Western Finals: Lakers vs Spurs

1. Lakers (57-25) vs 3. Spurs (56-26)
Regular Season Series: TIE 2-2
Point Differencial: LAL +0.2

It have to suck for the Spurs that the Lakers have rebuild so quickly and they have to face them again now in this stage of the Duncan era.

It have to suck for the Lakers that know that they have rebuilt Tim Duncan and the Spurs are still the champions and still around.

The Lakers and the Spurs come from very differente backgrounds to reach this stage. We all know what happened with Kobe this summer and it's a such a surprise to see the Lakers click the way they did after that. Bynum went down and then they stole Gasol. That's a pretty amazing change of panarama in a gap of 6 months. In the other street the defending champions are still standing. After facing two very demanding series (If you don't think the Phoenix series was demanding just because it took only 5 games you don't understand it. Stop reading right now. Get out of my blog) (Just kidding. We love you here. ) and a western playoff race that give no time to rest the starters in the final games. And they are still here.

Two defensive teams. Two teams featuring top notch perimeter scorers, post players and shooters. Behind all that what is going to give this team the victory is defense. San Antonio needs to stop LA's ball movement by closing in all the shooters - pretty much like they did against the Hornets after game 3 - and give Kobe as many dosis of Bowen and Udoka as possible. The Lakers need to stop the Spurs' pick and roll -like they did against Utah in their wins - and make Duncan work his butt off defending Gasol and Odom and wear him down with Turiaf. I think I've coming a lover of what people call boring stuff because I looking forward to this series just to see defense by played and witness the Jackson - Popovich mind games.

Basketball Gods' Prediction: SAS 4-2