NY Knicks faces an uphill battle against the LA Lakers at Staples Center
November 24, 2009 by Marc Jerbs
The NY Knicks are coming off an overtime loss to the Boston Celtics in their last game. The Knicks are a run and gun basketball team due to Mike D'Antoni's coaching style. So every game, a shootout is expected with their opponent. We could say that the Knicks rely too much on their offense to beat their opponent. Well, that's their coach style of play and it's not really effective with his former team, remember Phoenix Suns?
Against the Lakers, they just can't match them by trading baskets. They must stop Kobe Bryant at all costs and must handle the inside presence of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. It may be a difficult task to stop the Lakers' big men since the Knicks don't have the big bodies to defend them for 48 minutes. Their only chance is to disrupt the rhythm and timing of Kobe Bryant. Letting Kobe loosen up for the game would give the Knicks another L in their record.
Pau Gasol's return to the Laker's lineup has made Kobe Bryant's workload a lot easier. With Gasol at the forward position, the Lakers do not have to rely too much on Kobe each game. While Gasol was out of the lineup, Kobe exerted too much effort to help his team win every game; he averaged 31 point per game. The Lakers are now healthy and teams may start scratching their heads on how to beat the defending champs.
It will be a primetime matchup between the Lakers and Knick on Tuesday night. But the handicappers have unanimously pick the Lakers as a 15-point favorite to beat the underachieving Knicks. This is a no brainer, Lakers win.
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