Lakers-Spurs Preview

[duncan228]

http://www.nba.com/games/20080123/LA...scoreboardhome

Lakers-Spurs Preview
By MIKE LIPKA, STATS Writer

Without center Andrew Bynum, the Los Angeles Lakers have reason for concern. The San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, should be concerned that they haven't beaten a winning team in more than a month.

Both clubs - who have combined to win seven of the last nine NBA les - try to overcome their concerns Tuesday when they meet in San Antonio.

The Lakers (27-12) assuaged some of their fears by beating Denver 116-99 on Monday, their first convincing win without Bynum in the lineup. The 20-year-old center, who leads the NBA with a 63.6 field-goal percentage and is averaging a team-high 10.2 rebounds, injured his knee on Jan. 13 against Memphis, a game the Lakers won 100-99. He is expected to miss about two months.

In the first two games following Bynum's injury, the Lakers barely held off struggling Seattle 123-121 in overtime, then lost 106-98 at home to Phoenix.

But they dominated the Nuggets on Monday, when Derek Fisher scored 16 of his season-high 28 points in the first quarter. Kobe Bryant didn't attempt a shot in the first, but finished with 17 points and a season-high 11 assists.

"It's a good win for us," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We just can't make too much out of anything and stay really close into what we're trying to do - try to force every game to be an opportunity to win, don't give anything away. We know we're going to have to work hard to get some wins."

The Lakers also are without reserve forward Trevor Ariza for eight weeks after he broke his foot at Sunday's practice.

The Spurs (26-13) are relatively healthy, but they haven't been playing well recently. They beat Charlotte 95-86 on Monday to avoid a third straight loss, but they have dropped their last seven games against teams with winning records since a 102-91 win against Denver on Dec. 15.

"For a decade now this has been our period where we get into a little lull," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Hopefully we will be a lot better at playoff time as we have been in the past."

The defending NBA champions are just 9-10 in their last 19 games - a stretch that includes a 102-97 loss at the Lakers on Dec. 13 - but Popovich doesn't seem overly concerned.

"Losses at this part of the season have never really bothered us much," the coach said. "It's a game of mistakes. It's just an educational thing until playoff time comes around."

Tim Duncan had 19 points and 10 rebounds against the Bobcats as the Spurs reached 90 points for the first time in four games.

Duncan was just 2-for-13 from the field and finished with five points when the Spurs hosted the Lakers on Nov. 13, but San Antonio managed to win the game 107-92 behind 26 points from Tony Parker. Duncan missed the Dec. 13 meeting due to a sprained ankle.

[duncan228]

Spurs.com

http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/080123.html

Spurs vs. Lakers Preview

Probable Starters

T. Parker
Guard
19.9 PPG
M. Finley
Guard
10.3 PPG
B. Bowen
Forward
5.6 PPG
T. Duncan
Forward
18.8 PPG
F. Oberto
Center
5.0 PPG

The Spurs and Lakers - who have combined to win seven of the last nine NBA les - meet in San Antonio on Wednesday night.

The Lakers (27-12) assuaged some of their fears by beating Denver 116-99 on Monday, their first convincing win without Andrew Bynum in the lineup. The 20-year-old center, who leads the NBA with a 63.6 field-goal percentage and is averaging a team-high 10.2 rebounds, injured his knee on Jan. 13 against Memphis, a game the Lakers won 100-99. He is expected to miss about two months.

In the first two games following Bynum's injury, the Lakers barely held off struggling Seattle 123-121 in overtime, then lost 106-98 at home to Phoenix.

But they dominated the Nuggets on Monday, when Derek Fisher scored 16 of his season-high 28 points in the first quarter. Kobe Bryant didn't attempt a shot in the first, but finished with 17 points and a season-high 11 assists.

The Lakers also are without reserve forward Trevor Ariza for eight weeks after he broke his foot at Sunday's practice.

The Spurs (26-13) are relatively healthy. They beat Charlotte 95-86 on Monday, but they have dropped their last seven games against teams with winning records since a 102-91 win against Denver on Dec. 15.

Tim Duncan had 19 points and 10 rebounds against the Bobcats as the Spurs reached 90 points for the first time in four games.

The last time the the Spurs hosted the Lakers on Nov. 13, San Antonio managed to win the game 107-92 behind 26 points from Tony Parker.

Spur in the Spotlight
Jeremy Richardson
Jeremy Richardson got his first start as a Spur during Monday's victory over the Bobcats.

Did You Know...
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson and former Lakers head coach – now Miami Heat head coach – Pat Riley are the only active coaches with multiple NBA Championships … Jackson has won nine, Riley has won five and Popovich has won four … Spurs forward Robert Horry won three of his seven career championships while donning the Lakers purple and gold … the Spurs have met the Lakers in the playoffs 10 times, more than any other team in the league.

[Dex]

Thanks, dunc.

Hopefully tonight should be a good game....that won't end disappointingly, like most of our good games have recently.

[Ghost Writer]

I guarantee a Spurs win tonight.

I think the Lakers need Bynum to have a chance against the Spurs.

Who's their second-best player now -- D-Fish?

I'm not convinced by their cast of overachieving role players.

Lamar Odom is due to get hurt, too.

Soon, Los Angeles will deteriorate back to Kobe gunning and no one else contributing.

Spurs get a much-needed confidence booster tonight.

[ancestron]

Hope so.