Thanks to a fine Lamar Odom performance (31 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal), the Los Angeles Lakers are officially going to the playoffs!The clincher was taken via a win over the Dallas Mavericks, 112-108. The Mavs led most of the game, but the Lakers clawed back from 14 down to win. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol also had solid performances. The trio accounted for 81 of the 112 points and 24 of the 36 rebounds of the Lakers. The versatility of the triangle offense is evident with the win. It's also interesting to note that the Lakers beat the Mavs on the assists front-- 26 to 19, even with Jason Kidd playing on the Mavs side.
Interestingly enough, the Mavericks could be the first round match-up of the Lakers this coming playoffs. It's hard to imagine the Mavs were competing for the NBA championship two years ago, and they're coming the playoffs with a lower seed. Maybe they want an underdog mentality coming into the playoffs, as opposed to clearcut favorites. They were stung by the Golden State Warriors and maybe they want that sense of urgency.
Let's see how things play out.
Tags: Lakers
