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Los Angeles
Lakers @ Cleveland Cavaliers
2/8/09
The last couple of weeks in the NBA has been anything, but dull.
From Kobe Bryant lighting up the New York Knicks for a record 61
points in Madison Square Garden, which beats both Michael Jordan’s
record of 55 as an opponent and Bernard King’s 60 as a Knick in the
famous arena, to LeBron James’ encore performance of a 52 point
triple double. Well, at least it was a triple double before the NBA
ruled one of LeBron’s rebounds as being invalid.
Not only was seeing LeBron and Kobe reach new heights as the NBA
best players as entertaining as it gets, but the Lakers also made
some waves this week by beating the defending NBA champion Boston
Celtics for the second time this season. This win was huge for Kobe
and company as they got the best of the Celtics in Boston and
without Andrew Bynum once again proving to the rest of the league
that the Lakers are still the best team in the NBA.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on other hand have been
just as impressive, especially at home in the Quicken Loans Arena
where they are undefeated (23-0). Since the Kobe and LeBron have
been going back and forth with great performances lately the MVP
talk is starting to heat up once again with Kobe more in the
conversation.
Needless to say the NBA has seemed to capture the national’s spot
light almost immediately after the NFL’s big game last Sunday and we
will be in for another great game on Sunday against two of the
league’s best teams and individual players.
If the MVP voting ended a couple of weeks ago LeBron James would be
winner hands down, even Kobe Bryant would agree with that, but after
the Lakers suffered a huge blow with Andrew Bynum going down again
with another serious knee injury Kobe has stepped up his game and
has been just as good if not better than LeBron as of late.
There is no way of knowing what will happen down the road for these
two leading MVP candidates, but Sunday’s match up between Kobe’s
Lakers and LeBron’s Cavs in Cleveland promises to be as good as it
gets with an undefeated home record on the line!
The Lakers will be coming into this match up on an emotional high
after defeating the Celtics in Boston and convincing the league and
their fans that they are still the best team in the NBA even without
Bynum in the middle. The Cavs will be defending their home court
which has been the hardest to place to play for any opponent of the
King James’ Cavs this season.
Just like in New York, this game guarantees to show case two of the
game’s best trying to out do one another all night long. Kobe got
the best of LeBron back in Los Angeles last month, but you can be
sure LeBron will come out on Sunday with something to prove.
The Cavs will almost certainly be favored in this game do to their
undefeated record at home, but if any team were to end a winning
streak it is the Lakers. They have done it to the Celtics twice,
once by beating them on Christmas day snapping Boston’s 19 game win
streak and again last Thursday stopping the Celtics streak at 12
games in a row.
It will be a very close game, but I really don’t see the Lakers
losing another statement game like this. Expect big things from Kobe
and LeBron as they battle it out for bragging rights as the NBA
best!
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