RealGM

Mods please feel free to merge this into the game thread when it's made. (I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade I'm just anxious for the game on Sunday and was hoping to get some discussion going.

So far we've had a pretty successful road trip going 4-2 with victories over Minn, Detroit, Brook and Charlotte and losses to the Suns (gag) and the Celtics (double gag). As disappointing as the Phoenix loss was I'm sure many would have been happy being 4-2 heading into Sunday's game against the heat especially with a banged up Dwight and after losing Pau altogether. We're tattered and we're battered but somehow we're holding together even if just barely. Hopefully getting back to LA will re-invigorate our guys for the final 30 or so games left in the season.

Lately Lebron has been playing out of this world so I'm not going into this game expecting a whole lot. Especially with this game coming at the tail end of a very long road trip and having a banged up Dwight and missing Pau altogether.

If we're to have any hope of winning at all we're going to need exceptional offensive play from Kobe, Nash and Dwight coupled with superb defensive play from Metta and Earl Clark. Metta and Earl will have the Herculean task of trying to slow LeBron James. Hopefully the duo can have a little success keeping us in the game and giving us a chance at victory.

The wild cards... For the Lakers we already know Pau won't be playing but one guy who will be out there playing even though he's nowhere near 100% will be Dwight Howard. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact he's going to be able to make against Bosh, Haslem and Anderson. If he can find it in him to have a big game the Lakers could make this one very interesting. Who knows? Maybe we'll see flashbacks of 2010 Dwight and he'll beast all over the weaker front court of the Miami Heat. it's not totally out of the question.

For the Heat it looks like both Bosh and Ray Allen have the flu so it'll be interesting to see how well they feel come Sunday and what mark they're going to be able to leave on the game. If neither play, something I highly doubt happens, the Lakers should have a puncher's chance of getting a victory.

It's the last game of a long road trip so it might be asking a lot to expect much from our guys on Sunday but we could REALLY use a win against a quality opponent like the Miami Heat. Especially given the fact we've struggled so much against them in recent times. Oh what a win like this would do four our team! #confidencebuilder #teamchemistybuilder

Lakers!

Unfortunately our 1 game winning streak ends in Miami similar to the Boston game

myersia wrote:Unfortunately our 1 game winning streak ends in Miami similar to the Boston game

In all likelihood you are correct but... There's a reason they play the game and our Lakers really need this win. If we can keep Miami from jumping out to too big of an early lead we should be able to hang in there with them if Dwight has a good game. I'm hoping to see 18-10 from Dwight while staying out of foul trouble and not missing more free throws than he makes.

I'm also looking forward to seeing what kind of success, if any, Earl can have guarding Lebron. Earl has the length and athleticism to give Lebron trouble assuming he can stay out of foul trouble. If Lebron finds himself being guarded by Earl I'd expect to see him go out him relentlessly in an effort to get Clark into early foul trouble.

yeah, lebron plays like currently is, aint nothing we can do about it short of flattening him out

Aki wrote:yeah, lebron plays like currently is, aint nothing we can do about it short of flattening him out

Calling Robert Sacre! Heck I'm not even sure he could lay LeBron out.

We could really use a very big, physical guy to lean on the DeMarcus Cousins, Boris Diaws, Al Jeffesons and DeAndre Jordan's of the league. Normally Dwight would be that guy but he hasn't been healthy enough this season. We need a bruiser that can bring the pain once in awhile!!!


One more thing I'd like to point out...

Lots of people are pretty down on Dwight right now. Understandably so I guess. Here is a golden opportunity for him to regain a lot of support. If Dwight can have a solid game and lead the Lakers to victory he's going to be LA's golden boy for the rest of the season. Here's your chance Dwight!

Since when did Boris Diaw become a physical big body...

He's pretty unstoppable. But I'm still surprised teams let him into the paint. Make him a jump shooter, he won't go 13/14.

ShowTimeERA wrote:Since when did Boris Diaw become a physical big body...

Diaw's listed at 235 but if he's 235 lbs I'm 9 feet tall. That guy is thick!

LGND2552 wrote:He's pretty unstoppable. But I'm still surprised teams let him into the paint. Make him a jump shooter, he won't go 13/14.

It amazes me how often LeBron and Durant can get to the rim as big as both of those two guys are. They both handle the ball so well in the open court for their size, Magic Johnsonesque, they're tough to stop. LeBron's crossover is unreal. Once he gets you leaning even in the slightest bit one direction he just lowers his shoulder and blasts the other way. He's so strong there's not much many humans can do about it and those that try are usually called for a foul.

LeBron has one of the biggest physical advantages at his position since prime Shaq and there isn't much opposing players can do about it. Hopefully the tag team duo of Metta World Peace and Earl Clark can slow James just enough for us to eek out a victory tomorrow.

mixed it up on defense. make metta, kobe, clark guard lebron. maybe this will slow him down

own the paint.

control wade. don't let him have a big game again.

our supporting cast should outplay the heat's.

on offense we need nash and howard to be aggressive.

if we win this or at least put up a good fight, it'll be a big confidence booster for the team. lets go lakeshow!

Lakers!!!

Lakers!!!

Lakers!!!

Lakers!!!

Lakers!!!

If I knew Deep3 was going to be on the ball and start a game thread so soon I wouldn't have started this one.

Mods please feel free to merge this thread with Deep3's or lock... Thanks!!!

Lets get this win !!!

A must win in the name of multiple sauces.

Absolutely no way we win this one. Prediction: Heat 121 Lakers 83

Dwight "injures himself". Dwight out for the rest of the season. Mitch states he still will do nothing.

the lakers tried their hardest to lose the last time they played, wade played like a beast, kobe shot like ****, and the game still wasnt that bad. so gtfo with this horrible loss ****.

Is Bosh playing? I heard smth about flu in Miami's team.

Doormatt wrote:the lakers tried their hardest to lose the last time they played, wade played like a beast, kobe shot like ****, and the game still wasnt that bad. so gtfo with this horrible loss ****.

Kobe always shoots like **** against Miami.
The last game was in LA.
Dwight and Pau both played.

etc etc etc. I'm not saying the Lakers will get blown out tomorrow but suggesting it's not possible seems a bit optimistic.

lebron for 40 after 3, rests the 4th.