10/24/08 v. Lakers (in Ontario, CA) (Preseason 7 of 7)

[KDisNotNice]

Gametime is 9:30pm on Friday night. Not only is the game on Thunder-TV, it will also be shown on ESPN.

[bbingham05]

already have it tivo'd

[ThunderousFan]

Will the Lakers be playing their stars?

[KDisNotNice]

Will the Lakers be playing their stars?

The Suns did last night but Kobe is resting his knee so very likely not.

[Fast | Break]

The report early on yesterday was that none of the Suns stars would be playing, so who knows what is going to happen. I'll bet we see Bynum and Gasol though.

[Plainsman]

Kobe prolly play some ...........




Kobe Bryant sidelined by swelling in knee

Oct 23, 10:34 pm EDT

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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)—Kobe Bryant was held out of the Lakers’ preseason game Thursday night because of residual swelling in his right knee following a collision with teammate Josh Powell on Tuesday night against Charlotte.

“I’ve got a little bit of puffiness in the back of the knee. It’s just from the trauma of landing the way I landed,” Bryant said about an hour before his teammates faced Charlotte again. “So we’ll just knock that out and make sure the swelling’s out of there, which should be soon. Then I’m OK. After seeing the injury on TV, I’m surprised it’s not worse, to be honest.”

Bryant, the NBA’s reigning MVP, was injured under the Lakers’ basket in the second quarter when he went for a rebound and banged knees with Powell.

“I feel fine,” Bryant said. “I lifted weights this morning for my legs, did lunges, jumps and all that kind of stuff, and I felt fine. I felt strong. So I’m all right. I just want to get the swelling out. Instead of playing on it tonight and having the swelling still be there and having to manage it. I mean, that’s stuff you do during the regular season—not in preseason.”

Bryant hopes to play Friday night in the preseason finale against Oklahoma City at Ontario, Calif., and coach Phil Jackson hasn’t ruled out that possibility. But Jackson said if Bryant can’t go, the club may talk with Bryant about having some diagnostic tests done on the knee. The 10-time All-Star chose not to undergo an MRI exam.

“If I can run, if I can jump, if I can do lunges, leg curls and leg extensions, chances are there’s no structural damage,” Bryant said, grinning. “You know what I’m saying? If I don’t have to walk with more of a bop that I normally walk with, it’s fine. So I’m good. There’s no need to waste their money.”

Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic, who has yet to play in the preseason because of an avulsion fracture in his left ankle, wants to get some minutes in the preseason finale. He was examined by a foot specialist Thursday.

“It feels better,” said Vujacic, who signed a three-year, $15 million contract on July 28. “There’s no sharp pain, but it’s still a little bit irritated. I just have to face it and play with it. Tomorrow I’m going to do the full practice and then we go from there. I’m going to be there and I’m going to be in uniform, which I’m excited about. But if the coach doesn’t play me, that’s not my decision. We’ll see.”

Powell missed the game Thursday because of a strained left hamstring.

[RicanThunder]

Thunder - 97
Lakers - 104


Tiebreaker - Over/Under 45% shooting for Durant - Over

[Chocolate Thunder]

From the what it's worth department.
The Thunder are 8 point underdogs to the Lakers tonight. The O/U is 203.

Thunder 103
Lakers 100

[KDisNotNice]

Thunder 94
Lakers 91

tiebreaker: under (38%)

[Plainsman]

ESPN announcer is Kevin Callabro, he was the Sonics TV guy for 20 years , or so. Another Sonic Fan/OKC hater in the media.

[rtucker47]

Guess the Thunder/KSBI moved up the HD. Tonights game looks great!!!!!!!!!!Finally

[RicanThunder]

I predict Westbrook will be the starter by the beginning of December. The game just seems to flow a lot better when he is in the game.

[okcnba]

I predict Westbrook will be the starter by the beginning of December. The game just seems to flow a lot better when he is in the game.

He's been improving, which is a good sign. He just desperately needs to control his turnovers, but I suspect that's more of a product of his age than a staple of his game... at least I hope it is!

[StormFan93]

Ahhhh. Got my Calabro fix until the Sounders start early next year.

[rtucker47]

I predict Westbrook will be the starter by the beginning of December. The game just seems to flow a lot better when he is in the game.


He better be. Watson is a borderline liability on both ends.

[KDisNotNice]

The Thunder keeps fighting back but then the Lakers go on another run. They are back within 4 points with 2 1/2 minutes left in the 3rd Q.

[drrube]

I logged on to specifically comment on Watson. He just looks lost...

I can live with westbrook's on-the-job training.

Nice to see Joe Smith in there.

Do Nick Collison's jersey's come with the back already sweat-out? Love the effort.

I know he's an offensive liability, but I like having D-Mase on this team. He really acts like the teacher on and off the court.

Even Petro is being a little less schitzophrenic tonight.

[RicanThunder]

I never realized how small (skinny) Petro is. He needs some meat on his bones.

[okcnba]

Jeff Green's game as of the preseason=HORRIBLE! Hope he can put it together for the regular season or I will be a fan who turns on him in a HUGE WAY! Right now he looks like our forward version of Earl Watson.

[RicanThunder]

Jeff Green just seems to be pressing. He does not have an identity on the team. He's too small to play 4, but too slow (and lacking dribbling/shooting skills) to play 3. He'll be a great hybrid forward coming off the bench.

[KDisNotNice]

Thunder lose to the Lakers 105-94 to finish the preseason at 1-6.

Next up, the regular season in OKC on Wednesday!

[drrube]

...and his shot selection has been bad as well. Gotten burned on defense some too. ahe's a big enough player to be able to carve out some spacce on the court.

[Plainsman]

Yeah, but the Lakers had Bynum, Gasol, and Odum in for a big part of the game, no body is gonna look good against that big lineup.

Lakers best team the Thunder have played this preseason, by a lonnggggg shot.

[CCOKC]

Yeah, as a life long Laker hater I have to admit they look pretty good. Just a solid team from top to bottom.

[Plainsman]

Lakers go undefeated :)

[Wrap10]

Lakers go undefeated :)

As a life-long Lakers fan, I could live with that. :)

The Thunder looked a little gassed in the fourth quarter, but who wouldn't against that bunch. The Lakers had way too much firepower, and looked like they were in mid-season form. But I think through these seven games we've seen what's likely to be one of the trademarks of this OKC team - they never quit. They just keep coming at you and at you, no matter the situation. Right now they just don't have all the weapons that some of the upper-tier teams have, but they have every bit the heart. I know we don't want to keep making comparisons with the Hornet's, but one of the things that I think helped endear that team to this city was the way played all-out every game. We embraced that about the Hornets, and win or lose I suspect we'll embrace it about the Thunder. They want to win, and it shows.

I also have a feeling that once they get healthy, they're going to be better than a lot of so-called experts are giving them credit for.

[Plainsman]

How good is Bynum ? wheeww, he was impressive.

[Betts]

Yeah, but the Lakers had Bynum, Gasol, and Odum in for a big part of the game, no body is gonna look good against that big lineup.

Lakers best team the Thunder have played this preseason, by a lonnggggg shot.

Agree completely. I was actually surprised that we hung with them as long as we did. If we could shoot, we might be decent.

[Plainsman]

It seems to me, that we have several players who score best by driving the basket, Durant and Westbrook being the primary ones. And when the Lakers had Bynum, Gasol, and Odom in the interior, there's no way to drive the basket, too big. That's where outside shooting has to carry them.

But hey, I'm no Charley Rosen :)

I'm also interested in watching that Laker line-up vrs Chris Paul ( if they don't trade Odom ) . Can CP3 and Tyson make a living on that lob and dunk against that interior ? Right now, in 7 game series, I think the Lakers would match-up well with the Hornets.