Fri. 2/1 - Lakers @ T-Wolves - Predictions & Comments

Friday, February 1st
Live: 6:30 PM PST
TV: TWCSN, ESPN
Radio: KSPN-AM 710/KWKW-AM 1330
Online Radio Link: http://espn.go.com/espnradio/losangeles/play?s=la

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*sigh*

Really? Another nationally televised game for the Lakers to embarrass themselves in front of everyone?

If Dwight is out won't be able to watch even a second of this

JoelMyersScrotalSack wrote:Really? Another nationally televised game for the Lakers to embarrass themselves in front of everyone?

If Dwight is out won't be able to watch even a second of this

Odds get higher of a trade when the Lakers keep losing, so I will be watching more humiliation hoping that it's the last day we see Gasol/Ebanks/Duhon/Howard in a Lakers uniform.

Wow! One day we're singing the song of turning the corner now it's back to the basement. The team only has it's self to blame. Going cold in the 4th is suicide. These TWolves are no joke. They gave the Clips a run the other night but went down close. It's all mental and they need to change their road mentality.

Ice-Fire wrote:

JoelMyersScrotalSack wrote:Really? Another nationally televised game for the Lakers to embarrass themselves in front of everyone?

If Dwight is out won't be able to watch even a second of this

Odds get higher of a trade when the Lakers keep losing, so I will be watching more humiliation hoping that it's the last day we see Gasol/Ebanks/Duhon/Howard in a Lakers uniform.

And what do you propose we receive for Gasol and Howard?

I have no idea, all I know is I do not feel comfortable Howard leading this franchise, he is a good big-man do not get me wrong but his lack of effort sometimes makes me irk.

Preview coming, but Lakers will not be favored in this one. I think Minnesota will end up being about a 2-point favorite.

This is going to be a disaster

Thank god I'm not gonna be watching the game today,,,,,

Let this team burn in ashes.....

Ice-Fire wrote:

JoelMyersScrotalSack wrote:Really? Another nationally televised game for the Lakers to embarrass themselves in front of everyone?

If Dwight is out won't be able to watch even a second of this

Odds get higher of a trade when the Lakers keep losing, so I will be watching more humiliation hoping that it's the last day we see Gasol/Ebanks/Duhon/Howard in a Lakers uniform.

I really don't think that's true, because we freaking sucked all of January and nothing happened, Pau is still here.

Weezy wrote:I really don't think that's true, because we freaking sucked all of January and nothing happened, Pau is still here.

The Lakers are most likely waiting for Gasol to up-his-value and the Minnesota game is a good time to do it since they are rumored to be talking with us... I won't be surprised if Gasol goes for 22/10 just so he can force his way to Minnesota.

IF Pau's value can be upped, it was upped duringthat 3 game win streak, then it would have dropped again with that one 4th quarter collapse and his non-existent defense of the rim. I don't think that's how things work though, other teams aren't stupid, other GM's know what's up, they know what Pau is at this point, what he can bring and what he cannot. If they are going to trade him they will do it when the right deal comes along, or they will wait until he has real value as an expring contract this offseason.

QUICK PREVIEW
Lakers (20-26) at Timberwolves (17-25)
9:30 PM EST

LAKERS
Lost last 1
5-16 on the road
12-18 vs. West

PROBABLE STARTERS
Steve Nash 11.5 points, 7.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds
Kobe Bryant 28.1 points, 5.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds
Metta World Peace 13.4 points, 1.5 assists, 5.6 rebounds
Earl Clark 6.6 points, 1.2 assists, 5.4 rebounds
Pau Gasol 12.8 points, 3.7 assists, 7.9 rebounds

TIMBERWOLVES
Lost last 5
11-8 at home
10-14 vs. West

PROBABLE STARTERS
Ricky Rubio 5.1 points, 5.2 assists, 2.0 rebounds
Luke Ridnour 12.1 points, 4.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds
Andrei Kirilenko 13.7 points, 3.1 assists, 6.6 rebounds
Derrick Williams 9.3 points, 0.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds
Nikola Pekovic 16.0 points, 0.9 assists, 8.7 rebounds

PREDICTION
The Lakers have not faced the Wolves this season, but they did sweep the four-game series last year. The Timberwolves look like a solid team when Kevin Love is playing, but he's out for the foreseeable future. At the same time, Dwight Howard is going to be out tonight to receive treatment on his shoulder. While the Love loss hurts Minnesota more than the Howard loss hurts LA, the Lakers are atrocious on the road, and Minnesota is solid at home.

All signs point to a Los Angeles loss, but they'll probably keep it close. Watch out for Nikola Pekovic (17/11 last year vs. Lakers) and Ricky Rubio (if Kobe doesn't cover him). If I had to identify an x-factor for LA, it's Pau Gasol.

Lakers 96
Timberwolves 98

Must win game today at Minny. Hope we pull it off. We cant afford more than 10 losses the rest of the year. Dont care how we win and what it takes.

^We've beaten them 17 straight times or something. I think we're due for a loss here considering the Wolves have played horribly lately, it's on nat TV, and we're missing Dwight. Everything is perfectly aligned for us to lose.

Well I see one of our "regulars" is predicting an outcome......

Regardless of the streak I still think this will be a tough game. We're playing without Howard and we saw how horrid our defense became when he was out the last quarter against PHX.

What, Dwight is out ? Then this game gonna be very ugly, I am talking about our interior Defense.

^ Yeah he went back to LA to receive platelet therapy.

We really need this W

Hopefully January is just the only bad month and we start turning this Month

Nice shot by Nash and a good block by Gasol.

pau noping.

if we lse this one and rubio wants Gasol, can we get Gasol for Love trade?