Christmas Day Game Promises Plenty of Intrigue

HEAT - Lakers: History

Dancer Gallery Three

60 Seconds with Damon Jones

December 20 - The game is being heavily promoted, and if you read the papers or scan the ads or listen to the sound bites, it is easy to think that on Christmas Day, HEAT center Shaquille O'Neal will take the Staples Center floor in Los Angeles for some kind of one-on-one matchup with mercurial Lakers guard Kobe Bryant.

But in reality, a regulation NBA game, complete with full lineups on each side, will take place between the HEAT and the host Lakers.

And when the opening tip goes up at 3 p.m. Saturday, it will mark the beginning of what promises to be a highly intriguing game.

The HEAT have been red hot of late, winning their past eight games as of Dec. 20. The HEAT's 19-7 record through the season's first quarter is good enough for best in both the Southease Division and the entire Eastern Conference, and the one-two punch of guard Dwyane Wade (23.0 points, 7.3 assists, 5.7 points per game) and O'Neal (20.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.8 blocks per game) has proven to be a potent combination. Guard Damon Jones (11.5 points, 3.5 assists, NBA-best 71 3-pointers) has provided an additional spark to the HEAT's starting five, and the team is 8-0 with the crafty veteran in the starting lineup.

While the new-look HEAT have begun to find their rhythm, the Lakers are still looking for a consistent formula since the high-profile offseason breakup of O'Neal and Bryant.

The Lakers' 13-9 record through their first 22 games was good enough for just third place in the tough Pacific Division, and tied for seventh in the Western Conference. Bryant is averaging an NBA-high 27.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, but is shooting just 40.4 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from 3-point range.

Former HEAT forwards Lamar Odom (14.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game) and Caron Butler (13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds), acquired in the offseason trade for O'Neal, have emerged as Bryant's most reliable wingmen, although ex-HEAT center Brian Grant (4.5 points, 3.3 rebounds in 11 games) has missed half the season with tendinitis in his right knee.

Looking beyond the numbers, the game should provide an interesting contrast in playing styles. The fast-breaking Lakers play a brand of basketball that conjures up memories of the Showtime days, while the HEAT tend toward a more methodical approach that revolves around O'Neal's towering presence down low translating into open jump shots.

There's also the question of emotion. In addition to the much-publicized O'Neal-Bryant showdown, Butler and Odom will be facing their former teammates for the first time since the trade. There has even been talk of Grant, on the Lakers' injured list since Nov. 24, making a return to the lineup for this game.

Add it all up, and you've got an excellent Christmas Day gift - not just for HEAT fans, but for basketball fans of all backgrounds.