and 
game 1
Kickoff : 9:00pm Eastern Time
How long ago was it that the Lakers and TWolves met in the first round, with Minnesota going down swinging in a series where they had home court advantage and a large measure of guts and fearlessness but ultimately lacked experience, drive and class? Yes, it was last year.
Will 2004, the season that has seen Minnesota amass the best record in the Western Conference, win not 1 but 2 Playoff series, and be a talented, veteran club lead by a young man rapidly reaching the peak of basketball super-stardom… will this be the year Minneapolis – who used to be the Lakers – finally beat the Lakers?
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, coming up.
It’s still amazing that the San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings have been eliminated from this seasons playoffs. Both these elite teams had legit aspirations of winning it all this season, and it’s testament to the 2 teams playing tonight that Tim Duncan, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic, Tony Parker and Chris Webber are watching instead of playing.
Minnesota’s series against the Kings featured some top grade basketball. This is what the postseason’s all about; great players on great teams making great plays. And this TWolves team, they have guts as well as talent.
In last season’s first round encounter, Kobe averaged 32 points and 7 assists (in more than 45 minutes per night) matched up against Wally Szczerbiak. Tonight, he’ll see more of Latrell Sprewell and Trenton Hassell than the turnstyle in Jersey #10, but Kobe is so flat-out talented he can score one-on-one against anybody.
So as much as this series will be about 2 teams, it’ll be ultimately decided by the 3 superstars. Kobe and Shaq vs Kevin Garnett, next!
Thanks to a procession of pre-game interviews which didn’t have sub-titles, the Minnesota players all seemed to be quite frank in admitting they have no answers to the question of how to stop Shaq.
but the real question is, do they need to? Shaq is only the most dominating player in the L when he wants to be. Minnesota are an emotional team who welcome the physical confrontations inevitable at this time of year, but if they provoke the Big Guy, they’re in big trouble tonight.
If Ervin Johnson, Mark Madsen and Michael Olowokandi can ‘contain’ Shaq to 20 points and 10 boards and not make him angry, they’ll go a long way to winning this game. It’s not as if Shaq won’t be motivated – he will – but you don’t want him playing tonight as if he’s got something to prove.
is Mama Cassell’s boy healthy?
I am!
Apart from Shaq and Kobe, our teams blows. Mailman is tired, GP is worse, and our bench might be the worst in Conference Final history.
Hello!
Don’t write off Malone or GP. Payton knows how to guard Cassell, and he’s not as quick as Steve Francis or Tony Parker who have given GP fits this playoffs so far.
In fact, this is the Lakers first away game since when, April?, that hasn’t been played in Texas.
Johnson, KG, Spree, Hassell and Cassell.
vs
Shaq, Mailman, DGeorge, Kobe, Payton.
Joe Crawford tips us off.
KG wins it, and Cassell has the ball.
Spree misses the open J from the foul line, Lakers go to Malone early.
it’s 0-0.
Cassell off the screen, no problems with the back, it’s 2-0.
Do they realise who the home team is here?
Payton hits both, Sam I Am and Hassell each have a foul.
Whoa, Ervin J makes a bucket off the loose ball. Minnesota haven’t gone to KG yet.
Ervin, that’s terrible. Bos him out.
Shaq with the put-back, misses the FT.
Wasn’t boxed (or bosed?) out, that’s poor fundamentals.
Lakers swarming KG with the ball.
I have 2 speeds, slow and perambulating.
what is it?
Minnesota taking some bad shots.
Shaq fouled again in the paint by Ervin Johnson, he’ll sit down.
It’s 5-4 LA.
6-4.
Olowokandi can’t make the layup off the mis-match, guarded by Kobe who smartly didn’t foul.
Malone blocked by KG. Needs to start enforcing himself here.
wide open mid-range baby.
Taking some terrible shots.
Minensota hit the lead, 8-6, Olowokandi does domething good for a change off the put-back.
Now Malone hits.
And Sprewell answers.
It’s 10-8 after 6 minutes.
KG guaded by Shaq, makes the quick turnaround, all net. Nice play.
Kobe answers, 12-10 Minnesota.
Am I happening?
I can get open anytime you want. Or I want. Or something.
Lakers playing good D to start this game, not allowing Minnesota to get settled.
In game 1 here last season, LA opened up a huge early lead and took the game, and eventually the series. In their very short lead-up to this clash, Minnesota would be well aware of that and are determined not to let it happen again.
I’m 1-5 through the first 7 minutes.
It’s me! Cheryl Miller!
Back from the timeout, Craig Sager looking about as good as expected.
Same with Phil Jackson – showing off his rings.
Open Jumper, it’s 14-10.
Don’t you boys miss me?
Sexy.
Payton posts up his teammate from last postseason, and it’s 14-12.
Both teams on offense, they’re clicking.
Hassell now with the bucket.
Did Doug just say Flip Saunders is my friend?
Wanna go fishing, Flip?
leave me open I’ll hurt ya.
Trenton Hassell can’t play. At least not as well as Linton Johnson!
Gee, why did I get fired?
Big call, Shaq travells whilst over-powering Olowokandi inside.
The basket counted, and so would the foul.
Minnesota ball, up 18-14.
All Minnesota’s starters have scored.
Lakers have 5 field goals and 4 FT’s to the TWolves 9 and 0.
2004 Playoff PPG = 2
Points Tonight = 4
I wish the game would end right now! I’d be a legend!
Cassell still quarter-backing this one, pick and roll – oh, Olowokando with the jam!
Am I Italian?
Payton playing well, Shaq unselfish – that will count as an assist.
Cassell is answering, this is a quality PG match-up.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria.
But I’m British, would you believe.
You have me guard Kobe and he’ll score 97.
22-21, Shaq hits at the line.
Szczerbiak enters the game, 49 second left in the first.
All that work and you’re still going to be trailing at the quarter. Hee hee.
I’m a selfish prick.
Lakers hit the lead on the Kobe give-and-go, but Olowokando tips in the Sprewell miss to re-gain the lead for the TWolves.
Everyone knows I’m Joe Barry Carroll, right?
TWolves 24
Lakers 23
Olowokandi 8 pts
Cassell 6 pts
Shaq 8 pts
GP 7 pts
That’s Joe Barely Cares to you.
I think we all remember what a great player Slater Martin was, right?
Right?
A high-scoring game so far, this favours Minnesota, but only if they get some stops.
They have played Francisco Elson and Vlade Divac this playoffs so far – they haven’t faced anybody anywhere near Shaq, and it’s showing.
See, the refs hate Szczerbiak too.
Just remember I’ll make a lot of shots until we really need one. Then…nothing.
You hate me. The refs hate me. But the ladies love me.
Garnett is the designated double-teamer here, but that’s leaving Malone open. he hits another J.
25-24 LA.
Minnesota’s offense isn’t looking healthy.
Right now it’s "throw it to Kobe." Just to clarify, that’s not a good thing.
I’m playing.
Mor than that, I’m scoring.
I’m taking over! Look out! Screw you Kobe! The offense is going through me!
(Brick)
Oops!
KG turns it over and sits down.
27-24 LA.
If Horace Grant gets sick, or wants to go to a movie, does he just send Harvey to wear a suit and sit on the Lakers bench?
Phil Jackson loves this point of the game.
Watch the Lakers consolidate here with Shaq on the bench.
Lincoln, Illinois’ finest is on the floor. And very confused.
Nice old-man D by the Mailman to step away and make Olowokandi travel, Kobe doing it all.
29-26.
Hoiberg’s defense is stifling! Kobe hasn’t had to sweat this much since he gave that DNA sample in Eagle, Colorado.
I look nothing like him.
I’m 3 quarters of an inch shorter!
That wasn’t a sweat sample we asked for!
Kobe and the 2nd unit, he’s doing Pippen’s former role.
Minnesota don’t look like the better team so far tonight.
Damn, that’s my move!
Minnesota have 2 points this quarter, and about 6 turnovers.
Even the other way round would be a concern.
Lakers ball out of the timeout.
So is Rik Fox.
Nice inadvertant head-clash by Medvedenko and I think it was Fox.
Shaq, wow, the alley-oop!
Szczerbiak finally makes a shot.
He’s as selfish as Kobe but without the talent.
31-28, the TWolves needed that.
Flip Saunders, what have you done?
Now KG’s guarding Medvedenko, that means Slava’s open, which means another Laker field goal.
TWolves pushing the ball, but not playing smart. They want to be aggressive, but they’re not respecting the ball, or their opponents.
Lakers up 5.
Minnesota, 9 turnovers and 8 fouls.
Lakers 5 and 3.
Wolves ball, Spree to inbound.
KG iso’s on Malone, and scores. That’s about the first non-double-team KG’s seen.
35-30.
KG is an elite player with the ball, he’s starting to assert himself.
Shaq puts back his own miss.
I’m back in, look out Shaq.
Am I drunk or were Mike and Doug discussing that Slava can create his own offense.
Man, am I that out of touch?
Slava? Really?
At the shot-clock, Kobe draws the foul on Spree, it’ll be 3 shots, yeah?
Payton’s back in.
Foot on the line.
How am I supposed to bank in a lucky three-pointer if I’m in a suit behind the bench?
Payton picks up his 1st, Lakers still up 5, 39-34.
Shaq blocks Olowokando, Cassell nice penentration though.
Minnesota not playing very well, they seem rushed and whatever the opposite of spontaneous is.
I guess.
Lakers up 5 and Kobe hasn’t done anything yet.
3½ minutes to go in the 2nd, Lakers ball as we get back.
Cassell can drive as often as he likes, but the Lakers are doing a great job defensively apart from that.
The Wolves need to be more decisive.
Is Kobe all hands?
With 6 seocnds left, Kobe almost steals it from KG.
Sprewell fouled by D George, who has more fouls than points.
I got my salary paid up front in cash, right?
Not gulity, did you see Payton backing down Sam Cassell?
See, it wasn’t even me!
Another foul on Kobe in the act of shooting, Shaq and Kobe agreeing on something – not sure what…
40-34.
Another Sprewell open J, this time it’s a 3 and he hits it.
Minnesota can get Spree a shot at will, but they go away from it to force-feed the inside men.
Olowokando a foul away from the ball.
Olowokodo?
We’re huge!
I haven’t changed since my rookie season. I’m still 6-7 and 400.
Oliver Miller last missed a meal on this date.
He then ate three extra oens on May 10 to make up for it.
Hassell a factor in this game, Spree is talking on defense.
ohh, that’s the first time all playoffs that Fisher is assessed a Block as opposed to drawing an Offensive Foul.
46-41 LA as Fisher hits a triple.
And Hoiberg, that’s his frist FG attempt of the game, it’s a 3.
that’s German, right?
And that’s halftime as Fisher fails to beat the buzzer.
A high quality frist half for the Lakers, they’re setting the agenda.
Minnesota fighting and they have so many weapons; Cassell and Sprewell look dangerous whenever they get the ball, yet too often it goes down inside for little or no result.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Lakers 46 Minnesota 44.
Montgomery, a 4 year deal.
In Boston, Danny Ainge is wishing he hadn’t been so hasty in inking Doc Rivers. Eric Mussellman has been the best young coach without a Z in his name over the past 2 seasons. If whoever the Warrior’s rotating GM hadn’t let Gilbert Arenas go last summer, Golden State would have been this season’s Denver Nuggets.
Eric Musselman? If I wanted to hire a dwarf I’d have hired Gary Coleman.
Kobe – 9 points, 3 turnovers, 0 fouls.
Shaq – 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 0 fouls.
Malone – 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals.
GP – 7 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover.
Cassell – 12 points, 6 assists, 2 fouls.
Spree – 5 points, 0 assists, 0 steals, 1 turnover, 1 foul.
KG – 6 points, 5 boards, 3 turnovers, 0 fouls.
Olowokandi – 8 points, 7 boards, 2 fouls.
Hi, it’s me, Lawrence Frank. No, down here.
Minnesota to win;
a) draw some fouls.
b) protect the ball.
c) contain Kobe.
Lakers to win:
a) offensive rebounds.
b) make FTs.
c) swarm KG.
Hey Stat Guy – Minnesota shooting .514 to the Lakers .447, yet they’re down.
2nd half about to start. Minnesota have their starting 5 out there.
Lakers? Look the same. Was that Kobe picking his nose???
Slashing on the fast-break!
Sprewell in transition, and makes the FT. Minensota re-take the lead.
Malone the loooong jumper.
Sprewell calling his own number, that’s what the crowd wants to see. Makes the trey.
When you’re playing a Phil Jackson team, it’s the pivotal 3rd Quarter, remember?
I played against Michael, I know that.
I’m doing my best Rick Fox impersonation tonight.
0 points, 1 rebound and 2 fouls in 14 minutes.
Have they ever called a 3 second violation on Shaq???
Spree’s cooled off.
50-50.
you punkz can’t guard me!
Shaq scores on 2 consecutive posessions, then hammers Spree.
That’s his 1st.
Sprewell misses the front end.
Fox is in.
Shaq passes straight out to Kobe, a long 2.
Lead is 3.
Now it’s me who’s heating up!
56-51.
8:18 3rd
Timeout Minnesota.
Field Goals This Quarter
Min 2 of 5.
LAL 5 of 9.
Minnesota are in trouble if they can’t hang with this Lakers’ surge.
Kobe has been guarded well so far, but he’s such a magnificant player he won’t be quiet all night.
KG handling the ball now – that was a late foul call.
I’m focussed – not even listening to you, Spree.
Garnett at the line, his first FT’s of the night. It’s 56-53.
Kobe’s still hot, he has 15.
Cassell can drive whenever he likes, but he has to make the layups.
Lakers up 5, Kobe gives Hassell a pat on the ass.
I’d like to see that!
KG cuts the lead to 5.
Fox with a girly move down the baseline – needs to get a comb for Christmas.
If I could pass the ball to myself, I’d be unstoppable.
KG blocks Malone, and Spree finds Cassell open for 3 on the break.
If he’s made that shot, Minnesota get a huge lift.
Malone misses the 2nd, 61-57 Lakers.
Mailman has 13 points, right on this season’s playoff average.
And now Malone with the steal.
Nice strong, pateint move by Shaq, the lead is 6.
Kobe picks up a foul.
Wally Szczerbiak in for Hassell, 4:42 to go in the 3rd.
That’s my 9th point of the quarter.
Wally guarding Payton, no-one guarding Fisher.
Ohhh Sprewell’s cut the lead to 2.
Kobe: Thanks
Officials : wink
Kobe is getting all the whistles here, good D by Spree and Szczerbiak. He tried to pass it off…
67-63 after Kobe makes both.
Joey Crawford still talking.
Cassell makes both off the make-up call. Lakers in the penalty.
Shaq whistled for the push in the back.
67-66, Olowokandi has one FT to come, he can tie this up.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Just to catch up wilst we’re at the time-out, Olowokandi and I think it was Sprewell got in each other’s way and screwed up the defensive rebound. It fell to Shaq who signature slams it in, but he’s called for the foul.
Kevin McHale hasn’t been getting much sleep.
Fisher puts Lakers back up.
Don’t forget to click on the Google ads before Andy has to remind us.
Somebody guard me!
TWolves need to be very sensible as this quarter winds down. If LA can stay a bucket or 2 in front, the lead will be tough to overcome.
Oh, Fisher makes another 3.
My turn!
Hey, don’t forget to…hey, nice job #142.
All of a sudden the Lakers are up 9.
This is a bad little period here for the TWolves. 76-67, 1 minute to go.
The Khandi man…can’t.
13 tonight.
What do you get if you combine Sammy Davis Jr. and me!
A full set of eyes!
Szczerbiak misses badly from 3, the Lakers getting outside shots with ease.
Fisher hits with 2.1 seconds left in the 3rd, the crowd is silent.
Or perhaps my TV has gone on Mute.
Lakers 32 points on 13-23 FGs.
Who said a high-scoring game favours the TWolves?
How many eyes in a full-set?
Minensota, they’re not a big 4th-quarter comeback team. They’re down 11, and in big trouble.
78-67?
shit.
4th Q underway, Spree cuts the lead to 9.
comebacks are all about defense though, not scoring.
We’re the Freeview concert this month and we’re singing Electrolite right now!
Good song.
5-11 baby.
Kobe puts the lead back up to 11, despite the double-team.
Sprewell hits for 3 off the rotation, 80-72.
Another open J, this game is easy.
TNT is running a crawl promoting "unedited" press conferences after the game on NBA-TV. Between Bruce Baum, Bill Raftery and the chance to hear Flip Saunders accidentally say "hose job" on live TV, I don’t know how things could get better.
TWolves are scoring, but they’re not getting stops.
With 9 minutes to go, it’s an all white-guy jump-ball.
Lakers up 8.
will they have sub-titles?
Saunders is giving Cassell a breather to start the 4th, nice idea. He was getting frustrated there at the end of the 3rd.
Shaq is also sitting, and Medvedenko cannot guard KG, the consequent double-teams are igniting the TWolves offense.
Still, KG is leaving Malone open – Minny will need to make an adjustment there for game 2 on Sunday.
I’m 5th all-time in Playoff Scoring.
They have to sub-title me.
Kobe misses out of the timeout, he’s 8-17 now from the field.
If Minnesota can score here they stay in the game.
Ahh, turnover.
looks like a shooting guard when compared to the Shaq.
Wally makes the worst shot in the gym. A two pointer with a foot on the three point line.
Hey Kevin, those layups aren’t so easy, are they?
Sprewell pushes it and find Szczerbiak for the 2 from the corner.
Lead is down to 6.
KG misses the prayer layup, and LA convert to silence the crowd. That hurts.
That’s why Cassell’s still on the bench!
This is how it’s done Wallace!
Oh, and Kobe fouled me. At least there were no hotel chairs involved.
Another non-shooting foul on Shaq, ball from the side.
Hoiberg’s 3 cut the lead to 5.
Now Kobe getting a rest.
I’m a fast learner.
86-82 LA.
F**^ you Olowokando!
Come on!
Come on!
Minnesota being very agressive on offense, and they have cut the lead to 4.
Shaq is just unstoppable inside, LA haven’t wavered from their preconceived gameplan.
Hoiberg picks up the foul, maybe he’ll be subbed out. If I were the Lakers, I’d prefer to see Cassell right now.
LA are 2 stops away from blowing this game out.
Nice D by Minnesota out of the timeout, Szczerbiak was wide open but misses from the top of the circle.
Still 86-82.
Olowokandi fouls Shaq, 5 minuets to go.
I’m 7-9 from the line tonight, pussies.
Garnett has made some mighty impressive shots tonight, getting nothing easy from the Laker D.
88-84, good work by Sprewell, cuts the lead to 2.
Thanks Karl!
There’s your triple-post offense, Malone the bounce-pass to Geroge for the jam.
And Sprewell turns it over.
Malone hits again, that will be game over.
The lead is only 6, but that’s all Minnesota can hope to achieve. A close loss. It’s been a tough night.
I own the Lakers?
![]("http://www.mrbreakfast.com/images/rip2.jpg"/)
15-19 from the line tonight.
And we were the 2nd worst FT shooting team in the NBA this season!
Very impressive team-play by the Lakers tonight. They are rested, but they’re also very tight and very secure.
Very few defensive breakdowns, very few fouls, very few turnovers.
I’m still shooting!
92-88
2 minutes to go.
Whoa, a travelling call, turnover LA.
Minnesota ball, down 4, 1:45 to play.
Karl, try guarding me when it matters!
yes?
Jerry, I want my hair back:
You’re fired!
![]("http://www.writerdirector.com/images/photos/trump.gif"/)
Derek Fisher hits the open baseline 3, that’s it.
Lakers lead now is 7.
Hey, maybe we should guard Derek Fisher?
Hey, he doesn’t guard me?
Doug Collins: "Derek Fisher has been an important part of all their championships."
Hey, screw you Collins! He wasn’t around for all of them!
Then make one, Wally.
KG misses the rushed 2, and fouls Shaq.
Cassell on the bench the entire 4th quarter.
This will be a draining loss for the TWolves. But remember, they lost game 2 of the Sacto series, dind’t they?
I have better numbers than you tonight, Kevin!
Eugene…you genius!
Very professional game tonight by the Lakers. And everyone helped out; Malone, Payton, Fisher, KRush, even Medvedenko and Devean George.
Kobe has had a relatively quiet night, and you know that won’t last the entire series.
KG and Flip Saunders have a lot of adjustments to make, but Sprewell has played great and so has Olowokandi. These are the type of X-Factor perfromances than usually accompany wins.
97-88, 20 seconds left and Fisher runs out the clock.
High 5’s all round for the Lakers, they don’t fear the road. Just in case there was any doubt.
_Los Angeles Lakers_
97 Points
Shaq = 27 points on 9-16 FGs and 9-11 FTs, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks.
Kobe = 23 points, 6 assists, 3 steals.
Mailman = 17 points on 8-13 FGs, 11 assists, 3 steals.
DFisher = 14 points on 5-9 FGs and 4-5 3s, 6 assists.
_Minnesota Timberwolves_
88 points
Spree = 23 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 turnovers.
KG = 16 points on 7-15 FGs, 10 rebounds, 0 offensive rebounds, 4 turnovers.
Cassell = 16 points on 5-14 FGs and 0-4 3s, 8 assists in 31 minutes.
Olowokando = 10 points, 11 rebounds and 4 fouls.