<div align="center"> vs. April 8, 2007 - 3:30 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on ABC</span></div><span style="color:#6600CC">Phoenix Suns</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">(57-19)</span><span style="color:#FF6600">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Raja Bell</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kurt Thomas</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">C</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, James Jones</span> <span style="color:#FFA500">Los Angeles Lakers</span> <span style="color:#4B0082">(40-36)</span><span style="color:#4B0082">PG</span> <span style="color:#FFA500">Smush Parker</span> <span style="color:#4B0082">SG</span> <span style="color:#FFA500">Kobe Bryant</span> <span style="color:#4B0082">SF</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Luke Walton</span> <span style="color:#4B0082">PF</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Lamar Odom</span> <span style="color:#4B0082">C</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Kwame Brown</span> <span style="color:#4B0082">Key Bench Players:</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Maurice Evans, Jordan Farmar, Andrew Bynum, Brian Cook</span> Injuries:<span style="color:#4B0082">LAL</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Chris Mihm(OUT)</span> <span style="color:#4B0082">LAL</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Vladimir Radmonovic(OUT)</span><span style="color:#4B0082">LAL</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Kwame Brown(WILL PLAY)</span>Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 18.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 11.5 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Amare Stoudemire</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 20.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Shawn Marion</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 17.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.0 spg, 1.6 bpg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Leandro Barbosa</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 18 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.1 apg</span><span style="color:#4B0082">Season Stats:</span><span style="color:#FFA500"> 31.3ppg, 5.6rpg, 5.4apg </span><span style="color:#4B0082">Season Stats:</span><span style="color:#FFA500"> 16.2ppg, 9.8rpg, 5 apg </span><span style="color:#4B0082">Los Angeles Lakers X-Factor</span><span style="color:#FFA500">Kwame Brown(WILL PLAY)</span><span style="color:#4B0082">Season Stats:</span><span style="color:#FFA500"> 8.3, 6.1rpg, 1.2bpg </span>Even though he is injured doesn't mean he can't be affective. He needs to stop Amare from dominating the paint. He is great low post defender and rebounder.<span style="color:#6600CC">Phoenix's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#6600CC">Raja Bell</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 14.5 ppg, 2.5 apg</span><span style="color:#6600CC">He knows how to contain Kobe and will get into his head with his dirty defensive style. He needs to hit big 3 pointers to close out the Lakers.</span><div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#6600CC">Steve Nash</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#FFA500">Kobe Bryant</span></div> Both are the best players for the position and MVP talk players. Nash leads his team and gives his teammates good looks for a win and Kobe hits clutch buckets, scores everywhere, and finds his teammates. Both will be intresting to watch.Extra Thoughts/NotesI think this will be a fun game to watch. The boos from the LA fans to Sun players especially like Nash and Raja. Fast pace game and I expect a big game from Kobe. PredictionI say sadly Phoenix wins. LA will put up great fight but with Kwame not playing 100% Amare will kill us.I think it comes down to the stretch like the last game.
Ah I think they should just let Bynum start give him consistent minutes this dude is going to be a beast I am telling yall.And Ronnie Teriuf or how ever you spell his name also shown he can be good.What if they went like this guys what you think?PG - ParkerSG - KobeSF - OdomPF - Roonie TeriufC- BynumI think that be way better. Bynum is growing will be one of the top centers in the league I think soon.Ronnie hustles, and has lots of energey.But anyway back to this game Suns should take it, but they better not take the Lakers easy. Because Lakers will give it there all they know Denver won, and they won't wanna fall half a game back going into Denver Monday.
This should be a very exciting game to watch. A good re-match of last years playoffs and Nash and Raja/Kobe re-meet. The key for LA this game is stopping Amare Stoudamire. We've seen what Amare does to teams without low post prescences, Kwame will have to stop up and bother STAT. Wow this reminds me how close we are to the playoffs.
I will pin this. I hope you guys are healthy because otherwise it wouldn't be a meaningful game at all...I looked in the newspaper and was pretty pissed at what I saw. You guys fell to the 7th seed?!?! Damn it! Even if the Suns win, the Clippers would still be 2 games away from the Lakers too so it would pretty much guarantee a match-up and that would pretty much take away any chance the Suns have at a championship. Unless...they can get through 2 7-game series against the only 2 teams in the league that have slowed down their offense, beat the best team in the league in 7 and then if our bad luck continues we'll go against a tough Detroit team with a great home court and big men who give us tons of trouble. Now, I still believe, but this is ridiculous.
I love this matchup, especially when in LA. Expect a monster game from Kobe, and expect a pretty intense matchup down low from Amare/Kwame.
I'm missing the 1st quarter because I'll be watching Blood Diamond so if anything interesting happens in the first...15 minutes of the game make sure to post it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Serge @ Apr 8 2007, 03:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Ah I think they should just let Bynum start give him consistent minutes this dude is going to be a beast I am telling yall.And Ronnie Teriuf or how ever you spell his name also shown he can be good.What if they went like this guys what you think?PG - ParkerSG - KobeSF - OdomPF - Roonie TeriufC- BynumI think that be way better. Bynum is growing will be one of the top centers in the league I think soon.</div>Ronny's been playing well but Bynum has been given consistent minutes for months now and all he uses them for is getting fouls. He hasn't been playing well at all lately. And that lineup would suck because Walton has to start.
<span style="color:#008080">I believe bynum is going to be a dominant center in this league, this game is a great match up, the suns cant take the lakers lightly even though kwame not being 100% will have an effect depending on how turiaf and bynum play</span>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PistonsFan @ Apr 8 2007, 11:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><span style="color:#008080">I believe bynum is going to be a dominant center in this league, this game is a great match up, the suns cant take the lakers lightly even though kwame not being 100% will have an effect depending on how turiaf and bynum play</span></div>It would be fantastic if he did, but he hasn't really shown any signs in months. He started off the season great, but since about December most of the time he hasn't had much of an impact at all.
<span style="color:#008080">he is still young but hes developing and thats important, also smush needs to come out fresh and ready especially after all his altercations with phil, im watching the game and hes executing very well</span>
Raja Bell flopping once again... EDIT: This is exactly the type of bullsh** the kills games for me, Kobe gets plenty of contact downlow with no calls but Raja Bell barely gets touched and the officials go out of their way to call a foul after the buzzer sounded....typical.
It seems like Lakers fans always complain during every single game. I won't judge since I haven't been watching though.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Apr 8 2007, 01:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It seems like Lakers fans always complain during every single game. I won't judge since I haven't been watching though.</div>Just look at the freethrow differential. The Suns have had 14 freethrows so far while the Lakers have had only 3. Bynum gets his arm tugged from Amare and no call leading to a block shot for Amare. Barbosa dives to the ground without getting touched but they give a foul to Turiaf. Even Marc Jackson said Barbosa should become an actor after that one.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PistonsFan @ Apr 8 2007, 12:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><span style="color:#008080">he is still young but hes developing and thats important, also smush needs to come out fresh and ready especially after all his altercations with phil, im watching the game and hes executing very well</span></div>He has been developing, but over the course of this season he's actually gone backwards. He started off very well but hasn't shown a lot the last couple months.Today he's playing pretty well though. Smush came out firing on the offensive end, defensively he was still a liability. Kwame's still out so Amare had 13 and 7 but neither team has played particularly well.
Looking good so far except for Marion. I hope he doesn't go and talk about not getting enough touches again and just plays the game...good to see that the Suns aren't having trouble with their offense for the most part though. The Lakers usually do a better job of stopping their offense. Well, nevermind, we are only shooting 42% so I'll just watch some more before I comment. Barbosa and Stoudemire looking pretty good. I wonder if Smush Parker will keep this up.
Turiaf is a beast. Is he going to be a free agent anytime soon? Not a good 3rd quarter for the Suns...got outscored by 5. They can't let this game get away.
Good game going on here, Suns are trying to pull away but L.A keeps answering. L.A needs a push right here, they get so close but can't seem to grab the lead or tie the game.