New York Knicks @ Los Angeles Lakers 12/25 3:00 PM ET (ABC)

[EArl]

We should be able to get this win.

[AcecardZ]

If Kobe, Nash, Pau, Dwight and Artest can't beat a trash **** lineup of poo containing Melo, Kidd, Felton, Brewer and Chandler we don't deserve to go anywhere this year.


This game shouldn't even be a contest. If we can't compete with that bunch of losers we have no shot at contending for a title this year.

We have to start playing to our capabilities and not playing down to our opponents like we have all year. This Knicks team is garbage! We need to crush them!

Don't know if serious.

I was sort of kidding no pun intended. When you compare lineups though:

Kobe
Artest
Pau
Dwight
Nash

vs

Melo
Kidd
Brewer
Felton
Chandler

one would be led to believe the Lakers should get the better of it most nights even with the Knicks having a better bench. That's all I'm saying. Certainly Melo hasn't been garbage this year but just because he got off to a hot start I'm not convinced that's what we can expect to see from Carmelo Anthony all year. At some point I expect him to regress to something less than a "best player in the league" role if history is any indicator and when that happens the Knicks will start losing some games.

[hermes]

MERRY....CHRISTMAS.....Y'ALL

jeez, one for each letter? i hope this was 10 times as much work to put together as it was for me to figure out what was going on here

i appreciate it none the less though

[Ghost Snack]

If Kobe, Nash, Pau, Dwight and Artest can't beat a trash **** lineup of poo containing Melo, Kidd, Felton, Brewer and Chandler we don't deserve to go anywhere this year.


This game shouldn't even be a contest. If we can't compete with that bunch of losers we have no shot at contending for a title this year.

We have to start playing to our capabilities and not playing down to our opponents like we have all year. This Knicks team is garbage! We need to crush them!

Don't know if serious.

I was sort of kidding no pun intended. When you compare lineups though:

Kobe
Artest
Pau
Dwight
Nash

vs

Melo
Kidd
Brewer
Felton
Chandler

one would be led to believe the Lakers should get the better of it most nights even with the Knicks having a better bench. That's all I'm saying. Certainly Melo hasn't been garbage this year but just because he got off to a hot start I'm not convinced that's what we can expect to see from Carmelo Anthony all year. At some point I expect him to regress to something less than a "best player in the league" role if history is any indicator and when that happens the Knicks will start losing some games.

games are won on the court. Not on paper though.

Give the knicks credit this year, they are ballin'. It would be a great test for the lakers in front of their home crowd on national television. We are in for a treat.

Go lakers.

[DEEP3CL]

The key to this game will be finding a defensive rhythm, we have to improve on reading the right rotations. This has been the problem with this team. The Lakers must keep the Knicks off the offensive glass, and neutralize them on the 3 line. Last game they hit 12 and they average about 12 makes per game.

I feel a lot better about our bench, Metta, Meeks and Hill have proven they can provide 3 things..... scoring, defense and no slack off when subbed in. This has been as stable as we've seen in a long time. Secondly we have to establish some type of interior game, Pau and Dwight have to be effective. If they are this can affect the pace the Knicks want to play at. I like our feel for this game.

[KB24TBOTB]

So is Pau going to have to guard melo? If this is the case i can see us getting abused by melo to start the game off. I wonder what kind of adjustment will be made. Anyways, im hoping this will be a competitive game unlike the last time we met them. We are on a 4 game winning streak and the Knicks seem to be struggling a bit with their three point shot being off. Going to be an interesting game nonetheless

Merry Christmas everyone!

[Michael Lucky]

since when is it a given that PFs will always defend PFs? When Memphis played Miami they had Zbo guarda perimeter shooter.

[MAMBAEMD]

I'm not too much into early season statement games, but this is a statement game.

I agree the key will be defensive rhythm and intensity.
Most importantly, how will the Lakers deal with Felton. We can't let him go off on us.
Melo will get his. I'd stick Metta on him as much as possible. Dwight also has to keep Chandler off the offensive glass.

Comes down to, early game defensive intensity, and not fall behind by too much.

MerryXmas everyone!

Let's go Lakers

[ennui]

MERRY....CHRISTMAS.....Y'ALL

jeez, one for each letter? i hope this was 10 times as much work to put together as it was for me to figure out what was going on here

i appreciate it none the less though

lol, he even hyperlinked the apostrophe

pretty awesome tho, can't hate

[Wreckus13]

I think we got a good chance of winning. The best thing Nash has given us is the ability to focus on the defensive end. If we can do that, this game could be our true spring board.

[TheHartBreakKid]

Would like to see Ron start and Pau off the bench. If MDA is planning on changing the starting lineup based on matchups, I see no reason why Pau should get special treatment over Metta, who has been a better player than him this year. Melo on Pau will lead to both Pau and Dwight in risk of foul trouble.

[ShowTimeERA]

Would like to see Ron start and Pau off the bench. If MDA is planning on changing the starting lineup based on matchups, I see no reason why Pau should get special treatment over Metta, who has been a better player than him this year. Melo on Pau will lead to both Pau and Dwight in risk of foul trouble.

Put Pau on Brewer and take advantage of the size advantage on the other end...You don't play to your opponents strength by going small...

[TheHartBreakKid]

Would like to see Ron start and Pau off the bench. If MDA is planning on changing the starting lineup based on matchups, I see no reason why Pau should get special treatment over Metta, who has been a better player than him this year. Melo on Pau will lead to both Pau and Dwight in risk of foul trouble.

Put Pau on Brewer and take advantage of the size advantage on the other end...You don't play to your opponents strength by going small...

And put Kobe on Melo? We need Metta to start. I guess we don't have to go small, but we can't have Melo going off on Pau/Kobe

[ShowTimeERA]

Would like to see Ron start and Pau off the bench. If MDA is planning on changing the starting lineup based on matchups, I see no reason why Pau should get special treatment over Metta, who has been a better player than him this year. Melo on Pau will lead to both Pau and Dwight in risk of foul trouble.

Put Pau on Brewer and take advantage of the size advantage on the other end...You don't play to your opponents strength by going small...

And put Kobe on Melo? We need Metta to start. I guess we don't have to go small, but we can't have Melo going off on Pau/Kobe

I would have kept Ebanks in the starting line up. Nash would do wonders with him.

But since that's not happening, I prefer Kobe on Melo than have Pau on the bench...

Inserting Metta in the starting line up for Pau is a recipe for disaster against teams that thrive playing small ball such as Miami and OKC. Metta is best suited as the starting small forward...

[AcecardZ]

Inserting Metta in the starting line up for Pau is a recipe for disaster against teams that thrive playing small ball such as Miami and OKC. Metta is best suited as the starting small forward...

I'm not sure I totally agree. Other teams go with smaller lineups and torch us with their speed. With Pau and Dwight both on the court at the same time we have little hope of guarding smaller, speedier, perimeter oriented teams. It bugs me to death that with two talented bigs like Pau and Dwight we're having to adjust to other teams rather than forcing them to adjust to us and our size. Clearly though to this point in the season our size hasn't given other teams many problems. If we can't punish teams with a Pau and Dwight lineup we have no choice but to go to a smaller lineup as we have very little chance of gaurding perimeter oriented teams with a big as slow as Pau out on the court.

With Artest in we can hope to compete with teams that go with smaller lineups. Now that Nash is back I'm confident a Nash, Meeks, Ron Ron, Kobe and Dwight lineup can compete favorably with any team most nights. Sure we're going to be at a slight disadvantage against the OKC's and Miami's of the league but if we can get Pau, Morris, Hill and Jamison playing well off the bench for us by the time the playoffs start we have a reasonable chance to compete with just about any team come. Especially if Dwight's back improves between now and then.

[Optms]

I expect a loss. Only Rose won't be hitting a game winnner this year but a Novak three from the corner with .3 left should do it.

[Mamba Mentality]

Probably the most excited I've been for a game this season outside the season opener. I actually have a good feeling about this one.

[AcecardZ]

Probably the most excited I've been for a game this season outside the season opener. I actually have a good feeling about this one.

I'm very excited about the game also! Cautiously optimistic about our chances.


One other thing I've noticed about our team this year that I meant to mention previously but forgot to bring it up. Other teams are far more physical than we are. We consistently get pushed all over the court. We get outmuscled and frequently out hustled. If anything that's been one of the hardest things about this season to watch so far. Every time we do push back, even just a little, we get called for some ticky tack foul. It's extremely difficult to compete if your opponents are consistently capable of playing more physical than you are and that's been going on all season.

Note to Pau: Toughen up you big softie! Commit a flagrant foul once in awhile damnit!!!!

[Kobean]

If Melo is starting at PF then I think Metta will start there for us, Mike D did say when were playing against the best SFs in the league MWP will start.

[Tee212]

go in to howard early and get fouls on tyson and get his defensive ass game out. this should put us at a huge advantage. let melo get his 30, stay home on novak/kid/smith. limit to's and game should be ours!