UP..UP..UP..AND AWAY!!!!

kudo's Lakers! Friday's game
and Sunday's game absolutely
terrific and most entertaining!
The mask Kobe had to wear for
his injured nose seemed like
a sauna on him during game-
time with sweat and plastic
sticking to his face, but
one would never know it to
see his playing power. He
scored 31 points in their
win over Sacramento. Their
winning score was 115-107.
It was a sellout crowd at
Staples Center, of 18,997.
They won for the 16th. time
in 18 home games. Home is nice.
Now, their next opponent would
be on Sunday against Miami and
also being played at Staples.
Before reporting on that game
however, let me fill you in
somewhat on their win over
the Minnesota Timberwolves
last Wednesday..This happened
to be their 17th. consecutive
win over this Midwestern team.
The longest stranglehold over
one opponent since they won a
team-record 19 in a row over
the Dallas Mavericks between
1995 and 1999. So let's see
how the game fares in Minneapolis
next Friday and once again too
on March 16th. back in Staples.
And now about Sunday's afternoon
game with Miami. First off, Bosh
was not playing. LeBron James
got into a verbal tussle on the
floor and Metta World Peace
came to the rescue before it
became a hot quarrel. Pau Gasol
even became heated about it too.
Dwyane Wade had already made
his earlier apologies to Kobe
regarding the clip to his face
and head in a previous game
causing Bryant to have a "whip
lash" effect, in his neck, a mild
concussion and his nose broken
by him, though not intentional.
So there they were, once more
in their uniforms with the NBA
game to be played on Sunday.
Well, play they did and tied
several times throughout the
game too but at games' end
we won with the score at:93-83.
Kobe showed his continued great
plays making 33 points. The Miami
Heat had their second lowest scoring
total of the season, some 20 points
below their average of 103.7.
This was an especially important
game for us to win because of the
Heat's four-game winning streak
over the Lakers going into this
Sunday's game. Condolences go
out all the same to Chris Bosh
who just lost his grandmother.
On the road again, we play
Detroit on Tuesday and then have
a back to back game on Wednesday
with Washington and Friday with
Minnesota but on their home court.
Our best wishes go with you all.
Babs Wells