Phoenix Suns @ LA Lakers 12/10/08

[LV-Suns]

8:30 PM

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ESPN
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Phoenix (13-9) at Los Angeles (17-3)

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Shaquille O’Neal owned the paint at Staples Center for years, winning three NBA championships during his eight-season tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.


Though his most recent outing offered a reminder that he’s still capable of dominating inside, he’ll have to wait a few months to prove it in Los Angeles.


After delivering a vintage performance in his last game, O’Neal won’t play Wednesday night when his Phoenix Suns visit the Pacific Division rival Lakers for the first time since acquiring the veteran center last February.


O’Neal won’t be with the Suns (13-9) while he attends the funeral of his 92-year-old great-grandmother. He’ll have to wait for a chance to build on his best game since Phoenix acquired him from Miami before last season’s trade deadline.


O’Neal, who has at times struggled to fit in with the Suns’ fast-paced offense, scored 35 points while making 14 of 19 shots from the field to lead Phoenix to a 125-110 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday night. It was his highest point total since he had 35 in a win over Charlotte while with Miami on March 6, 2006.



“They keep feeding me like that, those are the type of numbers that they can expect out of me,” said O’Neal, who added eight rebounds and three blocked shots. “But sometimes I get those shots and sometimes I don’t.”
After Phoenix shot 58.7 percent as a team in its second consecutive win following a four-game losing streak, O’Neal sounded optimistic that the inconsistent Suns were on the verge of figuring things out.


“That’s what everybody envisioned for us to go far,” O’Neal said. “That’s the type of game we can play.”


The team will look a little different Wednesday, however, when O’Neal will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Robin Lopez. Phoenix, which is 1-2 in the games O’Neal has sat out this season, next visits Los Angeles on Feb. 26.


O’Neal will miss what would have been his third game against the Lakers at Staples Center - and his first with Phoenix - since his 2004 departure from the Lakers, the team he helped win three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002.


Los Angeles (17-3) is among the early favorites to win this season’s championship, but didn’t look like a contender in a surprising 113-101 loss to Sacramento on Tuesday night.


Reigning league MVP Kobe Bryant missed 11 of his first 13 shots and finished 9-for-25 from the field as the Lakers shot 40.2 percent as a team.
“I just couldn’t get in a rhythm,” said Bryant, who had 28 points.
Lakers sixth man Lamar Odom admitted the team may have looked past Sacramento in anticipation for the meeting with Phoenix.


“We came in here thinking we were going to win, and we didn’t respect our opponent,” said Odom, who had 11 points for his first double-digit effort in seven games. “You’ve got to play with a certain energy. If you don’t, you could lose to Westchester High School.”


The Lakers will likely be more prepared for this meeting with the Suns, who have lost four of the last five in the series, including the teams’ first meeting this season. With 24 points, Bryant was one of six Los Angeles players to score in double figures in a 105-92 road win Nov. 20.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview;_ylt=ApxbbZ1A7UQuLLyVtNLcDsSJ0bYF?gid=2008121013

 

[mjb21aztd]

it's going to be hard to win without shaq but maybe the suns can run and gun a little more vs the lakers tonight without him. I still think the lakers will win this game but amare and nash will keep it close.

Lakers 123

Suns 117

Leading scorer Amare 24 pts 11 boards

 

[D-Dogg]

If the Lakers play defense they way they've been playing it the last couple of weeks, the Suns will win by 10.

Not happy with my team at the moment.

 

[Roca Dolla]

SUNS 108

FAKERS 104

Amare 25/12/4/2

 

[AfroSuns]

It will be great to see the Suns win, but after yesterday's loss. Lakers are going to come out strong.
I think Lakers win by at least 10.

 

[nowagimp]

This game is now a total joke! Without Diaw and Bell, admunsen and dragic will be getting big PT, LOL. All concerns about the entertainment value of the game due to shaqs absence are a joke now.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Who cares if we lose to the lakers this game, we have now added Richardson to our team the old run n gun suns are back

 

[Hat]

I have a feeling Lakers will edge us out tonight by 10 pts or so. Lakers had a tough time guarding the high screen pick-and-rolls against the Kings, so Nash/Amare combo should be effective tonight, BUT, our defense will suck. A lot of tired legs tonight.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Im glad we wont miss shaq that much tonight since the team is discombobulated: Would have been shorthanded either way.

Will be excited to see Amudson's production with long minutes!

 

[TheHopToad]

We were going to get our ass kicked tonight anyway with Shaq out and on the road in the second of back-to-back games, but at least now we have a better excuse than "we just suck", and we now have hope for the future.

I'll watch this disaster and not even feel bad about it.

Lakers 117
Suns 89

Amare

 

[Mainstreet]

This game is now a total joke! Without Diaw and Bell, admunsen and dragic will be getting big PT, LOL. All concerns about the entertainment value of the game due to shaqs absence are a joke now.

I always enjoy watching the rookies even if they are not playing well. I would like to see a bunch of Dragic and Lopez to see if they can somehow surprise me in a postive way. If they do not show much this is always good to know as well. How I wish Tucker were playing.

 

[SirStefan32]

We'll get our asses handed to us, but it's ok.

 

[Yuma]

Big minutes for the bench, what's left of it....

 

[SirStefan32]

I always enjoy watching the rookies even if they are not playing well. I would like to see a bunch of Dragic and Lopez to see if they can somehow surprise me in a postive way. If they do not show much this is always good to know as well. How I wish Tucker were playing.

Great point. Tonight is kind of a "show coach how bad you want playing time and how hard you're willing to work for it" game.

 

[SirStefan32]

Oh man, Bynum is toying with Stoudemire.

 

[Yuma]

Maybe Terry Porter suits up in the second half?

 

[mojorizen7]

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[SirStefan32]

Maybe Terry Porter suits up in the second half?

Can't be any worse than Dragic.
Hell, suit up Dan and Bill too.

 

[Yuma]

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[Andrew]

good start...

 

[Yuma]

Boris talking smack on the way out the door!

 

[mojorizen7]

Amare with the green light from Hell tonight.

 

[Yuma]

Lopez? What a shot. If he can shoot that regularly, he could be a low post option.

 

[Andrew]

Lopez showing some skills...

 

[Blackification]

cmon guys compete compete compete good start keep it up keep running keep putting the effort.