WCSF GAME 3 LAKERS @ ROCKETS (TIED1-1) 5/8 6:30 ESPN

[DEEP3CL]

VS


ARENA : TOYOTA CENTER HOUSTON,TEXAS
TV : ESPN 6:30 PM



FARMAR - BRYANT - GASOL - ARIZA - ODOM



BROOKS - BATTIER - YAO - ARTEST - SCOLA

SERIES RECAP
The series now moves to Houston tied at 1 game each. Laker guard Derek Fisher will be suspended for this game for his actions in laying out Luis Scola in Game 2. Jordan Farmar may get the start (pending). The series took a turn in physicality with 5 techs and 2 ejections (Fisher and Artest) and one self imploded melt down by ex Laker Von Wafer. Artest reverted back to himself when he and Bryant battled for a rebound in the 4th of Game 2, Artest blew his fuse and got himself ejected.

KEYS TO GAME
The Lakers have out rebounded the Rockets in both games for a total of 79-64. The Lakers must continue to out rebound the Rockets. The Lakers must stop the incredibly stupid fouls early in the quarters to limit the Rockets freethrow attempts, the Rockets have out shot the Lakers in both games 58-45. With LO in the starting line up the Lakers need one bench player to play well in Houston or get a collective effort from everybody. The Lakers must also control tempo and absorb the early punch the Rockets are sure to come with.

LET'S GO

[kooner]

Go Lakers game 3 will be a win for us, and we will end the series in game 5 lakers4 games rockets1 game. Ron artest will fck it up for the rockets. Oh yeah no more Von Wafer for them his done in Houston. lakers in 5 games and game 1 was a wake up call lakers nba champs, are record 16-3 at end of the june.

[Slava]

We need this win. Lets see if Scola will still man up and play or fold it in.

[Flipdog69xxx]

Go Lakers!

[DoctaJ]

Let's Go Lakers!!

[Danny Darko]

Should be a fun mood. Mbenga for the win!

[BigAaron909]

Go Lakers!

[TylersLakers]

Keys to the game:

- Weather the crowd early, get off to a good start.

- Efficient basketball, low turnovers.

- Match aggressiveness; drive the basketball, kick to the open shooters.

- Bynum 18+ minutes.. we need to get him involved. He has to become a presence if we want to win this series and win a Championship.

[YiYaoYue]

Keys to the game:

Gasol/Kobe/Odom must have a good game.

Need bench to play better

Bynum needs to step up and play like he wants to win and not phail.

[iamworthy]

Fisher being suspended maynot be a bad thing in the grand scheme of things. On one hand he gets a extra couple of days to rest and on the other hand Shannon and Farmar played pretty well in extended minutes last night. We have to match speed with speed at the point guard position and I believe we can do that with those guys.

Pretty much keep doing what we're doing on Yao Ming. I just dont think he has the ability to put his team on his back and carry them to victory. As this series goes on he will become more and more tired, expecially if the lakers are pushing the tempo.

Ron Artest has been flat out amazing. I think this is some of the best basketball I have EVER seen him play. He's played under control with the exception of a few wild shots and he has made very good decisions. He's been their best basketball player, but I expect a little drop off here pretty soon. Especially with this whole kobe thing going on, Artest might try to go directly at kobe and shoot his team out of the game.

All in all I still feel like we havent played Laker basketball and the series is tied 1-1. I like our chances in game 3.

[Dr Aki]

front yao, yao scores <15pts

lakers win, its that simple. no way artest spurs the rockets to another 30+ pt quarter

[dockingsched]

i hope luke gets more and more minutes, at least he has SOME size to guard artest. if the lakers lose this series, it'll be because of the artest/ariza mismatch.

[iamworthy]

i hope luke gets more and more minutes, at least he has SOME size to guard artest. if the lakers lose this series, it'll be because of the artest/ariza mismatch.

Reminds me of PP killing us in the finals....same position. Although I think Artest is far more aggressive than PP.

[magic1fan]

nice game thread deep. i see us winning this game. we are the best road team in the league. i think the guys are fired up. us running took yao completely out the game. one thing i am a little concerned about is how easy scola was scoring on odom. if lamar can somehow contain scola,we should be fine...

[MigrainePatrol]

To be all in all. I think Battier, Artest and the Rockets would not want to play a Lakers team without Kobe. Battier and Artest love the challenge and it would take away too much from the series if Kobe was suspended no matter what he did. Pretty much sums it up. On that note the Rockets are too TO prone to even deserve to win the last game.

[Kobe1986]

lakers should come hard from the start gasol and odom need to get on the boards since we probly wont see much of bynum.......

[hermes]

jumping out of the gates like in game two will be important, see if the rockets can keep up this time, and if the crowd gets out of it

just make shots, and continue to force turnovers, and run run run


GO LAKRERS

[KObe Bryant]

Defense, Defense, and much more better Defense is the major key just like what we did in the 2nd half last game. People in Houston will be so wild and boo Kobe. Let's keep them silent , get that early lead and slow down the game.

[Erik Eleven]

Lakers by 20.

Hard-nosed defense and lots of fast-break points.

[bubba]

Go Lakers game 3 will be a win for us, and we will end the series in game 5 lakers4 games rockets1 game. Ron artest will fck it up for the rockets. Oh yeah no more Von Wafer for them his done in Houston. lakers in 5 games and game 1 was a wake up call lakers nba champs, are record 16-3 at end of the june.

it wont be over in 5. artest has been big for us this postseason too. coach adelman and wafer talked today and both agreed to put it behind them. itll definitely be a good series though. man, youre full of useful info.