Non-Football: Who Wins NBA Finals Game 4 Tonight?

[bulldog]

With the performance of Kobe Bryant in Games 2 and 3 and the fact the Sixers are beginning to look worn down after a couple of other series that went the distance, tonight's game appears to be critical for Philly's chances against the Lakers.

A win brings them back into a best of three while a loss in all probability means the series is over. Regardless of what Philly did against the Bucks, they are not going to win three in a row against LA.

It will be interesting to see the dynamics of how this game is played. We can expect the opening period rush by Philly to establish a lead in their own building. You would think his teammates will look to get Iverson 8-10 shots in the first quarter to get them going. How successful they are in this in my opinion determines the outcome of Game 4.

If the Sixers come out flat (I don't expect this) or if the Lakers come out and establish a lead of their own, the pressure will mount on Philly, a team with one main offensive weapon and not a lot of Finals experience.

Despite the Sixers comeback in overtime in Game 1, I think the end of Games 2 and 3 showed that the Lakers with their veteran bench and more offensive options are more likely to come out on top when the game is close in the fourth quarter.

The fact Larry Brown is going to play George Lynch, who is still not healthy, indicates to me that we might have seen the best of Aaron McKie already in this series, and his absence from the lineup will create matchup problems for Philly with Kobe Bryant.

The Sixers are in a bind in covering Bryant as they are already collapsing all three frontcourt players in trying to defend Shaq inside. That leaves Bryant one on one to beat defenders to a spot on the floor and pull up or take the ball inside.

My prediction is if Bryant gets over 25 points and Shaq does not foul out the Lakers will win Game 4 in a nail biter.

One other caveat is I think the Lakers need to keep Iverson to 30-35 points. If they do that they will win. If Iverson gets 48 again as he did in Game 1, then the Sixers will stand a good chance of extending the series.

[KMP]

Sixers! I hate everything about LA

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[TennesseeCarl]

I don't know who wins it, but this is the critical game. The Lakers have got to be pumped over winning after Shaq fouled out last game. (Shaq's got to be the only guy in the leauge to call Mutumbo a 'flopper').

I'd sort of like to see the Sixers take it to the Lakers in this one to keep the series interesting. The only player in the league who has any hope of counterbalancing the Lakers superstars is Iverson. The Western conference stars all failed - Rasheed Wallace, C Webb and Duncan all looked woeful.

I think the key is having guys like Geiger and McCulloch force Shaq to expend energy defensively. But Iverson has to come up big for the Sixers to hang in.

[NavyDave]

Sixers. Experience in the finals isn't an issue in the game the health of the sixers players is the issue.

I expect the 76ers to force te issue inside the paint so Iverson can have a high number of foul shots.

Shaq won't get that much help from the refs because everyone wants a game six

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Yes I'm paid to think and I need a raise

[bulldog]

you don't think that the Sixers missing all those foul shots at the end of games 2 and 3 and the play late in the game of Derek Fisher in Game 2 and Robert Horry in Game 3 shows there is a gap in playoff experience and poise down the stretch?

If that offensive foul call had not been made on Robert Horry in overtime of Game 1 with the Lakers up by 5 and with the ball, would we even be having this discussion right now at all?

For all those that think the Sixers are only a few points away from being up 3-0 in this series, you should remember that Game 1 could easily have been a Lakers win at home and then this series would be all but over.

I'm not trying to start the never ending game of "what ifs" all over again, just mentioning that in a close series of games each game could have conceivably gone the other way.

[JackC]

Lakers by 20

[Guest Trevor]

Tonight is the night the Sixers finally get blown out. Lakers win and win big.

BTW, Shaq would be the only guy in the league to call Dikembe a flopper and that would be because there is no one else in the league that Mutombo needs to flop agianst. Those last offensive fouls were bogus. Shaq does that all the time and you don't start calling that in the finals.

[bulldog]

The one piece of evidence that would seem to justify the thought of a blowout is the health of the Sixers.

McKie's effectiveness seems to be less and less every game. Not coincidentally, Kobe's EFFECTIVENESS seems to be growing with each game. That is not a good sign for Philly.

Then you throw in Eric Snow and now George Lynch running around on bad wheels trying to guard healthy players such as Derek Fisher, Robert Horry and Rick Fox and the Sixers might just be starting to run out of gas.

I think Mutombo has played about as well as you can against Shaq and he is still averaging Jordanesque box score numbers every game in this series.

See the assists in Game 2? And blocks?

As I have said before, if Kobe and Shaq get over 25 and either Fisher, Fox or Horry gets 15 the Lakers are going to win each of these next games.

The Sixers have to hope either Kobe or Shaq has an off night as Kobe did in Game 1 and Iverson goes nuts as he did in Game 1 for them to win.

With 10 fouls to give on Iverson from Lue and Fisher, I think Allen has worn down some in the last two games.

Yeah, they've clutched him and grabbed him but he missed those free throws in the fourth quarter the other night, and that is a sign he was just dog tired.

[jonjeff]

I won't make a prediction because I just turned on the set to see the Lakers ahead 46-29. It looks like those of you that predicted a blowout just might be right. Too bad, I'm pulling for the Sixers. I just think they are too worn out to handle the well rested, healthy Lakers. They have nothing to be ashamed of, they play like warriors. Something I hope our Skins will do this season.