Lakers @ Sixers Game Thread 12/17/10

• The Lakers are the best in the NBA at holding onto the basketball, which hurts the Sixers because they like to run off opponents' turnovers due to their inconsistent half-court offense.
• The Lakers are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the NBA and they just got Andrew Bynum back. The Sixers are 11th in defensive rebounding, but have gotten murdered on the offensive glass the last two games.
• The Lakers have been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league this season, without Andrew Bynum. The Sixers have to crash the offensive boards.
• Ideally you'd have Iguodala on Kobe, but then Artest would have a huge advantage on Jrue.
• You can't put Elton on Pau because Pau has too much of a height advantage, which forces Brand to guard Odom, who has both a height and speed advantage.
• With the way Spencer's been playing I feel more comfortable with him on Gasol than any other Sixers.
• We'll probably see a lot of Tony Battie tonight, and maybe an appearance from Dongaila and/or Brackins.
• I think the defensive assignments shake out like this: Holiday on Kobe, Meeks on Fisher, Iguodala on Artest, Brand on Odom, and Hawes on Gasol.
• The Sixers best chance in tonight's game is to out-hustle the Lakers, crash the offensive boards, and I hate to say it – play smaller lineups and try to outrun the Lakers as long as Gasol and Bynum aren't on the floor at the same time.
• I have a feeling we'll see good games from Meeks + the bench.

Go Sixers!