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See ya Utah-type folk... what's next? E-mail
Written by Don   
Wednesday, 29 April 2009 22:10
Ok, the Lakers make me look good (honoring my 4-1 prediction!) and dismiss the Jazz in inauspicious fashion.  At times LA looked very, very good.  Absolutely dominant.  Yet at other times, they looked fragile and uncertain.
So... is it time for LA fans to be nervous?

Well, not really.  Everything that was really supposed to happen, happened.  LA won at home, Jazz took game 3 (game 3 or 4 was expected - I mean... ESA's a tough place to play).  LA took a game at Salt Lake City.
YAWNSo, the games weren't won in overly dominating fashion, but that's been a season-long thematic for the Lakers this season.  LA has pretty much never (well... this season) been excited to play opponents they consider "lesser", and despite the Jazz's best efforts - that's what they were.  Quite simply, at times LA looked bored out there.
But give the Lakers an opponent that they consider a peer, and they rise to the occasion.  Have a look at the big game opponents LA's played this season.  The only ones that have given LA trouble are Orlando (lead by Jameer Nelson), and Portland-in-Portland (questionable starters in round 2).  Point is, LA are there when it counts.  And I'm pretty sure that whoever their round 2 match is, LA will be eager to come out swinging (perhaps not literally).

So, who do we want?  Portland or Houston?  I think we match up better against Houston.  They're slower than Portland, and the Lakeshow's played well against them this season.  Whilst Houston have Battier & Artest to throw at Kobe, he won't be phased like Brandon Roy's been.  I mean... who can forget the trash-talk-fest Artest/Kobe presented to us the last time they matched up (here's the vid again, just in case you DID forget!)?


Portland tho'... it's hard to forget the battles that Portland have waged on the Lakers of late.  They match up very well with LA, and their athleticism is something that rivals LA's own.
boxing-punchThe last two games were epic from their perspective, and there's definitely a bit more of a bounce in their step when they face LA.  BUT, I think Portland have suffered a bit of a wake-up call this playoffs.  There's only so much realisation that occurs when people tell you "playoff basketball is different".  And that's been something that they discovered much to their chagrin.  The Portland/Houston series depended HUGELY on home-court advantage, and when the Blazers meekly surrended that in game 1 with a 27 point capitulation... it was a punch in the mouth from a team that's been there, done that.
Houston have been on the receiving end of many a first round loss.  But this time, I like Houston to get through...

The NY Times reported Kobe not caring who's up next, saying:
''I'm just ready for the next series, whoever it is. We have to kind of go over it and evaluate it and see what areas we can exploit offensively and defensively. It's different than playing in the regular season.''

I'm with Kobe, I think we'll (well... the Lakers - and us fans of course!) be ready for whoever it is.

But I think it'll be the Rockets.

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written by Zee, April 30, 2009
Yeah Rockets or Blazers...I think LA would be ready.

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