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Should be a fun game tonight between these two!
MadDoc
Showdown with Timberwolves takes on new feel
By Ross Siler , Staff Writer
If the Lakers are holding down sixth place, the Minnesota Timberwolves are stuck in seventh, and both teams are battling to stay above .500, does a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals even make a sound?
"I didn't even realize that until you just said so,' Kobe Bryant said. "I didn't even think about that. We're both on different paths. They've maintained pretty much their nucleus intact, we're just rebuilding. But it's still a big game for us.'
Eight months after the Lakers eliminated the Timberwolves in six games a memorable series in which Minnesota's Kevin Garnett took turns playing all five positions on the floor the two teams will meet for the first time tonight at Target Center.
The Lakers have turned over 10 of 15 spots on their roster, with Bryant the lone holdover in the starting lineup, and have yet to win more than two consecutive games this season.
The Timberwolves have seen Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell both voice displeasure with their contract situations. They also were labeled the most underachieving team in the NBA by vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale.
Minnesota has won only two of its past nine games, including an 18- point loss to the expansion Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday. The Lakers, meanwhile, gave up a combined 218 points to San Antonio and Dallas last week on the road.
"It's tough out there, it really is,' Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "It's hard to win. There's such a logjam right in the middle from top to bottom, a couple games here, a couple games there, can make a big difference.'
The news that Bryant's No. 8 jersey once the NBA's hottest had fallen to 72nd in sales for the month of December made national headlines last week. Not that Bryant was overly concerned when asked about it Sunday.
"My reaction to that is people really seem to want to talk about something that's being blown out of proportion,' Bryant said. "If people didn't buy my jersey, I mean, obviously we've been through a lot.
"I have a base of supporters that will stay with me through thick and through thin. Others do not. It's not something that I lose sleep over. I just go out there and work hard everyday and hopefully one day things will turn back around.'
Lakers forward Devean George, a Minneapolis native, said at the end of last month that he wanted to make his season debut in tonight's game. George has not played since undergoing ankle surgery over the summer.
He practiced Sunday but did not make the trip to the Twin Cities and said his new goal is to return sometime this month, possibly Jan. 19 when the Timberwolves come to Staples Center.
"I'm going through everything: full-court, half-court, all the defensive drills,' George said. "I'm still measuring myself, trying to see what I can do and how strong I am in certain areas. That's not there and my timing isn't, but I'm pleased with my progress.'
The Lakers made limited use of Phil Jackson and Tex Winter's favored triangle offense in Friday's victory over the Houston Rockets and Tomjanovich said fans would see "a lot' of it the rest of the season.
"It's a flow' Bryant said. "It's everybody touching the ball, feeling like they're a part of the game. It's something (Tomjanovich and I) both agreed on. It makes everybody a threat and also they just feel more involved in the game.'
As for the perception that he despised playing in the triangle during Jackson's five seasons, Bryant said Sunday that was not the case.
"That's a misconception,' Bryant said. "Tex and I have an incredible relationship. We're really close. He taught me how to play in the triangle. He was my mentor. I loved the offense, I loved Tex.' Ross Siler can be reached at (818) 713-3607.
Should be a fun game tonight between these two!
MadDoc
looks like it
take about getting outplayed in the second half
wolves gave up 38 points to lakers in 4 at their place
awesome d from kg and crew
So ducks...Enlighten us...How did the game turn out?
is that all you can say about how bad they played
How about them Bobcats.
Yea. What about Minnesota losing against Bobcats, Chicago itd.........at least, losing to the Lakers is more acceptable than losing to the lowly Jazz minus AK47
a revelation that mehmet can outmuscle the so-called 2-time MVP!
Okafor>Medvedenko>Garnett
BREZEC>Olawo- >Garnett
This is too funny...my boys sure came out firing in the 4th..with Kobe sitting no less... ha, ha, ha....sorry wolvie...I still think once healthy and determined your boys will be alright, but we got you this time...only a few games before they meet again...should be a good game. Mihm-dynasty indeed....
Dynasty of what? --> Loosing?
It's just a play on words....what's "Loosing"...nevermind....
Gee, why not try and say that in his country's language and see how it comes out?
why wont rudy T play medvedenko? he did good in garbage time against SA, he can still shoot for sure.
and wolves009, KG is nothing but a headcase, and its back to the glory days of 1st rd exits for your team!
Medvedenko lepo pozdravljen!
Sporočam ti da Lakersi letos nimajo za burek. So ena ekipa ki temelji na enem samem igralcu Bryantu, ki je navadn soler in nč druzga. Tuki je forum od Spursov tko da če maš kšne probleme pejt na forum Lakersov in tam izraži svoje misli. Uglavm Lakersi so navadno sranje.
Kobe--> navadn soler , jebeni k misli da je boga prjeu za jajca
^^^^ Whatever he said!
English isn't my first language either...however we are on an English speaking board...so I will continue....in English....It doesn't matter anyway....
So you are from Ukraine or maybe Slovenia??
Does it really matter....
It does matter.
Great...I have the european union on my back...no escape....
I'm Polish and I live in Canada. What else do want to know....
Take if from someone who's seen your tired act dude, you don't know the game, Period.
I don't know bro...LakerLanny isn't exactly the best example for upstanding behavior.
More upstanding than your local stalker is. Dude's been sending threatening Emails to my house, used his geek skills to find my email address, More likely he know's a mod at a Laker site, but dude has serious issues.I don't know bro...LakerLanny isn't exactly the best example for upstanding behavior.
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