LAKERS MAKE FINALS

 

(Image taken from NBA)

The 2008 NBA Western Conference Finals looked like the biggest clash of the titans at this stage of the playoffs for some time. On one side, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. On the other and with home court advantage, the resurgent LA Lakers. These two sides have taken every Western Conference title that's been up for grabs this side of the Millenium but one. This year, well the Lakers won Games 1 and 2 in LA. The Spurs replied by winning Game 3 in San Antonio but it was still the Lakers' series to lose!

Game 4 was in San Antonio. The Lakers opened the scoring and went on to slaughter the defending champions, surging into a double digit lead by mid first quarter though the Spurs managed to stop the rot before the first buzzer. The Spurs kept things ticking over early in the second but the Lakers lead still hit double digits before the Spurs rallied late on to tie the game on two occasions, the second time at 45 with just over two minutes remaining. Still Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 12 points to a 53-48 lead.

The Spurs opened the scoring in the third quarter and continued to give the Lakers a match and tied the game on two more occasions, the second time round on 67 but the Lakers were always able to get out of jail and ended the third quarter on a surge. The Spurs did a lot better in the fourth quarter overall and continually squeezed the Lakers tight but blew a buzzer beating three pointer which would have given them an undeserved win. As it was, Kobe brabbed 28 points, Lamar Odom backing him up on 14 and the Lakers won 93-91.

Game 5 was in LA. Well the Lakers opened the scoring 2-0 but soon ran into trouble as the Spurs quickly took over, the Lakers coming back to tie on two occasions before the Spurs surged into a double digit lead by the end of one. They picked up where they left off in the early stages of the second and though the Lakers got a run together late on, the series still looked up in the air at half time. Michael Finley was leading the Spurs with 10 points, and the defending champions with nothing to lose were leading 48-42 at the half.

The Spurs lead hit double digits once again early in the third to the tune of 52-42 but then the Lakers set about slicing that lead to pieces and with just over a minute left in the third turned the game round! The Spurs wrestled for the lead but a Lakers three pointer left the Spurs facing execution with a quarter to go. They weren't done yet and retook the lead early in the fourth but in the last minutes of the game the Lakers did enough to ensure that the Western Conference and NBA titles would change hands. Kobe grabbed 39 points, Odom 13 and Pau Gasol 12. Lakers won the game 100-92, the series 4-1 and Phil Jackson may yet do it again. The Lakers are in the Finals!

In the East the Celtics vs Pistons series continued. The Pistons won Game 4 in Detroit 94-75 with Antonio McDyess grabbing 21 points as the Pistons levelled the series to make it a three-gamer. Game 5 was in Boston though and the Celtics won 106-102 with Kevin Garnett running the show, grabbing 33 points! The Celtics lead the series 3-2 but Game 6 is in Detroit which means that things could still go down to the wire, though surely the Celts will be hoping to avoid yet another Game 7.

One down one to go.

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