OT- Will Lakers wrap it up Friday?

[88Comrade2000]

Something in my gut says Philly won't the Lakers win the series in their house and it goes to a game 6, next Monday. Lakers win easy there.

Though the Lakers could easily take it on Friday.

[hail2skins]

All depends on which Laker team shows up. Last year they could've closed out the series in Indiana but instead got blown out by 30 plus points. But I also seem to recall that Game 4 in that series was relatively close.....I can't remember if it was the one where Shaq fouled out and Kobe carried the load the rest of the way.

But I thought the Sixers would've won at least one in their house by now, and they haven't. This Game 4 wasn't even close, and, although the Lakers played well, it really could've been a lot worse. The Sixers right now are just overmatched, and a Laker win on Friday would not be at all surprising.

[bulldog]

I think O'Neal and Bryant have matured since last year and that is the reason this team is actually better even though the real third option, Glenn Rice, is no longer with the club.

Shaq mentioned in the postgame that the memory of that Indiana game remains in his mind and doesn't want to repeat that again this year.

Game 4 was the first time in the series I thought the Sixers looked at the Lakers as the better team.

That is the sign the end is near. At one point, according to the commentators Larry Brown told his players not to give up because "any other team would have been out of this series a while ago".

To pinpoint a moment the Sixers' will was broken was when the Lakers had a 20 point lead and the Sixers were able to cut it to 7 points only to have LA start raining down 3 pointers on two of the next three possessions to complement a Shaq dunk. That put the lead back to 15 and the game was for all intents and purposes over.

The Sixers just don't have anymore answers for the Lakers. There is no one else they have to throw into the mix to get them going.

Mutombo played a whale of a game last night in scoring 19 points and getting 9 boards against Shaq, but he got little help from Tyronne Hill, Matt Geiger and Andy MacCullough up front on either end of the court.

The most telling stats were the rebounding totals/second chance points and the three pointers.

Whatever shots the Lakers were missing they were hustling to get the rebounds and set up with a new clock. And whenever Shaq was doubled inside, the outside shooters Fisher, Horry and Lue were nailing over 50% of their threes on the kickouts.

Perhaps the most ominous stat for Philly is that the Lakers won by 14 and Bryant had a quiet game on the offensive end, although he did have an outstanding night on the boards and in dishing out 9 assists.

I think the Lakers will close it out in Game 5. The Sixers were able to prevent the Lakers from getting in their heads in the first 3 games, despite losing two of them. But last night I saw fear for the first time and a recognition they were playing a better team.

And a team that was playing better basketball in each consecutive contest.

What you saw last night in terms of the rebounding and field goal percentage from the arc is what allowed the Lakers to devastate the Spurs and the Kings in the Western Conference playoffs.

[NavyDave]

Lakers probably will win it but the 76ers aren't going to rollover.

I didn't see resignation or fear I saw worn out injured players overcome by a better team.

As much as I hate this version of the Lakers I remind myself of 3 things that make me smile;

1 GOP administration

2 Lakers as NBA Champions

has meant that the NFC superbowl rep generally is

3 Da Skins

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

[Zen-like Todd]

Yes, the Lakers will finish it out. I dont think they are stupid enough to want to win on their homecourt, and if both teams come to play, the Lakers will win. That's about it. Props to the 76ers, but they cant handle the Lakers. Now, if they could somehow resign Dikembe and convince Webber to play for that $4.5 million exception, you'd have a series .

Imagine a lineup next year of Dikembe, Webber, Jumaine Jones/Raja Bell, Mckie, and Iverson. Jumaine and Raja will be a year older and a year more experienced. Adding another scorer, particularly at the 4, changes EVERYTHING. Of course it wont happen, but its kinda fun to play the non-serious "what if" game.

[bulldog]

what about a lineup of Kobe, Shaq and Webber??

Just kidding. I don't think that trio would work out ego-wise, but it is interesting to note that the Lakers should have some room to make a move or two in the offseason with the contracts of Horace Grant ($7 million) and Ron Harper ($3 million) due to expire.

[redman]

One thing that I think everyone has forgotten since the Lakers lost their bid to go undefeated in the playoffs in Game 1 is that the Lakers can still secure the all-time best playoff record if they win Game 5. Every other team has at least lost 2 games on the way to the championship. I think they want that record, even if it has the blemish of the Game 1 loss.

But I agree that the 'Sixers won't want this to happen on their home court, and after Game 1 I changed my prediction to "Lakers in 6" (instead of 5), so . . . Game 5 may end up to be a hotly contested game.

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"Loosen up, Sandy baby. You're just too damn tight!" - John Riggins to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

[jonjeff]

Tyrone Hill has flat out stunk the place up this series. His subpar play has opened the floodgates for Shaq. Mutumbo can't do it alone against Shaq, and Hill has been no help whatsoever. I think the Sixers can send the series back to LA, but they better not get behind right away Friday night or its curtains.

[Fitz]

My basketball forecasts haven't panned out, so I won't pick Friday's game... but I have to send a couple of big "attaboys" to the Sixer fans for booing Destiny's Child off the floor at halftime