Miami at LA Lakers

[Real Deal]

TIME: 5:00 PM ET

TV: ABC

[magicbalala245]

PUMP UP VIDEO. I just had to put it this already cause the guy I subscribed to on YouTube already made one

 

[Makaveli]

Less than 2 weeks to this game and i'm already pumped.

[*Swish*]

The worst is happening to me..

 

the day I'm leaving to camp, this game happens

 

The Heat are finally playing good basketball, Lakers struggling but will get back up. Will be the game of the year, and I'll miss it.

 

Someone shoot me now.

[magicbalala245]

LD2K the best to ever do it with there pump up videos

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhNE5MTiLd4&feature=player_embedded

[Sun Tzu]

Damn, I can't wait!

[Newman]

If this isn't the most anticipated match of the season I don't know what is. Fortunately they are showing it in free TV here in Australia so that's good.

[*Swish*]

The worst is happening to me..

 

the day I'm leaving to camp, this game happens

 

The Heat are finally playing good basketball, Lakers struggling but will get back up. Will be the game of the year, and I'll miss it.

 

Someone shoot me now.

I'm watching it! Winter camp is Sunday! YES!

[Flash]

Well, its the game pretty much everyone has wanted to see since July and its finally here. Hopefully we get to see a great game.

[Warren2ThaG]

Odom and Gasol will expose the trenching Heat down low

[The Regime]

Well I'm pumped for this game, and by the looks of it the Lakers aren't going to take this game lightly.

 

 

With the Heat coming to town on Christmas Day, the Lakers increased the intensity of their practice on Thursday.

 

"It was actually a very good practice," Pau Gasol said. "We got a lot of stuff done. We worked intensively and it was probably one of the best days that we had all year."

 

The Lakers practiced for longer than usual, staying on the court for more than two hours. Everyone aside from injured center Theo Ratliff participated.

 

"We were all able to be a part of the practice, which hasn't happened all year," Gasol said. "Everybody was in it. That was probably the first practice all year we had that."

 

The practice was the team's first since their 19-point loss to the Bucks on Tuesday night.

 

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/70743/20101224/lakers_increase_intensity_in_preparation_for_heat/

[Real Deal]

Anyone know when the last time the big marquee Christmas match-up was also the NBA Finals match-up? Last year, it was LA and Cleveland. The year before, I believe we played Boston. We played Phoenix in 2007, saw Boston in the Finals. The Spurs didn't even play on Christmas in 2006.

 

Miami played the Lakers in 2005, met the Mavs in the Finals.

 

Spurs didn't play on Christmas in 2004.

 

Lakers played the Rockets in 2003, lost to the Pistons in the Finals.

 

No Spurs in 2002's Christmas showdowns (do the Spurs EVER play on Christmas?)...

 

The dynasty Lakers played the Spurs, Blazers and Sixers (in that order) and didn't play them in the Finals the same season.

 

Second dynasty Bulls didn't play in 1995, then the Pistons and Heat the following two seasons. Houston played the Suns in 1993, nobody the following season. First dynasty Bulls played the Pistons, Celtics and Knicks on Christmas. The 86 Celtics played the Knicks in 1985, beat Houston in the Finals. The 82 Lakers played the Suns, beat the Sixers in the Finals. In 1980, the Celtics played the Knicks, then beat the Rockets in the Finals.

 

I'm stopping there. Since the 1979-80 season, the two Finals teams were not the two that met on Christmas Day...and it has probably never happened in the history of the league (tired of looking).

 

Last year, we lost to Cleveland. Devastating. Cleveland was nowhere to be found in June.

 

I think a Lakers/Celtics match-up would've been much more interesting.

[platoon793]

Should be a great game, but this game doesn't really mean anything in terms of finding out the better team. As Real Deal said, Cleveland beat LA 102-87 last year and obviously they didn't make the Finals. It should be a fun game to watch though.

[Lemon]

For 30 years, whoever met on Christmas never met in the Finals. That's a really good find RD. But It can work against the Lakers though with SA playing so well lol. But ya, i'd rather not see Celtics in the finals either.

[AboveLegit]

Anyone know when the last time the big marquee Christmas match-up was also the NBA Finals match-up? Last year, it was LA and Cleveland. The year before, I believe we played Boston. We played Phoenix in 2007, saw Boston in the Finals. The Spurs didn't even play on Christmas in 2006.

 

Miami played the Lakers in 2005, met the Mavs in the Finals.

 

Spurs didn't play on Christmas in 2004.

 

Lakers played the Rockets in 2003, lost to the Pistons in the Finals.

 

No Spurs in 2002's Christmas showdowns (do the Spurs EVER play on Christmas?)...

 

The dynasty Lakers played the Spurs, Blazers and Sixers (in that order) and didn't play them in the Finals the same season.

 

Second dynasty Bulls didn't play in 1995, then the Pistons and Heat the following two seasons. Houston played the Suns in 1993, nobody the following season. First dynasty Bulls played the Pistons, Celtics and Knicks on Christmas. The 86 Celtics played the Knicks in 1985, beat Houston in the Finals. The 82 Lakers played the Suns, beat the Sixers in the Finals. In 1980, the Celtics played the Knicks, then beat the Rockets in the Finals.

 

I'm stopping there. Since the 1979-80 season, the two Finals teams were not the two that met on Christmas Day...and it has probably never happened in the history of the league (tired of looking).

 

Last year, we lost to Cleveland. Devastating. Cleveland was nowhere to be found in June.

 

I think a Lakers/Celtics match-up would've been much more interesting.

Great research there B.

 

I think this game will end up much like opening night where Boston jumped out to a huge start and lead the majority of the game. I see Kobe having a very good game as well as Pau, which should lead them to winning.

[bigdog17k]

Are the Lakers going to wear their white alternates, with the Heat wearing their red ones?

[Nitro]

I think a Lakers/Celtics match-up would've been much more interesting.

 

Better game? Maybe. More interesting? Hell no. We've seen LA-Boston play many times over the last few seasons, and while Shaq's return to LA in green would have been interesting, it's nothing like the Heat's trio playing their first game in LA. You have the NBA's 3 biggest stars playing in the same game, 2 other all-stars, a few other fringe all-stars, etc...

 

It's going to be fun :glasses:

[kingfish]

Hopefully Kobe is raging mad from the poor effort from the team lately, Ron actually plays great D, and the bench dominates.

 

Still the Boston game is way more important, but its nice to see them taking this game seriously.

[Cleveland's Finest]

Watching ESPN, it's amazing how Wade is completely disregarded. Despite the switch to the Heat, ESPN still is showing LeBron/Kobe comparison charts in their previous meetings and I just heard one commentator say that the two names on the marquee are LeBron and Kobe.

 

Are people still seriously comparing these two? And how is Wade just forgotten in all of this? He isn't on ESPN's top 10 for MVP candidates, yet LeBron is. It's quite absurd how LeBron still is held so highly in this elite category, and even more absurd that Wade is barely recognized.

[Nitro]

Watching ESPN, it's amazing how Wade is completely disregarded. Despite the switch to the Heat, ESPN still is showing LeBron/Kobe comparison charts in their previous meetings and I just heard one commentator say that the two names on the marquee are LeBron and Kobe.

 

Are people still seriously comparing these two? And how is Wade just forgotten in all of this? He isn't on ESPN's top 10 for MVP candidates, yet LeBron is. It's quite absurd how LeBron still is held so highly in this elite category, and even more absurd that Wade is barely recognized.

 

It's always been like this, unfortunately...

[Flash]

Watching ESPN, it's amazing how Wade is completely disregarded. Despite the switch to the Heat, ESPN still is showing LeBron/Kobe comparison charts in their previous meetings and I just heard one commentator say that the two names on the marquee are LeBron and Kobe.

 

Are people still seriously comparing these two? And how is Wade just forgotten in all of this? He isn't on ESPN's top 10 for MVP candidates, yet LeBron is. It's quite absurd how LeBron still is held so highly in this elite category, and even more absurd that Wade is barely recognized.

 

Its always been that way for Dwyane. He was under Melo and Bron's shadow coming out of college and it wasn't until he killed it in the Finals that he got recognized for being the best that he is. [expletive], there was talk about him being the best player in the world at that time. Its fine though, Dwyane is a low-key guy and I don't think he minds that at all. He knew what he was getting into when he convinced LBJ to come to Miami.

[Sun Tzu]

The Suns aren't even playing and I'm still excited lol.

[Lkr]

Anyone know when the last time the big marquee Christmas match-up was also the NBA Finals match-up? Last year, it was LA and Cleveland. The year before, I believe we played Boston. We played Phoenix in 2007, saw Boston in the Finals. The Spurs didn't even play on Christmas in 2006.

 

Miami played the Lakers in 2005, met the Mavs in the Finals.

 

Spurs didn't play on Christmas in 2004.

 

Lakers played the Rockets in 2003, lost to the Pistons in the Finals.

 

No Spurs in 2002's Christmas showdowns (do the Spurs EVER play on Christmas?)...

 

The dynasty Lakers played the Spurs, Blazers and Sixers (in that order) and didn't play them in the Finals the same season.

 

Second dynasty Bulls didn't play in 1995, then the Pistons and Heat the following two seasons. Houston played the Suns in 1993, nobody the following season. First dynasty Bulls played the Pistons, Celtics and Knicks on Christmas. The 86 Celtics played the Knicks in 1985, beat Houston in the Finals. The 82 Lakers played the Suns, beat the Sixers in the Finals. In 1980, the Celtics played the Knicks, then beat the Rockets in the Finals.

 

I'm stopping there. Since the 1979-80 season, the two Finals teams were not the two that met on Christmas Day...and it has probably never happened in the history of the league (tired of looking).

 

Last year, we lost to Cleveland. Devastating. Cleveland was nowhere to be found in June.

 

I think a Lakers/Celtics match-up would've been much more interesting.

Sorry, I just had to. Tomorrow is game day

[Cleveland's Finest]

Man last year at this time I thought we were ready for a championship after beating LA. It's amazing how things changed. Looking back, I think I learned to take less stock in these games. Nonetheless, I'm still excited for the games tomorrow. I expect Gasol and Fisher to have big games.

Edited December 25, 2010 by Cleveland's Finest

[The Truth]

Watching ESPN, it's amazing how Wade is completely disregarded. Despite the switch to the Heat, ESPN still is showing LeBron/Kobe comparison charts in their previous meetings and I just heard one commentator say that the two names on the marquee are LeBron and Kobe.

 

Are people still seriously comparing these two? And how is Wade just forgotten in all of this? He isn't on ESPN's top 10 for MVP candidates, yet LeBron is. It's quite absurd how LeBron still is held so highly in this elite category, and even more absurd that Wade is barely recognized.

LeBron is currently better than Wade. he's a better rebounder, better passer, and probably a better scorer. LeBron and Kobe are two of the top three or four players in the game - they're going to get most of the media attention. Wade didn't even play in Miami's most recent game and he doesn't have as much of a history against Kobe. what we'll see in the media the next 2-3 years is Kobe vs. LeBron, then it'll be LeBron vs. Durant, then it'll be Durant vs. whoever's young and talented at that point.