Does Size Really Matter? Lakers Beat The Knicks, 109-87

Does size really matter? Well it does in the NBA, and the 2 time defending champs, LA Lakers showed the Knicks just how much it does. While speed may be dangerous for the most part, (which the Knicks tried to used to their advantage but lost miserably) the combination of both size and speed makes for the ultimate weapon (ala, LA Lakers).

Andrew Bynum, who scored 18 and grabbed 7 rebounds was the story in last night's game, as he had the answer to stop Amar'e Stoudermire who had 23 point and 10 rebounds on 7-24 shooting. Amar'e was just too small to play the center position tonight, as if not for the early exit by Bynum for a double technical in the fourth quarter, Stoudermire would have had an awful performance stat wise. But Bynum wasn't the only one causing havoc in the paint for the Lakers, as Lamar Odom who had 13 points and 18 rebounds, Pau Gasol who had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and Queensbridge native Ron Artest who also had 9 rebounds were all problems for the Knicks down low. Even Kobe Bryant joined in the rebounding palooza scoring the game high 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for Shawne Williams, who scored 8 points in 35 minutes, and the work he has put in to this point to be seen by Mike D'antoni in such high regard, but last night should not have been his first start with the Knicks. The Knicks really could have used some size in the line up. Ronny Turiaf and or Timofey Mozgov, who played a combined 10 mins. and 20 secs. could have really helped Amar'e down low, as this was one of those game that Stoudermire could have gotten into foul trouble early. I guess luckily for Amar'e, he was the victim of a mauling by the Laker's frontcourt, including a 'ECW' quality "clothes-line" by Artest with 43 secs. left in the 3rd quarter. I personally challenge Coach Mike D'antoni to put his ego aside and play the big men like AR, Mozgov, and Turiaf that are banished deep on the bench when it counts most (ie. games against the Lakers and Celtics).

New York

Starters	Pos	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
L. Fields(notes)	G	39:08	5-10	2-4	0-0	-23	2	8	2	0	2	0	1	1	12
R. Felton(notes)	G	35:54	4-14	2-6	2-2	-25	1	6	7	3	3	0	0	3	12
A. Stoudemire(notes)	C	36:19	7-24	0-0	9-11	-19	4	10	4	2	0	6	4	4	23
W. Chandler(notes)	F	37:08	8-18	0-5	3-4	-23	0	4	1	3	3	3	0	4	19
S. Williams(notes)	F	35:27	2-7	1-3	3-5	-20	0	3	0	1	0	1	1	5	8

Bench	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
Totals		31-86	8-25	17-25		7	42	21	12	9	11	6	24	87
Percentages		.360	.320	.680		Team Rebounds: 11
T. Douglas(notes)	24:00	1-4	0-0	0-0	+2	0	5	6	2	0	0	0	2	2
B. Walker(notes)	21:44	3-7	3-7	0-3	0	0	2	0	1	1	1	0	3	9
R. Turiaf(notes)	6:41	0-0	0-0	0-0	+2	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	0
T. Mozgov(notes)	3:39	1-2	0-0	0-0	-4	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
K. Azubuike(notes)	DNP - Inactive
E. Curry(notes)	DNP - Inactive
D. Gallinari(notes)	DNP - Inactive
R. Mason(notes)	DNP - Coach's Decision
A. Randolph(notes)	DNP - Coach's Decision
A. Rautins(notes)	DNP - Coach's Decision

LA LakersLA Lakers

Starters	Pos	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
K. Bryant(notes)	G	35:39	10-28	3-6	4-4	+26	0	10	5	4	0	0	2	2	27
D. Fisher(notes)	G	29:15	2-4	1-2	0-0	+25	0	1	2	0	1	0	0	3	5
A. Bynum(notes)	C	24:52	8-15	0-0	2-2	+18	3	7	2	1	0	2	4	4	18
P. Gasol(notes)	F	41:23	5-13	0-0	10-11	+10	5	14	4	3	2	4	2	1	20
R. Artest(notes)	F	34:40	2-9	0-1	2-3	+23	3	9	2	2	2	0	2	3	6

Bench	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
Totals		38-91	8-17	25-31		17	61	22	13	8	6	11	16	109
Percentages		.418	.471	.806		Team Rebounds: 8
L. Odom(notes)	27:54	4-9	1-2	4-6	+12	6	18	4	2	1	0	1	2	13
S. Blake(notes)	18:45	0-2	0-1	0-0	-3	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	0
S. Brown(notes)	18:18	5-8	3-4	3-4	-3	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	16
L. Walton(notes)	7:23	0-1	0-1	0-0	-2	0	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	0
D. Caracter(notes)	1:51	2-2	0-0	0-1	+4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
M. Barnes(notes)	DNP - Inactive
D. Ebanks(notes)	DNP - Coach's Decision
T. Ratliff(notes)	DNP - Inactive
J. Smith(notes)	DNP - Coach's Decision

+/-:

Team net points while player in game

TO:

Turnovers

PF:

Personal Fouls

BS:

Blocked Shots

BA:

Blocks Against

Game Info

Technical Fouls:

LA Lakers - A. Bynum 2, K. Bryant 1, R. Artest 1

Arena:

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Attendance:

18,997

Officials:

Greg Willard, Tony Brown, Leon Wood

Duration:

2:19