Western Conference Finals#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #3 Phoenix Suns
The defending NBA champion Lakers have gotten their swagger back. After struggling with upstart Oklahoma City in Round One, the Lakers disposed of the Utah Jazz in four games. Now they face a red-hot Phoenix Suns team. The Suns are fresh off a sweep of their own, over longtime rival San Antonio.
Los Angeles always has the advantages in the size department with Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. The Suns strength is their athletic play on the perimeter, led by Steve Nash. Nash should run circles over Lakers point guard Derek Fisher, but that has been the case for about three years now for the Lakers. Jason Richardson will have the unenviable task of trying to slow down the best player in basketball, Kobe Bryant. Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and the hobbling Andrew Bynum will all probably see time guarding Amare Stoudemire. Ron Artest will be going up against a revitalized Grant Hill.
The new theme with the Suns is that they can now play defense, in addition to their run and gun style. However, playing good defense is easier when you aren't facing an offense with so many options, like the Lakers have. The Lakers will have the size advantage and thus should have many second chance opportunities. The Suns will have to play as well defensively and probably better than they did against the Spurs to have a chance.
I really don't think the Suns will be as difficult a challenge for the Lakers as some believe. I know that the Suns are playing very good basketball right now, but they aren't built to handle the Lakers. The Lakers shouldn't overlook Phoenix, but the Boston Celtics or Orlando Magic present bigger problems. I think LA will take care of business at home, as they have all postseason, and then steal a game in Phoenix. Then it will be off to defend their NBA championship.
Prediction: Lakers over Suns, 4-1
5 comments:
You forget that in years past the Lakers have had difficulties with the Suns in the playoffs. These difficulties occured when the Suns couldn't play defense. Now with a run and gun style and defense the Suns will deff. be a difficult challenge for the lakers. I agree that the Lakers will win the series however I do not think it will occur in 5 games. I'm looking more at 6 or 7. The Suns speed is going to be the key factor. Bynum is a little banged up already so trying to keep up with the faster suns players down the court (who have been known to score in as little as 5 seconds) will be very challenging. Also, do not expect to see Richardson gaurding Kobe. They put Richardson on the Blazer's #1 peremeter scorer and it hurt him on the other end so I doubt they will put him on Kobe this series, instead expect to see Grant Hill getting the call. He is more of a defensive player now then he is an offensive one.
Fair points but the Lakers struggling with the Suns in past playoffs is pretty irrelevant. Those Lakers teams were nothing like this one. I mean they had Kobe, and then a poo poo platter of players back then.
True, but history is history. The Suns have the same key players and past success still is in their minds. This will give them a mental boost. On top of that, I'm sure Kobe knows that he has struggled against the Suns in the playoffs and as a result he may try to do too much. By doing too much himself he will take away from the strength of the team which is their inside play. I wouldn't be shocked to see Kobe try to win the game by himself if things start off bad for the Lakers. This will only fuel the Suns run and gun style of play there by making Bynum and Gasol irrelevant.
lakers in 5
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