Lakers v. Hawks and More

Preparing for the Atlanta Hawks:

                With the Lakers (45-19) coming off their dominating victory over the Spurs the Lakers head into Phillips Arena.  The Lakers will look to extend their win streak to eight games and gain some post-All Star break momentum.  They play the Hawks (27-26) who with Kirk Heinrich have actually played some good basketball.  They are 3-2 with him in the lineup including a win over Chicago and have tightened up the defense.

                This will be a rematch from a couple of weeks ago and I like the chances the Lakers have on this game.  Kobe is focused, Bynum is playing terrific defense, and the Lakers look like a well oiled machine.

                The Lakers are 180-134 against the Hawks dating back to the Minneapolis Lakers and the St. Louis Hawks.  With the way the Lakers are playing, this should be a win but a close win…don’t expect another blow out like the Spurs game.  They have to be careful of the big game “hangover”.

                Its going to be a good game, I will try and watch most of it; I will be in class for about a quarter then I will follow this post up with a post-game analysis and commentary.  I am predicting the Lakers to win this game by a comfortable margin but the Hawks will give them a run for their money. 

               

The Real Season Starts Now

                The All-Star game is in the rear view mirror and the Lakers look the most focused I’ve seen this season.  They have a sense of “ok, this is when we need to turn it on and be motivated every single night.”  The competitive instinct has kicked in for the Black Mamba for the “real season” and is trying to get his team ready for the stretch run. 

                Where has this team that’s won 7 in a row now, been all season?  I don’t know but I’m glad they are here now.  This is the Lakers team that’s won two championships in a row and they are returning to that form. 

                Biggest key according to Bryant, “We are limiting turnovers.”  They are playing clean basketball and playing as a team.  If you watched the Spurs game, on one possession all five players touched the ball and turned an “ok” look to the basket into a great one. 

                They are finally playing like the championship caliber team they were last year and the year before that.  Playing to their strengths is what the Lakers figured out; their size and length and the “ace in the hole---KOBE BRYANT.

                This is the NBA, where amazing happens and this is the point of the season where the Lakers need to buckle down and keep playing the way they are.  I’m not saying to win every game here on out because it’s not going to happen, lets face it.  

                As a Lakers fan, I am hoping that the team can play hard night in and night out and put themselves in a position to win ball games.  If the team plays hard and loses, I’m ok with that; it’s when the Lakers go out there and play lazy basketball and get ran out of the building (Cleveland game).  Let's hope for a Lakers victory tonight.  I will see you later after the game. 

NOTE: Kobe has 13 technical fouls going into tonight’s game.  He is three technicals away from being assessed a one-game suspension and the Lakers have 18 regular-season games left to play. Technical foul totals are reset when the playoffs begin.