How the Lakers Beat the Nuggets

After six games, the Los Angeles Lakers have won the West by beating the much improved Denver Nuggets. It was by no means a walk in the park for the Lakers, but they did enough to overcome the challenge and earn a return trip to the NBA Finals.

But how did the Lakers beat the Nuggets?

Before the Western Conference Finals started, I offered a preview of the match-up and predicted that the Lakers will win in six games. (I seem to be on a roll as I predicted that the Clippers will get the #1 pick). Now that the series is done, here's a review of the factors I mentioned and more:

• Kobe Bryant - As I've mentioned in the preview, Kobe Bryant became the biggest factor for the Lakers in the series. He averaged 34 points per game in the series and was the Lakers' leading scorer in all of those games. Nobody in the Denver lineup was capable of slowing the Black Mamba down. (And that includes you, Dahntay Jones). 
• Offense - The theme of the series was offense as both teams averaged more than 100 points in the six games. The Lakers delivered the knock-out punch in Game Six with a very crisp execution of their offense-- the team won all the four quarters in the game. Prior to the sixth game, the Lakers had only outscored the Nuggets in five of the  twenty quarters. This proves that once the Lakers offense is clicking and they pass the ball well, they are very tough to beat despite bad stretches. 
• Home Court - the Lakers did lose home court advantage after Game Two, but regained it immediately with a Game Three win. I cited this as a factor because the Lakers had shown they had difficulty winning on the road, particularly against the Houston Rockets. But the Lakers did step up and closed out the Nuggets in Denver, and as the stats would suggest, playing at home mattered to the Nuggets more.
• Players stepping up - We more or less know what we can get out of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, but the two players that stepped up big time were Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom. If you take away the bad Game Four loss, Ariza averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block. Those numbers are pretty much above his regular season stats. As for Lamar Odom, he upped his performance in the last two games of the series after being forgotten in the first four games.

With the combination of offense, improved play and having the game's best closer, the Lakers won over the Nuggets to win the Western Conference title.

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Team Play Lifts Lakers in Game Five

With the 103-94 win over the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers reminded us that they can play five-on-five basketball.

In the previous four games, it was the Kobe Bryant Show instead of the Lake Show-- Bryant dominated the offense and the results have been two close wins and a blow-out loss in Game Four. But for the pivotal fifth game, Kobe became the decoy at offense and his team mates responded early on.

In the first quarter, Trevor Ariza, Andrew Bynum, and Derek Fisher made most of the Lakers' baskets. In the second, it was the inside attack of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum that kept the Lakers afloat. During that time, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol were facilitating the offense, but Denver kept close. The scores after the first and second quarters were all tied.

After the halftime break, the Nuggets were the first ones to show signs of distancing themselves from the opponent: the led by seven points by the middle of the third. But that was the time the Lakers started a run that the Nuggets wouldn't recover from. Starting with Pau Gasol's dunk, the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 23-5 until the 7:52 mark in the fourth. The 7-point deficit became an 11-point lead thanks to that run. Reserve Shannon Brown made six baskets in that stretch, including a dunk over Chris "Birdman" Andersen and an improbable fade-away jumper as the shot clock expired.

Many experts will point to that run as a turning point for the game. The Lakers played great team defense and executed the offense sharply (the Lakers only made two turnovers and had eight assists in that 11 minute stretch). The Nuggets were able to cut it to four with three minutes left, but two consecutive three-point plays sealed the Nuggets' fate.

The Lakers pounded the ball inside, played excellent team offense, and held the Nuggets down when it mattered. Let's see if they can sustain the effort in Game Six and earn a ticket to the 2009 NBA Finals.


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It's Official: Dahntay Jones is a Dirty Player

There's one dirty player in the 2009 Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.

Yes, I'm referring you Dahntay Jones.

Undoubtedly, Jones makes his money in the NBA playing defense. I used to think he was along the lines of Shane Battier, his Duke co-alum: a player who plays pesky defense the "right" way. But in the match-up between the Lakers and Nuggets, it's pretty apparent that Jones has gone to the dark side. To wit:



To be honest, I don't know why Jones has to resort to dirty tactics to defend Kobe Bryant. I mean, he has the athleticism to get in a players face, he has demonstrated he has the tenacity to challenge shots consistently, and more importantly, he played for Mike Krzyzewski for crying out loud. But for all his skills and training, Dahntay Jones has opted to become a dirty player.

Congratulations Dahntay Jones, you are dirty player. You will make these folks at the NBA Dirty Players Club proud:

Raja Bell:


James Posey:


And of course, dirty player extraordinaire, Bruce Bowen:



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How the Lakers Lost Game Four

101-120.

The Los Angeles Lakers will look at that score and realize that their loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game Four in the Western Conference Finals was more than just bad breaks. It was a clear case of getting outclassed by an opponent in one game.

How were the Lakers outclassed? Let me enumerate:

• Board work - The front-line of Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris "Birdman" Andersen went nuts against the Lakers in Game Four. The trio had a total of 42 rebounds. The Lakers as a team collected 40 rebounds.
• Defense - The Nuggets got the edge on the Lakers in almost all defensive categories. Name it: blocks, steals, defensive field goal percentage. The Lakers were undoubtedly out-hustled.
• Offensive execution - The Nuggets shot better and took care of the ball better. Perhaps the Lakers have been affected by the fatigue from playing 15 playoff games at this point.
• Bench play - J.R. Smith was huge for the Nuggets. He hit three-balls more than anyone in he game. Linas Klieza also contributed well off the bench. The Lakers? The bench shot poorly (6-for-27) and the worst offender was Lamar Odom (1-for-8).

As you can see, the Lakers were outplayed in key aspects of the game. If the previous three games were close, Game Four was busted open because of the Lakers' poor team play and lack of attention on the "energy" facets.

I just hope the Lakers regroup and gather themselves for a strong Game Five in Los Angeles.

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Kobe Leads Lakers Rally to Take Game 3

What a game!

The Western Conference Finals match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets have been producing exciting games and Game Three was no exception: down by eight points entering the fourth quarter, the Lakers mounted a rally and, like Game Two, it came down the last 30 seconds.

Kobe Bryant played the role of Captain Clutch for the Lakers, scoring 41 points in the game and eight points in the final minute, but it was the Trevor Ariza's steal on the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony with 36 seconds left that turned the tide completely in the Lakers' favor. (In Game One, Ariza stole an inbound pass late in the game to seal the Lakers' win.) Prior to Ariza's key play, Kobe hit a dagger three-ball to have the Lakers up by one point.

The Nuggets seemed to be poised for a big run of their own after Chauncey Billups hit a four-point play with four minutes to go, but Pau Gasol successfully made a couple of post-up baskets to counter. Nuggets guard J.R. Smith hit a jumper over Derek Fisher and that set-up Kobe's clutch three-pointer over Smith.

Apart from the late-game key plays, the Lakers played adequate defense on the Nuggets on the final quarter. The Nuggets scored 79 points after three quarters, but were held to only 18 in the fourth, and they did not score on a basket until Kenyon Martin's dunk with six minutes to go. Good thing the Lakers kept their composure, as they survived brutally bad production from started Andrew Bynum and Fisher. (Both of them combined for 4-for-12 shooting and 3-for-8 FT shooting.)

The Los Angeles Lakers have home-court advantage again, thanks to Kobe Bryant's clutch performance.


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Lakers Let Game 2 Slip Away

Is it me or Game Two of the Western Conference Finals was the mirror image of Game One?

The game played out almost the same but the outcome and the teams were switched-- the Los Angeles Lakers led early in the first quarter, let the Denver Nuggets catch up in the second, and played the second half closely until late breaks cost the Lakers the game. In the previous game, it was the Nuggets who led early and lost the game eventually.

Kobe Bryant again came up big for the Lakers with 32 points, but it was the Lakers' spotty defense that let the Nuggets back in the game when the Lakers controlled the game in the second quarter. Trevor Ariza and Pau Gasol did give the Lakers good defense and shooting in the field, but the rest of the starters and the bench were non-factors.

The game came down the wire with half a minute to go. The Nuggets were able to execute and the Lakers had a pretty a couple of bad breaks down the stretch. Chauncey Billups played the assassin from the free throw line, going 13 for 16 (with three key free throws in the final seconds of the game.).

At this point, I see that the Nuggets are a better team than the one that the Lakers played in the regular season. The Lakers seemed to be challenged enough not to slip in a funk like they did with Houston, but they also can't seem to slam the door shut on the Nuggets.

The series is now knotted at 1-1 with the Game Three in Denver coming up. The Lakers have been in this situation before and it remains to be seen if they have collectively learned how to deal with a hostile crowd and win on a consistent basis.


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Kobe Clutch in Game 1 Win over Nuggets

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers looked wobbly at the start, but finished strong to draw first blood against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, 105-103.

Kobe finished with 40 points, and hit 6 free throws in the final moments of the game to lift the Lakers in what looks to be a quality series between two West powerhouses. Kobe got help from Derek Fisher (13 points, 6 assists, and a couple of key treys) and Pau Gasol (13 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks) to counter Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony's offensive tear. Anthony led the Nuggets with 39 points on a torrid 70% shooting clip.

The game was a match between rhythm and rest as the Lakers just finished their grueling 7-game series against the Rockets a couple days ago and the Nuggets had played their previous game almost a week ago. The Nuggets looked sharp in the opening quarter, shooting with great accuracy and even built a 13-point lead. The Lakers countered with a strong second quarter via contributions from their bench. (For the game, the Lakers bench outscored the Nuggets' reserves 27-16).

After the halftime break, it became more of a see-saw battle as neither team could get total control of the game. The Nuggets were able to build a shaky 7-point lead in the fourth, but the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 23-14 the rest of the way, with Kobe Bryant firing 15 points.

Like I've said in my series preview, the Nuggets' inability to control Kobe Bryant cost them the game-- the combo of Dahntay Jones, Anthony Carter and J.R. Smith was completely ineffective against Kobe defensively.

The Lakers have taken Game One. Let's see if they will get three more wins against a tough opponent.


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Lakers-Nuggets Western Conference Finals Preview

After a wakeup call from the pesky Houston Rockets, the first-seeded Los Angeles Lakers now find themselves in a showdown with the second-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. What bodes for the Lakers in this round?

A much-improved Nuggets team, that's for sure.

Yes, the Lakers did go 3-1 against the Nuggets in the regular season. But if there's anything the Lakers-Rockets series taught is is that the regular season record in the playoffs is as good as steak sauce in a vegan food fest-- it's virtually useless. The Lakers had a 4-0 mark against the Rockets and yet were humbled and taken to the limit.

The up-and-coming Nuggets have shown resilience and consistency in their previous series and that doesn't look good for the "bi-polar" Lakers. But there are still some things that go in the Lakers' favor:

• Kobe Bryant - #24 has played extremely well against the Nuggets this season, averaging 31 points and I see him continuing his dominating way against the Nuggets in this series. The best perimeter the Nuggets have is Dahntay Jones and he is not the caliber of Houston's Ron Artest or Shane Battier, both All-Defensive Second Team members.
• Offense - The Lakers can play a fast run-and-gun game with Jordan Farmar, Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom on the floor, and they can also play grind-it-out sets with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Heck, if this becomes a shoot-out, there's Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Sasha Vujacic. This multi-faceted team has helped the Lakers blast opponents with scoring runs (just like what happened in Game Five and Game Seven in the Houston series).
• Home Court Advantage - When all else fails for the Lakers, they can always find comfort in the fact that they play four games in Los Angeles, where they have played their best playoff basketball.

The Western Conference Finals would be a quality series, since both teams are talented and deep. But I think the factors I've mentioned will give the Lakers the edge. My prediction: Lakers in 6.

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Lakers Destroy Rockets in Game 7, Advance to West Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers played Game Seven of their Western Conference Semi-final against the Houston Rockets with a great sense of urgency.

The result? The game everyone expected as the series started: a dominating Lakers win, 89-70.

The Lakers roared to a fast start and never looked back. They raced to a 10-point lead in the first quarter and ground the Rockets in the paint. The lead ballooned to 20 by halftime and the outcome was decided early in the final quarter when the Lakers led by 24 points, 56-82. The lead grew to as much as 31 points, and the Lakers eventually showed some mercy and let the Rockets score the final ten points of the game.

The game looked so distant from the Rockets' stinging upset in Game One. In this game, the Lakers took advantage of their side to the point that match looked like The Incredible Hulk versus Robin the Boy Wonder. To wit: the Lakers held a 55-33 rebounding edge and a 10-3 blocks advantage. Not to mention that interior defense was so effective in the game that the Rockets were relegated in to a jump-shooting team. Unfortunately for the Rockets, their shots weren't falling (37% shooting).

Pau Gasol was the MVP of the game with 21 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks. Andrew Bynum bounced back from a poor Game Six, and finished with 14 points and 6 rebounds. For the game, Gasol and Bynum outscored and out-rebounded the Rockets' frontline.

And Kobe Bryant? He played a restrained game, shooting poorly (33%) but was effective in distriburiting the ball and playing lock-down defense. After Gasol, Kobe had the best +/- stat for the evening.

By any measure, Game Seven was a dominating game for the Lakers where their depth and strength shined. When  their heart is in the game and their focus is pin-point, the Lakers have demonstrated that they can destroy an opponent completely on both ends of the court. The question for them is how do they harness their collective focus and never lose interest on the game?


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Letdown: Lakers Lose Game 6

After Game Five, I wondered which version of the Los Angeles Lakers would show up for the pivotal Game 6 in Houston: Would it be the team that failed to put the Rockets on a 3-1 hole in Game Four, or the club that crushed the Rockets in Game Five.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, it was the former.

The Lakers suffered a poor first quarter and never completely recovered. The result? A 95-80 loss and a ticket to a decisive Game 7 on April 17 at Los Angeles.

The Lakers played adequate defense against the Rockets but were stifled on the offensive end. They shot a poor 35% from the field and almost none of their three-balls were falling. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 32 points, but had an awful shooting night. The rest of the Lakers starters did not have significant contributions.

The team did have a surge in the third quarter, even cutting the Rockets' lead to two points, but Aaron Brooks took over the game and never got closer than 6 points. The Lakers failed to stop some key opponents: Carl Landry was perfect from the field (6 for 6) and Luis Scola led the early rally that sank the Lakers in the opening quarter.

This loss puts the Lakers in a very iffy position: I think no one doubts the team's ability to win, but it seems they need a significant amount of motivation (a 0-1 series hole, a loss that stings their egos, etc.) to actually take a game in this series. It seems like they are more interested in avenging a loss than proactively going for a win.

The Rockets are depleted, short, and scrappy-- a team that the Lakers are not and an unlikely team to take the Lakers seven games. Let's see if the Lakers can be motivated enough to gun for the prize in Game Seven, rather than avenging Game Six.


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Lakers Dismantle Rockets in Game 5

After the embarrassing loss the Los Angeles Lakers had in Game Four of their Western Conference Semi-final match-up against the Houston Rockets, the Lakers won convincingly in Game 5, 118-78.

The Lakers completely dominated the Rockets the way they were predicted to do after the Rockets lost Yao Ming-- the Lakers played aggressive defense for the first three where they built their 40-point lead. They held the Rockets to 32% shooting and had a distinct edge in team blocks and steals. Kobe Bryant only played three quarters en route to 26 points and Pau Gasol had another double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

What went right for the Lakers? Apart from effectively challenging the Houston Rockets on the offensive end, the Lakers played at a pace that has favored them since the beginning of the season. The Lakers scored at least 24 points in a quarter and shot the ball very well. The Lakers' "bench mob" also made a complete turnaround with Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton giving quality contributions on both ends of the court. Finally, Andrew Bynum came up very big in the first half where he abused Carl Landry and Luis Scola in the paint. (I guess Andrew finally realized that he had a massive size advantage against the Rockets' frontline).

The Lakers finally played brilliantly in Game Five and crushed their opponent the way a team that won 65 games in the regular season should. Now the ultimate question comes up: Which version of the Lakers team will show up in Game Six in Houston? The sharp team of Game Five or the apathetic version in Game Four?


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Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown

Talk about Slam Dunk Competition: Web 2.0 style!

The NBA and Sprite have up with a very good innovation to the annual Slam Dunk Competition at the All-Star Weekend: let the fans join in on the slam-dunking fun! They have launched the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown where dunkers from can join via a live dunking contest or submit entries online! Fans from all over will vote for the dunkers who will go to Dallas in the 2010 All-Star Weekend.

The Los Angeles leg of the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown will held this May 16, 2009 at the Universal Studios Hollywood CityWalk (3-10pm). Each dunker participant will receive an adidas jersey, shorts and shoes.  The top dunker in Los Angeles will receive $1,000, a Flip Video Camera and be eligible to win the Grand Prize. Second place dunker will receive $500. The 40 dunk contestants who participate in the Showdown events in each market will receive authentic jerseys, shorts and adidas basketball shoes.

To make sure that the quality of dunkers will be top-notch, NBA MVP LeBron James will be selecting two dunkers from the top fan-rated videos.

I'll keep everyone posted on the progress of the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown. :)


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Lakers Disappear in Game 4, Lose to Yao-less Rockets

This Los Angeles Lakers team is a confusing group.

In a game where the Houston Rockets were without their marquee player Yao Ming for the first time in the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Lakers lost horribly. This game was considered a "gimme" for the Lakers because the Rockets seemed to be grounded with the absence of another All-Star. But instead of flashing the "Killer Instinct" that surfaced in Game Three, the Lakers faltered and were blown out.

If the Lakers expected that the Rockets would keel over and give up after another setback, they were dead wrong. Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier stepped up big time for the Rockets, leaving the Lakers looking at a level 2-2 series, instead of leading 3-1.

As a big fan of the Lakers, this is just maddening. In Games Two and Three, the Lakers performed at a level where they could crush the Rockets completely. But perhaps after seeing that their opponent was significantly weakened, they decide to lower their effort correspondingly. This is just the type of game that casts a huge doubt on whether the Lakers can fully get into a mode where they dismantle their opponents with reguality and consistency (something the Cleveland Cavaliers have been doing almost perfectly).

Game Four was just a complete and utter letdown from the Los Angeles Lakers. I can only hope that they will find the series interesting again and show up in Game Five.


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How the Lakers Took Game 3

The Los Angeles Lakers were without their starting point guard, on the road and were getting hammered in what has become a very physical series.

So how on earth did they win Game Three of the Western Conference Semi-finals against the Houston Rockets?

I could point to three factors that led to their 108-94 win:

• Defense, finally - The Lakers, not really known to be a highly defensive team, played spirited defense with consistency in the game and it showed in the stats: The Lakers had a total of eleven steals against the Rockets' two, and nine blocks (with a couple coming from Kobe Bryant rejecting Yao Ming's two shots). I think the game was won in the third quarter when the Lakers held the Rockets to 14 points.
• Hot 3-point shooting - In my opinion, the Lakers are one of the most dangerous teams once their long-range bombs are finding the bottom of the net. Poor 3-point shooting hurt the Lakers in Game 1, but thanks to a 55% shooting clip from beyond the arc in Game Three, the Lakers pressured the Rockets into playing a more offensive-oriented game. Ironically, the Lakers were without Derek Fisher, one of their 3-point specialists.
• The Killer Instinct surfacing? - Kobe set the tone early on first quarter, where he finished with 11 points and making five out of his six shots in the quarter. His tenacity and will to win seemed to be infectious to his team mates, as the killed instinct that most people did not find in the Lakers suddenly surfacing with every hard-fought game. The ultimate dagger came at the end of the third quarter when Kobe made a 30-foot three point shot with two Rockets draped all over him. The Houston crowd was silenced by that shot.

Game Four is still in Houston, and if the Lakers do win that one, we will see the playoff series end in Los Angeles in Game Five.

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Derek Fisher Suspended for Game 3

The Los Angeles Lakers' playoff journey took another bump on the way to Houston.

Derek Fisher was suspended for Game 3, thanks to this play:


With Fish out, this makes Shannon Brown the likely starter to defend Aaron Brooks. Jordan Farmar can also be plugged in. But either way, the Lakers lose Fisher's streak shooting for one game.


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Lakers Strike Back; Even Series

The Los Angeles Lakers bounced back and prevailed over the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of their Western Conference Semi-finals match-up, 111-98.

Kobe Bryant shook off his poor shooting in Game 1 and scored 40 points on 60% shooting. Pau Gasol had another double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds, along with 4 blocks. Both Bryant and Gasol combined for more than half the team's point total.

Undoubtedly, the Lakers played a much better game over-all in Game 2: they shot much better as a team, executed the offense with improved discipline (resulting in more assists), and was more careful with the ball. Moreover, the team played better defense. They held the Rockets to a lower shooting percentage and controlled the paint better (and limiting Yao Ming's effectiveness). The only thing for concern in my opinion is the lackluster production from the Lakers bench.

It's important to note that the Lakers looked more aggressive on both ends of the court. From what I observed, they did not back down from the physical play (from Derek Fisher's roughhousing to Kobe Bryant's standing up to Ron Artest). The Rockets, on the hand, did hung tough with the huge second quarter surge, but came up short in the second half.

I had little doubt that the Lakers would win Game 2, but with the series now shifting to Houston, the Lakers now find themselves going on the road without a 2-0 cushion for the first time this playoffs.


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Lakers on the Ropes? You Gotta be Kidding Me!

So the Los Angeles Lakers lost Game 1 against the Houston Rockets.

People will throw the statistic that 80% of the time Game 1 winners take the series. Fans will praise the defense the Rockets are committed to. Basketball pundits will point to the Lakers' lack of killer instinct.

Big deal!

The Lakers definitely got a rude awakening from a team that the beat four times in the regular season. But the Lakers are far away into form.

The Lakers' lack of aggressiveness showed in Game 1: they were killed in the boards, they shot less free throws, and settled for jumpers (made far too less of them). But I think this is the type of wake-up call the Lakers need. The Jazz were small fry. The Rockets present a much bigger (7-foot-6 bigger) challenge.

The Lakers made the cardinal mistake of letting Kobe Bryant do it alone. Rockets forward Shane Battier looked like a genuine Kobe-Stopper (or a new age Bruce Bowen), but the Lakers are more than Kobe. I see the Lakers having better balance where Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum figure in bigger roles in Game 2. Phil Jackson can use this as a motivator to lift the Lakers in Game 2.

I was baffled by the Lakers' unwillingness to play their tempo, and it cost them. I see no letdowns in Game 2, with the Lakers playing a crisper offense and better contributions from the team members.


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Lakers-Rockets 2nd Round Match-up Preview

The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs and it looks like a tougher challenge for the Lakers.

I see the Lakers still relying on offense primarily to win games, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol leading the way. With Andrew Bynum's shift to the starting line-up to counter Houston's Yao Ming, Lamar Odom will provide the offensive spark off the bench. The challenge the Rockets present is in their defense.

The Rockets are a much better defensive team than the Utah Jazz, the Lakers' first round opponent. In the first round of the playoffs against the Portland Trailblazers, the Rockets held them to an average of 87 points a game. This number is 12 points the Blazers' regular season average output. The Rockets are committed to playing defense with Ron Artest and Shane Battier hounding the perimeter and Yao middle. I predict Artest & Battier giving Kobe a hard time in the series.

Despite the Rockets offense-dampening strategy, I see the Lakers out-pacing the Rockets. The Lakers managed to average 107 points against the physical Jazz team mainly because the Lakers dictated the tempo of the series and the Jazz weren't able to catch-up. This is the scenario that I'm predicting in the Rockets match-up.

In the player-by-player match-ups, the Lakers also have an edge over the Rockets. Kobe Bryant will definitely have his way scoring-wise over any Rocket defender. Aaron Brooks historically had performed poorly against the Lakers and only Ron Artest and Yao Ming can provide real offense for the Rockets. The x-factor though for the Rockets is Luis Scola, and the Lakers will try to have Odom or Gasol defending him and his 16-foot jumpers.

One more thing: The Rockets never won a game against the Lakers in the regular season. The Lakers' mastery over the Rockets and their offense will carry them over to the Western Conference finals.

My prediction: Lakers in 5.


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