s_knight8

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakeside9jun09,1,4
01645.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers

Malone, who has been plagued by an injury to his right knee since December,
reinjured that knee in the first quarter, again straining the medial
collateral ligament. When he first suffered the injury, Malone was forced to
go on the injured list for the first time in his career.

Then came a new strain on Tuesday night. When Malone was removed in the
first period, Laker trainer Gary Vitti wasn't ready to advise him to return.
The majority of his teammates were more emphatic: Stay out, they told him.

Fat chance.

Malone had come too far to finish as a spectator.

"I jumped on Gary, our trainer," Malone said. "I apologized [later]. It was
the heat of the moment. I took a little bit of frustration out on him."

"It's going to be all right," Malone said. "It's got to be. I'm not trying
to show no one how tough I am. I just realize I'm not going to be in this
position again so I have to do what I can do.. I had to go back in.. I
didn't think about the rest of the series. I just thought about this game
right here. It will be all right.. I knew it wasn't going to be easy. It's
just one of those things you have to deal with."

Would he be able to deal with it well enough to return to the court for Game
3 Thursday in Detroit?

"I don't know right now," Malone said. "I'm used to playing and playing
through injuries and whatever. I just tried to do what I could do.. I had to
stop worrying about trying to score anything and just make sure I was doing
other things like being in the right spot to set picks and do what I can do.

"I expect a lot of myself when I'm on the floor."

Malone is listed as day to day. That means the Lakers aren't sure he'll play
Thursday. Malone, however, is determined to make it back onto the court.

dim

I'd like to see him sit out the game or at least play greatly reduced
minutes. They don't need Game Three and it will give someone else a shot
to see what they can do against Detroit. If a guy like Slava leads LA to
a win then that's a lot more valuable than Malone playing in a (possible)
loss. The Lakers have got to see what they have left on the bench and
Game Three is probably the best opportunity to do it.


Dimitri

michael fletcher

I don't buy it. Something tells me Malone is far too proud to retire on
this note.

--
MF

(-/|3|\-)

See L.A. for class
On March 21 in Los Angeles, former Celtics great (who broke the hearts
of many Lakers fans) Bill Russell had his picture on the scoreboard.
The fans gave him a long ovation.
The previous night, when it was announced that Shaq O'Neal scored his
20,000th point, the fans in Sacramento booed. Then, to make matters
worse, a the game ball was defaced, presumably by a Sacramento fan.

Clinton E. Parish
Sacramento

Rest in Peace, Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn : 1916 - 2002

michael fletcher

I think game three is a huge game. If the Lakers take that game it
shoves Detroit back on their heals and puts the pressure squarely on
their shoulders. Right now they've gotta be feeling good. The Lakers
lose game three and they've gotta fight off a defensive monster that can
taste the title on it's home floor.


--
MF

(-/|4|\-)

See L.A. for class
On March 21 in Los Angeles, former Celtics great (who broke the hearts
of many Lakers fans) Bill Russell had his picture on the scoreboard.
The fans gave him a long ovation.
The previous night, when it was announced that Shaq O'Neal scored his
20,000th point, the fans in Sacramento booed. Then, to make matters
worse, a the game ball was defaced, presumably by a Sacramento fan.

Clinton E. Parish
Sacramento

Rest in Peace, Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn : 1916 - 2002

gm collins

I hope he plays. He is so ineffective right now (Despite what Doc Rivers
says?!) that he is more harmful to the team than anything else.

archie leach

[...]

Well, good. We'll take it.

Signed,
Detroit
* * *
* * * A N O T H E R
* * * Q U A L I T Y
* * * A R C H I E
* * * L E A C H
* * * U S E N E T
* * * T E X T
* * * P R O D U C T
* * *

gk1

but not because of this....

sheed was destroying malone who had no mobility...i was shocked when
they stopped going to him, he was an automatic 2...much like i am
shocked (well not really, when something happens all the time it's not
shocking any more, let's say "mystified") and angered when LA goes
away from shaq even though he is automatically scoring on a mismatch
(doesn't happen that often anymore but a couple years ago it would
happen all the time, causing me to tear wads of hair out)....

anyway he is a huge defensive liability in his current state. he is
an amazing point forward however. but not worth playing big minutes
unless he's better....

G

terraholm

Phil switched Shaq to guard 'Sheed to stop that run, and billups got going.

--
Laurel T
"I knew it was time to retire when I was driving
down the lane and got called for a three-second violation."
Johnny Kerr

dim

I guess I don't see it that way. The Lakers only have to win one in
Detroit. It doesn't matter if its 3, 4, or 5.


Dimitri

dim

Malone still almost got a double double. How many games will it take
Payton to get a double double?


Dimitri