# GAME #2 THREAD: LA Lakers vs. PHO Suns (Nov. 1st, 6:00pm)



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

<center> Los Angeles Lakers (1-0)
VS.
Phoenix Suns (1-1)

11-1-03
TV: KCAL, NBALP 
6:00pm PST 









Karl Malone shoots over Antoine Walker on Tuesday. 









Stephon Marbury took it to the Spurs in first game of year for Suns.

*Main Matchups:*

 vs. 
*Season:* 21 PPG, 7 RPG, 9 APG | 24 PPG, 6 RPG, 6.5 APG

 vs. 
*Season:* 15 PPG, 10 RPG, 9 APG | 17.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 0 APG

 vs. 
*Season:* 16 PPG, 9 RPG, 5 APG | 8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1 APG


 vs. 
*Season:* 16 PPG, 7 RPG, 3 APG | 17.5 PPG, 9 RPG, 1 APG

 vs. 
*Season:* -- PPG, -- RPG, -- APG | 6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2 APG

*X-Factor:*

*Season:* 16 PPG, 3 RPG, 3 APG
</center>

(That's assuming Kobe plays which I heard he may)


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*Bryant: Return Saturday Is a 'Definite Possibility'*

Bryant: Return Saturday Is a 'Definite Possibility'

"People were expecting us to lose, so they could make more trouble out of things." 
-- Gary Payton


By Tim Brown, Times Staff Writer

Kobe Bryant participated in a half-court, four-on-four scrimmage Wednesday morning and then said Saturday night's game at Phoenix was "a definite possibility" for his return.

Bryant, rehabilitating the knee that required arthroscopic surgery in July, did not play in the Lakers' 109-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, primarily, club officials said, because his knee was sore.
_
"It just gets weak," Bryant said. "After about 15 minutes, the leg just gets weaker. That's when the pain starts to come in."

As of Wednesday, he said, with two practices and a shoot-around before Saturday's game, "It's looking pretty good."

Soon, then, Bryant would have to step again into the lineup that wore him out in two exhibition games.

"If he plans on playing Saturday," Derek Fisher said, "this is an important week for him and for us."


http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...,1,1190245.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba


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## Scuall (Jul 25, 2002)

BC34, have you taken over the game thread responsibilities? If so, great job so far


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Yup I've taken over the Game Threads (I think) and I'll be doing this for each game.. 80 more games to go.. I know I wont be able to watch some of them but that wont stop me from doing this. Unless I'm away look forward to 80 more Game Threads as the season goes on! 

I'll probably even do an All-Star one :laugh:


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

yes, i asked BC to help out with the game threads so we have a consistent look. He did some great ones for the pre-season as well.


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## LAKERS_2003 (Oct 30, 2003)

Looking forward to Saturday's game, and I'm also looking for Kobe to shut the Phoenix crowd up because I know everytime the lakers go on the road, Kobe has some harsh treatment waiting for him. I expect Gary Payton to have another fantastic game. Just the way he was on the court 2 nights ago with his style of passing, and the way he started up the fastbreak looks like a very good sign for this team. If there's one guy on this team that can really turn it up a notch, it's Gary Payton. Shaq of course should do his thing by being in the post, and our guys feeding him the ball, so to me, this appears to be an all out team effort Laker victory.


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## DaUnbreakableKinG (Jun 28, 2003)

It's going to be a tough game for both Lakers and Suns. Both teams have excellent players and I'm looking forward to the game. I think that we going to win that game but Phoneix can be tough to beat at times. Hope that Kobe plays.


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*From today's practice*

Meanwhile, Bryant went through a second straight day of practice without incident and said afterward his surgically repaired right knee "feels pretty strong." 

Bryant sat out the Lakers' 109-93 season-opening victory over Dallas on Tuesday night because of soreness and weakness in the knee. He has said he hopes to play this weekend at Phoenix. 

"Probably Saturday, probably at the shootaround," he said when asked when a final decision will be made. 

Bryant said conditioning wasn't an issue. 

"Surprisingly, my lungs feel great - I can run all day," he said. "It's primarily my muscles, mainly in my right leg. I have to pace myself early on. I don't expect to play 35 minutes. I definitely have to pace myself. 

"I'm just looking forward to getting back on the floor and playing - especially at Staples." 

Asked if he felt any pain during Thursday's practice, Bryant replied: "A little bit toward the end. I started getting tired. It feels pretty strong." 

Lakers coach Phil Jackson was a bit vague when asked if Bryant would be ready to play against the Suns. 

"I don't know if he's ready to play in Saturday's game," Jackson said. "It's going to be up to him." 

http://sports.iwon.com/news/10302003/v5911.html


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## lakersalltheway (May 28, 2003)

I think the Lakers will win this game by about 15 and that Shaq or Payton will have a huge game


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

I am really looking forward to 2 match-ups: Glove vs Marbury and Mailman vs Stoudemire.

Both Sun´s players are viewed as "the future" in their respective positions: i wonder how Payton and Karl will do...


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*Bryant almost set to game-test knee*

Bryant almost set to game-test knee

By Howard Beck, Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO -- Knee willing, Kobe Bryant will make the most anticipated debut of his eight-year NBA career this weekend. It will be like nothing else he has experienced.

His body is not the finely tuned machine it once was. The lineup around him no longer is stocked with bit players, but Hall of Famers. The arenas no longer will be filled with just hostile fans, but possibly judgmental ones.

Bryant grew "a little more confident" in his surgically repaired right knee Thursday, played in a full-court scrimmage and appeared on track to play Saturday at Phoenix. A final decision might not come until after the morning shootaround at America West Arena.

If he plays that night, it will mark Bryant's first appearance in an arena not stocked with Lakers fans. It will be the first glimpse into how the public at large now views him in light of his arrest this summer on a sexual-assault charge. 

"It'd be nice to finally get it out of the way," Bryant said. "But I'm not too concerned about it. I'm just going to go in and do my job. When you're in that situation, you just pretty much expect the worst. Everything else from that point is uphill."

On the court, Bryant said he will "pace myself early on" and knows his role will be altered by the arrival of Karl Malone and Gary Payton, and the improved condition of Shaquille O'Neal.

"Last year I took over a big burden of the scoring, because that's what Phil (Jackson) saw what we needed to do," said Bryant, who averaged a career-high 30 points. "But I'm not up to shooting 30 times, 40 times."

Bryant, no longer the primary ballhandler with Payton on the court, said he will be content to get the ball coming off screens and cuts and "get whatever comes."

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~1734363,00.html


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

I think Stephon (My 2nd Fav Player) will have a great game as he usually does. Amare will have a good game, but in the end GP and the Mailman will be too much.. Lakers win 106-99!


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## JGKoblenz (Jul 19, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>brian34cook</b>!
> I think Stephon (My 2nd Fav Player) will have a great game as he usually does. Amare will have a good game, but in the end GP and the Mailman will be too much.. Lakers win 106-99!


He might have a good game, but remember that this time Marbury will be facing The Glove not Fisher.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

I know he's facing the Glove but he'll still do good


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

Last time the Glove dared to defend Marbury, Marbury dropped 41 points on him.

Marbury and Stoudemire will be too much for Payton and Malone of course. You will win because of Shaq not those 2.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>BigAmare</b>!
> You will win because of Shaq not those 2.


May the good Lord hear´ya, my friend! :gopray:


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>BigAmare</b>!
> Last time the Glove dared to defend Marbury, Marbury dropped 41 points on him.
> 
> Marbury and Stoudemire will be too much for Payton and Malone of course. You will win because of Shaq not those 2.


And Kobe, who murdered PHX last year more than Shaq even.

God this Laker team is stacked.


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

Because Shaq draws the double team.

I don't think Kobe will do a whole lot if he plays. Actually I think with Kobe playing there is a better chance for the Suns to win and get the win they let slip away in San Antonio.

But lets not kid ourselves.

Amare and Voshkul against Shaq and Malone. Amare is better than Malone but..

On offense Malone will try to guard Amare but Shaq will let Voshkul who is no threat do whatever he wants and cover Malone's back and camp under the basket since the refs never consistantly call 3 seconds.

On defense Malone will be left open because Amare will have to help on Shaq.

And after the game we will all read posts how Malone shut down Amare and outplayed him.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Amare is not better than Malone Yet just more explosive. malone averaged 20 and what 9 last season and Amare dropped what 13 Amare has a ways to go before he's better than malone. 

Malone has savy and understanding and a jumpshot. Amare is just more explosive. But there's been tons of players more explosive than Malone that he's killed over the years. 

Laker should win this one easily. Kobe being back should seal the deal. Like jemel said Kobe has been their nemesis more than Shaq. 

Malone and GP will slow Amare and Marbury enuff for the Lakers to get a win. 

Lakers should win this one quite easily to tell you the truth. 

Kobe will ease into the game and the Lakers should roll.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

After missing Lakers’ opener, injured Bryant expected back!

With feud over, Kobe set to play

PHOENIX, Nov. 1 — After watching the the Los Angeles Lakers’ rousing season-opening win from the bench, Kobe Bryant is expected to make his season debut Saturday night when they visit the Phoenix Suns.

BRYANT SAT out the Lakers’ 109-93 victory over Dallas on Tuesday night because of soreness and weakness in his surgically repaired knee. He has said he hopes to play against the Suns.

“Probably Saturday, probably at the shootaround,” he said when asked when a final decision will be made.

Bryant went through a second straight day of practice on Friday without incident and said afterward his surgically repaired right knee “feels pretty strong.”

”“It’s primarily my muscles, mainly in my right leg,” Bryant said. “I have to pace myself early on. I don’t expect to play 35 minutes. I definitely have to pace myself.

“I’m just looking forward to getting back on the floor and playing.” 

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he was “pretty optimistic” Bryant would play against the Suns but a decision wouldn’t be made until sometime Saturday.

“He does wear down,” Jackson said. “We thought he tired less in this practice than he does in most of them. We’ll make adjustments during the game as far as how much time he plays.” 

More


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

I hope all you guys who keep insisting that Amare has no skill are watching right now.
Because Amare is drilling the midrange shots. And was a force in the 3rd quarter.
Too bad he sat out almost the whole first half.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Marbury and Amare are some of my fav players.. They are both good.. Amare is gonna be great and we know about Stephon..

Good game going on!


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Lakers win 103-99.. Whew!


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## lakersalltheway (May 28, 2003)

Great Game. It doesnt look like Kobe is anywhere close to 100%. Watching him shoot his three throws he looked like shaq croosing the line right wen he shot it. i dont know if this has to do with his knees or what but this was a great game. I dont think Amare should have take then three pointer though to tie.


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## Harro5 (Nov 1, 2003)

Wow, that went down to the wire! I suppose the Suns just had too many to cover, and couldn't quite get there. Joe Johnson was knocking it down from downtown though, could have gone either way at the end.

The Lakers won easily on the boards, and that was costly. Devean George suprised me, I didn't realise he had game! Fisher did well off the bench with 13pts in 17 minutes, and Marbury just couldn't do enough to win. 6 Lakers in double figure scoring to 5 from Phoenix, but you can't win in the last seconds unless Shaq is at the line, and luckily for LA he wasn't.


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

Shawn Marion shot 6 of 23. We had no fastbreak points and no second chance points, as well as getting outrebounded and very suspect refs and you still were lucky to win.


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## WhoDaBest23 (Apr 16, 2003)

Great game.. I thought the Lakers were gonna blow them out when I was watching it in the beginning. Freakin Amare tried to bank another 3 pointer in :uhoh: . Didn't get so lucky this time. The game was kinda rough though. Tons of missed calls, ill advised shots... Suns lost a close one that they could've won.


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## ShowTmeBALLA (Jul 18, 2003)

man this game was way too close when it shouldnt have been, damn Suns and their 3-pointers they hit like 10 in a row well maybe a little less but it seemed like they never missed a 3. good thing amare shot the three lol thanks amare for the win


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## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

Right, the Laker defense is not what it should be right now, but the Suns were shooting lights out from 3 for most of the game. You have to give them credit for that much. Oh, and yeah big props to Amare for taking that 3 at the end.:greatjob:


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Lakers need a little more bench work. Basically other than Fisher, they got nothing off the bench. Is Kareem Rush ever gonna make shots in this league? He misses so many open shots it is embarrassing. Amazing how so many "shooters" don't make open shots in this league.


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## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>newmessiah10</b>!
> Lakers need a little more bench work. Basically other than Fisher, they got nothing off the bench. Is Kareem Rush ever gonna make shots in this league? He misses so many open shots it is embarrassing. Amazing how so many "shooters" don't make open shots in this league.


All true, but I think we knew this was going to be the case coming into this season. The Lakers' strength is their strong first string, not their depth. And Rush... I don't understand, shooting was supposed to be his specialty and he can't even do that. It's not like he does anything else (i.e. rebounding, defending, distributing, blocking shots, stealing, slashing). What the hell happened to him after he left Missouri?


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## Scinos (Jun 10, 2003)

Close game for the Lakers...but a nice win against a pretty tough opponent. Another impressive game for Payton and Malone.

Looks like Kobe will need some more time to get back into game form.


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## Ghiman (May 19, 2003)

:clap: Excellent game! I was on the edge of my seat. 

6 Players in double figues!!!!


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Kobe needs to get healthy quickly so we have a go to guy at the end of the game. Malone,GP and Shaq are all side dishes when it comes to the end of the game. Shaq gets doubled plus can't shoot free throws,Malone has no moves other than the fade away jumper, GP only has the spin move , Kobe is the one they were missing from the end of this game tonight. 

I mean the take charge at the end healthy Kobe. 

We do need more bench. Walton , Rush need more playing time to keep the energy and defensive intensity up. When Fox comes back we're really gonna throttle teams. He and Fish's savy against 2nd stringers is gonna be lethal. 

Teams are gonna pick and pop us to death this season. Kobe is the only one capable of step sliding in front of his man. We played chase and switch defense most of the game and against teams like the Suns and the Kings who have good shooters we could be in some trouble. 

Lakers should win the title with the way they're sharing the ball and able to consistently score. They have too many options for teams to contain. Plus George is playing well. 

I actually think not having Kobe real healthy has helped George's confidence because Kobe stays on his case. 

Marbury just kills the lakers every time. 

Good win. Although we didn't play very well.


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## JGKoblenz (Jul 19, 2002)

We got the W and that is what counts. Kobe obviously need more time to get his game back.


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## double3peat (Aug 18, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>BigAmare</b>!
> Shawn Marion shot 6 of 23. We had no fastbreak points and no second chance points, as well as getting outrebounded and very suspect refs and you still were lucky to win.


hmm...what was that? All I heard was "Excuses excuses excuses"

Lukcy to win my ***. A win is a win, and thats what we got, and thats all that matters.


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## double3peat (Aug 18, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>newmessiah10</b>!
> Lakers need a little more bench work. Basically other than Fisher, they got nothing off the bench. Is Kareem Rush ever gonna make shots in this league? He misses so many open shots it is embarrassing. Amazing how so many "shooters" don't make open shots in this league.


what game were you watcing..? Rush took 2 shots and made one.:uhoh:


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>double3peat</b>!
> 
> 
> what game were you watcing..? Rush took 2 shots and made one.:uhoh:


I am just saying he is basically a non-factor game in game out. That is true. He is a shooter and he looks scared on the court. I watched that game last night on League Pass and he needs to be more confident, he has no pressure on him to produce. He should be able to play free and easy.

I also think some are selling Phoenix short. The Suns will either beat the Mavs, Kings, Spurs or T-Wolves in the 1st round this year. They are getting to the Conf. Semis at least. A healthy Marbury is scary.


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

It sure looks like they are all figuring out a way to play together...



> Gary Payton (19 points, nine assists) continued to push and attack the basket, Shaquille O'Neal (24 points, 12 rebounds) took advantage of the Suns' soft middle and Karl Malone (18 points), Devean George (12) and Derek Fisher (13) hit the open shots.
> 
> *That's six players in double figures in two games — something that happened only four times in 82 games last season.*
> 
> ...


http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...1,6240042.column?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba



> O'Neal had 24 points in 39 minutes. He said he'd find his way around Bryant, around all of them, if necessary. Several times against the Suns, he'd reach the offensive end of the floor, only to find Malone already there, in the post. O'Neal went directly to the weak side.
> 
> "He's one of the greatest low-post players ever to play the game," O'Neal said afterward. "My thing is to stay out of his way. And if he shoots and misses I just have to get the rebound. Period."
> 
> ...


http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...,1,6435550.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba


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## Duece Duece (Mar 28, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>BigAmare</b>!
> Shawn Marion shot 6 of 23. We had no fastbreak points and no second chance points, as well as getting outrebounded and very suspect refs and you still were lucky to win.





Good


*EXXXXXXXXXXCUSE* :laugh:


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