. the Heat.
Buckner's defense has been great as well. I am loving the additions for Dallas this season with George, Buckner, and Johnson.
Man, I didnt get to see much of the game because I was at my basketball game. When I was watching it at the restaurant we were at after the game, the lakers were playing great and they were right with them. Maybe they are tired after their game with the spurs...who knows. Since LA has played great agaisnt them all year, I thought this one would be closer.
