COUCH POTATO TIME AT FORUM.Byline: Howard Beck Daily News Staff Writer The Lakers will gather today for a pivotal playoff game Noun 1. playoff game - one game in the series of games constituting a playoff game - a single play of a sport or other contest; "the game lasted two hours" playoff - any final competition to determine a championship at the Forum, and the relief is that the only energy they'll need to expend is the pressure of a thumb on a remote control. In locking up their first-round series against Portland in Game 4 on Thursday, the Lakers bought themselves at least two extra days of preparation for the best-of-seven second round, which begins as soon as Monday, possibly as late as Wednesday. Their opponent will be decided today, when the Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Their organization is a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA). play the SuperSonics in Seattle in Game 5 of the first-round series. Had the Wolves won Thursday, the Lakers would have been playing Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals today. Instead, the Lakers had Friday off entirely and will be comfortably watching the Wolves-Sonics tilt on a television set at the Forum. A light practice will follow, but the Lakers are grateful to have a breather between series, with Rick Fox and Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. leading a list of banged-up bodies. Fox, the Lakers' second leading scorer in the playoffs with 16.0 points per game, continues to nurse a painfully sore right foot, while sixth man Bryant has been coping with a sore back and groin while scoring 11.3 points per game. About those days off. . . ``I need them,'' said Fox. The Lakers forward was ``sore as could be'' Thursday morning before spending quality time with trainer Gary Vitti to get loose enough for Game 4. Bryant is also playing with pain, though not enough to slow him. He dropped 22 points on the Blazers in Game 4, including the standard array of poster-photo dunks. Still, the time off ``is a relief, a chance to relax a little bit, get a massage,'' Bryant said. Shaquille O'Neal's strained thumbs will also benefit from the time off, as will no doubt, the chronically sore knees of Robert Horry Robert Horry (born August 25, 1970 in Harford County, Maryland) is an American National Basketball Association basketball player. Currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Horry is is known for his ability to make clutch shots in big games. and Nick Van Exel Nickey (Nick) Maxwell Van Exel (born November 27 1971 in Kenosha, Wisconsin) is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. Van Exel, a 6'1" left-handed point guard, was most well known for his flashy style of play and his ability to hit critical shots during and many other dings and dinks that don't always show up on the injury report but are nevertheless felt on the court. ``I'd absolutely rather have the rest than go back (to play) Saturday or Sunday,'' coach Del Harris said. ``It's a blessing.'' Diplomacy prevails: Loath to say the wrong thing, the Lakers mostly avoided the ``who would you rather play'' questions. ``Don't care
"Don't Care" is a 1994 (see 1994 in music) single by American death metal band Obituary. ,'' O'Neal said. The Lakers were 1-3 vs. the Sonics this season, 4-0 vs. the Timberwolves. They'd have home-court advantage vs. Minnesota, and would not vs. Seattle. Still . . . ``It kind of balances out,'' Bryant said. ``You want to play Seattle because of the challenge, but then again you want to play Minnesota because you match up well with them.'' The most Bryant would admit to is that he'll root for friends Stephon Marbury Stephon Xavier Marbury (born February 20, 1977 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing point guard with the New York Knicks. Marbury was an NBA All-Star in 2001 and 2003 and an All-NBA Third Team member in 2003. and Kevin Garnett Kevin Garnett (born May 19, 1976) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in, 220 lb (0 kg) power forward is regarded as one of the best all around players in the game today. of the Timberwolves. So, Mr. Fox Mr. Fox were a band, part of the British "electric folk" or "folk rock" movement, circa 1970. Members:
``I want the Bulls,'' he quipped. ``In my opinion, we have unfinished business with Seattle. . . . Either way, I'm anxious to get to the next round and win the first two games.'' Derek Fisher Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9 1974 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is an American professional basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was with the Utah Jazz but asked to be released from his contract to care for his 10-month-old daughter, who has cancer. dismissed the notion that the Lakers' dominance of Minnesota meant a better matchup with the Wolves. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if it matters, though,'' he said, ``just because nothing's really easy for us.'' Quick takes: Trail Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy on the Lakers' playoff prospects: ``They're my pick to win it. I mean put the ring on their finger.'' Harris on the Blazers: ``They played a great series. . . . The future, I think, looks very rosy here in Portland, the Rose City, for the Blazers.'' Horry on the trash-talking Blazers: ``Ain't nothing like shutting up people who run their mouths.'' Harris, on the five 3-pointers that helped close the Lakers' lead to six points with 32 seconds left Thursday: ``Four of those five 3's had a degree of difficulty of about 10 on an Olympic scale. . . . They did put a scare in us.'' O'Neal, to TV cameras as he walked down the Rose Garden hallway after Game 4: ``The Rose Garden is now closed. Have a nice vacation.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO The Lakers' Kobe Bryant (8) will be able to rest his injuries before the second round of the playoffs. Jack Smith/Associated Press |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion