MALONE IS BACK!!!!!

Malone is most likely going to play tonight (90% sure)

What do u guys think of the consequences this will have on the league?

I think that he will immediately improve the lakers defense and offense.

Anyways,
dont miss Lakers vs. Twolves tonite!!!

I cant wait for tonights game, he makes everyone on the court better with his passing skills and the Lakers really really need backup from other roleplayers like Slava, Devean, Derek and Kareem. If they are making their shots, and they will play smart basketball involving everyone out there, they have the advantage over the Timberwolves I think

now that the mailman is back i hope that they will now play the same way they played at the start of the season when they were very tough to beat

With Malone in the lineup, the Lakers are certainly one of the favourites to win it all this season. But I don't think it's going to be easy by any means. The Lakers have an impressive lineup when everyone's healthy, but let's give credit to the other Western powers.

they now gotta jel together and not get injuried again. The great news for Laker fans is there next 4 games are against losing teams (bulls, magics, clips and clips again) so this will be thier "practice sessions" along with a warm up game against the bucks before they play the kings and t'wolves again.

also 8 of the lakers final 17 games are against teams with losing records so this should be a interesting time for the lakers.

Malone scored 13 points in the loss. I wonder why is kobe playing? It seems like hes not 100%. Do you think its better for him to sit out the rest of the lakers games and get healthy at the start of the playoffs? I think hes risking himself too much...

If I were him, I would definitely consider sitting a few more games. It can be noble and heroic to play through injury, but it can also be unwise. By not giving his shoulder more of a chance to heal, he's risking further injury which would at the very least further hamper his performance, if not force him out again.

But if the Lakers' doctors have cleared him to play, I guess he's able to play through it. I think it's risky given the injury troubles he's had this season, but I'm not Kobe Bryant. If he feels he can play, I guess there's no stopping him.

Yeah- Kobe should be resting...if he reinjures his shoulder now, he will be ricking his availability for the Playoffs...shooting a combined 10 for 38 in two games (Something close to that) ain't great....

And it isn't really courageous of him to be playing through injury, it's just STUPID!

Kobe said that if he can move his arm up and down, then that should be enough for him to play with, not as a scorer but as a passer, but still he is taking to many shots out there under a very low FG%, yesterday he started with 1-11 in the first half alone. The Lakers really missed his shots, because everyone was missing and taking their shots to quickly and not waiting for a good option. Kobe can play like this, but not as a scorer, if he or the Lakers want him on the court as a scorer, then he should sit back and wait until the last week of the season or something, or even the play-offs when they need him the most. He said that this injury wont heal this season, so he has got to make the best of this situation

yeah, kobe really doesnt have any other option but to play right now. he just needs to be careful. I still suggest that he should sit out some games.
He doesnt need to be the hero right now .... heroes are born in the playoffs. He can make his magical comeback then ... it doesnt make sense to do it now. The lakers are stable right now ... all they need is to get in the playoffs. Then they will take care of business from there.
People need to know that the playoffs is a whole new season. It takes will, desire, and experience to win. I'm sure there are going to be some surprise early exits this year.

Well...he certainly jarred me with his performance today...he shot pretty well and scored 12 of his 35 in the last 5 minutes....But Phil Jackson wasn't too flattered about it!

Despite the late surge by Bryant, Lakers coach Phil Jackson was not overjoyed.

"I think Kobe is thinking more about shooting," Jackson said. "(He) really has to do more what comes naturally. He got into it and made some shots down the stretch."

So maybe he was happy but not satisfied...if u know what i mean...

Anyway, did u know MJ was watching the game? Pretty ironic- maybe Kobe was trying to prove something to Jordan?[/quote]

with malone's return ... lakers have really kicked it to another gear.
i wouldnt be surprised if they finish they rest of the season without losing and run the table in the playoffs to go 16 - 0.

ouch i hope that doesn't happen, won't be no fun for non laker fans

ouch i hope that doesn't happen, won't be no fun for non laker fans

yeah but it'll be a feast for us laker fans
that's if they win ... which they will probably do

If the Lakers do go undefeated throughout the playoffs and regular season, I believe they would get themselves a 33 game win streak.

Malone makes the game much easier for his teammates.
I don't think the Lakers can beat the Kings ot the Spurs without Malone playing..

with malone's return ... lakers have really kicked it to another gear.
i wouldnt be surprised if they finish they rest of the season without losing and run the table in the playoffs to go 16 - 0.

I'd say going undefeated until the end of the regular season is possible, but I doubt they'll go 16-0. Give the rest of the West a little credit.

I dont think the Lakers cant beat the Spurs/Kings without Malone playing, because they have done it before. Maybe Malone is the glue that holds this team together, but Im positive they can do it without him aswell, but with him in the lineup it only gets easier.

Going 16-0 into the playoffs this year will be kinda hard, with Sacramento, San-Antonio, Dallas and Minnesota in the bracket. if you dont count the Finals, I defenitly give the Pacers some chance to go 12-0

k08e4mvp wrote :
'I dont think the Lakers cant beat the Spurs/Kings without Malone playing, because they have done it before'

It was a few years ago. The Spurs and the Kings were not as good and prepared as they are now.
The rosters were different for both teams too. There were Robert Horry and a younger H. Grant (then Samaki Walker) in the Lakers. Without Malone playing, who can help Shaq in the paint ? Medvedenko ?.....

well guys, we'll just have to wait and find out

well, undefeated till the end of season is now impossible, and 16-0 is 99.9% highly unlikely. i would like to see a jerry west laker grizzlie first round matchup.

after today ... it doesnt look positive for 16 - 0.
but maybe its one of those minor setbacks where its one of those days u just cant win ... so maybe they'll go 15 - 2 or 15 -3.

hopefully 15-1