Lakers take Round One

The Lakers have taken a step forward in beating the Denver Nuggets in Round One of the Western Conference playoffs. The ability to eliminate the Nuggets -- 50-game winners this season -- was a major indication of their improvement this year. First-round exits in '07 and '06 were very disappointing for the Laker faithful. Expectations can only grow if the Lakers continue to win in this fashion.

The most obvious improvement for the Lakers has been their ability to share the ball. The high ratio of assists to baskets in always a sign that the team is in sync and the players are eager to help each other. Denver, for its part, has not done well in the team aspects of the game. The Nuggets didn't work the ball into positions for easy shots and they settled for the quick long-range jump shot. Those shots didn't  fall, and the Lakers advanced because of it.

Denver seemed to have resorted to one-on-one play as a response to the challenges it  faced, and things did not work out for the team. Carmelo Anthony was particularly unable to contribute for the Nuggets.  J.R. Smith and Allen Iverson gave it the college try but the Lakers had an answer to every effort the Nuggets made. Kobe Bryant was spectacular at crunch time; he singlehandedly held off the Nuggets in the final minutes of the game. His presence alone was the decisive factor in those moments.

For the first time in my memory, I saw Kobe struggle at the free throw line. But that was no consolation for the Nuggets. They were unable to take advantage of any openings. I'm sure the next round of the playoffs will be more competitive, but I think the Lakers are on a roll.

(photo credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Comments

[Amazing_Happens]

Woo hoo!

[Osbal]

"For the first time in my memory, I saw Kobe struggle at the free throw line. "
Yeah Kobe did struggle but i dont think it's something we should worry about, remeber he still needs surgery on his right hand pinky finger

and great job on your blog kareem

[rashad]

I give credit to the Lakers, but I still can't believe Carmelo didn't give the Nuggets more. A "superstar" is supposed to come thru a little more than that.

[frank harina]

been a lakers fan since the early 60's, a trully die hard
lakers fan from the island of the Philippines, seen them since gerry west and chamberlain were still playing, seen them thru thick and thin of the seventies and then the revival of the winning team of the 80's. i was still in high school when then lew alcindor lead the bucks to
their nba championship. then when he became kareem abdul jabbar and a member of the magic year of the lakers, magic, coop, norm, byron, michal, kurt and of course the captain aka skyhook, those were the good old days and then the year of the black mamba and no other than the big diesel aka superman. now the mvp year of kb24 is upon us, we are going all the way this year and the black mamba will be the mvp of the regular season and the playoffs. love your blog kareem, your my idol and my hero growing up keep up the outstanding and stupendous job. love them lakers