Gameday Open Thread: Phoenix Suns vs. LA Lakers

	vs.
1-0		0-1
7:30 PM Pacific / 10:30 PM Eastern
TV: ESPN, FSN AZ HD
Probable starters:
Steve Nash	PG	Derek Fisher
Raja Bell	SG	Kobe Bryant
Grant Hill	SF	Luke Walton
Shawn Marion	PF	Ronny Turiaf
Amare Stoudemire	C	Kwame Brown

The Suns have seen plenty of the Lakers the past two seasons, meeting them in the first round of the playoffs and sending them home both times. Aside from that close call in the 2006 playoffs, the Suns have owned the Lakers the past two seasons, beating them 14 times out of 20. The Lakers upgraded their point guard position over the summer, bringing back Derek Fisher to replace Smush Parker. But with Lamar Odom still recovering from his shoulder injury, and Kobe Bryant trying to play GM for both this own team and teams he wants to be traded to, they have issues and distractions galore. In short, times are sweet for Laker haters. The Suns do have some guys playing through injuries (something I failed to mention while criticizing the team's effort in last night's recap), and it's the second night of a back-to-back. Still, I predict Kobe Bryant goes for 40+, and the Suns win anyway.

For the next few games, we'll be doing something a little different with the postgame recaps. I am currently on vacation visiting friends who are not NBA fans, and think I'm crazy (not to mention rude) for spending hours a night watching a game in a room by myself when I could be socializing with them. Therefore, I have asked a few readers to help out with the postgame commentary so I can watch the games at a later time without being rude to my hosts. Tonight's recap will be written by JSun, who is attending the game in person. Look for it in the diaries first, and later on the main page.

And now, for your viewing pleasure...