Previous Games
Lakers @ Sixers 108-91 (LOSS) Kobe - 20 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast
Heat @ Knicks 98-96 (WIN) Wade - 24 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast, game winner

Previous Meetings

• 12/25/2004 - Heat 104, Lakers 102 (OT)
  Shaquille O'Neal received the loudest ovation before the game. Kobe Bryant came up short in his bid to earn the final cheers. Bryant scored a season-high 42 points but missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime as the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Miami Heat, 104-102, in a highly anticipated reunion with former teammate O'Neal. Shaq, who was greeted with a standing ovation during pregame introductions, collected 24 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in his first game against the Lakers -- whom he helped lead to three NBA titles and last season's Finals -- since being traded in the offseason.

Brandon's Analysis
Well...here comes Round 2, Lakers vs. Heat...and what a coincidence...it's on a holiday. Don't worry about pinching a sports reporter today; they have enough green already...in their pockets, thanks to many stories based on this game, as well as the Christmas meeting. Did you ever get to read what your kid's teacher wrote on his essay test? No...but you sure did hear what Shaq had to say about Kobe a few weeks ago. You know what Kobe said about O'Neal a while back, also.

But let's get to the point. What does this game mean to both teams? According to O'Neal, nothing. To the Lakers, this game is huge. Very huge. If you haven't checked out our last 10 games, we've won four of them, which translates into "draft lottery" for Los Angeles, because the month of April is...well...bad. A win against Miami tonight will give the Lakers more of a push, a confidence boost, to ride on for a while until the month ends. A loss not only hurts the team, but also the fans...and I don't think Kobe and Co. want to finish off this road trip and go back home to fans that a) are still living in the Shaq era, or b) wish that the Lakers would just tank the season for a lottery pick.

If that was no indication of how important this game is, well here's another: Shaq and Kobe despise each other. Our very own Corvette is on the road with no passengers, and if nobody wants to step up and take the driver's seat, we'll see Kobe vs. the entire roster all by himself, and NOBODY can beat the Miami Heat by themselves. If Kobe performs terribly, it gives us a loss. If Odom plays badly, we lose. If Atkins and Butler shoot a combined 20%...yeah, you know...we lose. The point is that Los Angeles needs to be firing from all cylinders to win this one in Miami, because the Heat are on a roll...with a 10 game win streak and a nasty home record.

Against Miami, the Lakers will have an advantage on the defensive glass, but I'm not going to pinpoint what can happen when the Heat start crashing the boards offensively, since Mihm has been a little lazy since...November. I'm sure we'll see Brian Grant in for 30 minutes, because I doubt Mihm will last 10 without picking up three fouls with Shaq in the paint. We'll need Jumaine Jones to work his magic pulling down rebounds, as well as Odom's typical 10 a game and Kobe's six...we may be fine.

So...what is the Lakers' strategy in this game? Offensively, I don't know if they are going with the slice and horn plays or what, but in the last few games, the players look lost. Defensively, ha. You're talking about one of the worst defenses in the West right now. I truly believe Hamblen tells them to just go out and don't let the other team score...which is the wrong thing to say in the first place, but probably the only way he can tell Caron to play defense without losing his man.

We all know Kobe and Shaq will put up big numbers, but what about everyone else? Keyon Dooling will more than likely come in and drop a few over Mihm, after blazing by Tierrible Brown's hard-nosed defense. If Alonzo could, he would play 15 minutes in this game and score 10 and 6 boards, but you may not see him out there until the late 2nd and late 4th quarters. Jumaine will see alot of minutes; I'm getting out my Caron Voodoo Doll (made after the Wizards game) just so Hamblen can see that he's hurting in the first quarter...and maybe we'll see more of Luke Walton as well.

Brandon's Prediction
Biased...the Lakers win by a bucket. Realistically, they get stomped in this game. If Caron plays significant minutes, I don't like our chances, because Eddie Jones will be reigning threes on him all day, just another shooter for Shaq to dish to after drawing Mihm, Odom and Chucky Atkins to defend him in the paint (nice job, Chuck). The Heat win this game at home, 103-92 (and that's being generous).

All I have to say is wow... You really put alot of time into that... Great job man.. It's great to have KNOWLEDGABLE posters like you here!

LOL...I wanted to say thanks and make a serious post, but your sig has me laughing too hard. :P

That's some serious and profesional journalism. Wow I'm impressed big time.Great job. I have to sit back and chill on that post for awhile. Thats alot of info. You may be to smart for this place of rag a muffins ^_^ Sorry guys but it's a mind blower. Real Deal is the Real Shiznit Deal. :o :o :o

Wow, great post! I'm going to do this with the Dallas Mavericks.

Wagas, you can do that 2? Damn! I better brush up on some PC shit.
This Forum is getting brighter everyday. B)

Yeah, I can do it too, lol, but I'm going to go MORE in-depth, like more statistics.

Ohhhhhhhhh A Little competition. Let's get it on! Ding,Ding!