I was geeked when I turned to TNT during the Bulls-Sixers game, and saw that Nuggets-Lakers was coming up next. A showdown between the top 2 seeds out West is always a treat, plus I wanted to see how legit Denver was. What I found out instead was that the Lakers are to the West what North Carolina and the UCONN women were to the NCAA tournament - head and shoulders above the rest.
The Lakers easily handled the Nuggets, winning 116-102, snapping the Nuggets 8-game winning streak in the process, and moving 10.5 games up on Denver. At this point, NOBODY can stop the Lakers from getting to the Finals. There too good, too deep, too efficient, too focused, and the list could go on. And the one team always within reach, San Antonio, just lost 1/3 of their Big Three - Manu Ginoboli - for the rest of the year. Now there's a new, far more powerful Big Three: Kobe, Pau, and Andrew Bynum. The Lakers have shown that they can dominate the West without Bynum, hence their 25-7 record since he went down with a torn MCL on Jan 31. But Byum returned to the starting lineup in his first game back Thursday night, and the L.A. Big Three was in full effect. Their lines: Kobe - 33, 11-19 from the field; Pau - 27 points, 19 rebounds - 11 offensive; Bynum - 16 points and 7 boards - in 21 minutes. That right there is an unstoppable force.
But let's not forget about the supporting cast. We already know what Derek Fisher brings to the table, and Trevor Ariza is finally healthy, and providing L.A. with the long, athletic wing that prevented them getting it done in June last season. The Lakers bench is deadly, too. They have the ability to go 10-deep, and not miss a beat. Lamar Odom's having the best season of his career, and his play is what propelled the Laker to such an outstanding record after Bynum went down. Before Bynum's injury, Odom was good for a solid 9.5 points and 6 boards. After the injury, though, The Good's stepped his game up, averaging 13.5 points and 10 boards. In addition, Gs Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vuajacic, and F Luke Walton provide tremendous energy, and all contribute significant minutes.
Not only is there roster stacked, but there one of the best TEAMS. You can see the chemistry booming every time they play, and they've got a firm grasp of coach Phil Jackson's patented Triangle Offense. The floor is always balanced, they're all great passers and cutters, and every one knows their role.
NOBODY, in a 7-game series, can beat the Lakers. We saw what they did to Nuggets. Utah can't win on the road. San Antonio's banged up. New Orleans is inconsistent and too small. Houston is solid, but they lack a go-to scorer, and Portland is nice, but still too inexperienced to mess with L.A. The Lakers were already the class of the west, and now that Bynum's back, it's a wrap sandwich.
Scores From Around The League...4/9/09
76ers 99, Bulls 113
Rockets 115, Kings 98
Nuggets 102, Lakers 116
Via: ESPN
