When the Lakers traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat in the summer of 2004, many thought Kobe Bryant might never reach the NBA Finals again. Yet, with a few maneuvers here and some there, Los Angeles finds themselves back on center stage in 2008 and awaits the winner of the Boston Celtics - Detroit Pistons series.
The Lakers closed the deal by defeating the defending champs San Antonio Spurs in five games, including a 100-92 victory in the final game. Bryant led all scorers in that game with 39 points, while Pau Gasol had 19 rebounds and 4 blocks. The Spurs actually led in this game 28-15 after the first quarter, but LA would fight back to take the lead after three quarters. Tim Duncan had a triple-double for the Spurs (19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists).
Overall, the Spurs' defense was pretty good. Until the final game, they did a fairly decent job of containing Kobe Bryant (as much as can be possible). Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom didn't make huge splashes at the offensive end. However, the Spurs' offense could never really get going, which might have been in part due to the fact that Manu Ginobili wasn't completely healthy. Add that to a controversial no-call at the end of game four and the Spurs' find themselves eliminated. Yet, whatever excuses one can find, the bottom line is that the Lakers outplayed them.
What might be most amazing about the Lakers is that they've accomplished such a feat without their big, young center, Andrew Bynum. Though he's expected to return by next season's training camp, the Lakers would sure benefit with his post presence.
Tony Parker led the Spurs in scoring for the playoffs, averaging 22.4 ppg to go along with 6.1 apg. Tim Duncan led them in rebounding with 14.5 rbpg. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers in the playoffs with 31.9 ppg to go along with 5.8 apg, while Lamar Odom grabbed 10.3 rbpg.
The Spurs will try to make some maneuvers in the offseason, but don't expect them to shake things up too much. They're still a legitimate title contender and despite the fact that many of their veterans are getting older, they'll likely be a strong contender next season as well.
The Celtics lead the Detroit Pistons 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. A Celtics victory would mark the first time the Lakers and Celtics met in the NBA Finals since the two teams' famous bouts in the 1980s when Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird squared off.
