Western Conference Final Preview

And now there were four. The Western Conference Finals begin today and I have been quite torn on who will end up winning this series right now. Hopefully by the end of the article I will have a decision on who will win this one.

Los Angeles Lakers-
The Lakers have been the most confusing team in the playoffs so far. One game they look like the best team in the NBA and they are pushing people around looking like total dominators. Then the next one, they seems to not care about the game and they wish they were on Sunset Drive partying it up with Paris Hilton. I just do not get it so far and I dont really know who to blame it on. Maybe its just that they arent as deep as we thought they would be. Or that Andrew Bynum isnt ready to be a dominating player inside. The other big key about Bynum is he needs to start for him to have a successful game because he just seems rattled coming off the bench. The problem with that is Lamar Odom who will likely start in this series needs to start for him to have a successful game. It proves that there is a definte disconnect for the Lakers. Also Pau Gasol has that tag I pulled off of Turkolgu yesterday as a foregin player who fails to show up during big moments. Although when all the chips are down, I never bet against Kobe Bryant in a big game situation. I have compared guy to Brett Favre in the way he can carry a team on his shoulder when he needs to and I dont know if Denver has an answer for Kobe on defense.

Denver Nuggets-
The Thuggets er... Nuggets have been the most suprising team in the playoffs so far by bullying the hell out of the New Orleans Hornets and Dallas Mavericks. A team who I thought wouldnt make it out first round because most of them are complete headcases except for Chauncey Billups who is carrying this team in a way that Kobe does and LeBron does. Sure Carmelo Anthony is the first option to score and is intritical part although Billups is the guy who is the glue. He holds this team together from going crazy. The Nuggets also need the physicallity that Kenyon Martin and Nene have brought every game this playoff season defense. If that happens, I could see Gasol folding like a Spanish tent. In addition, Chris "the Birdman" Anderson does the same thing for them. Another big key is for JR Smith to not get out of the gameplan. I feel when that happens, the Nuggets are in big time trouble. We also havent seen a George Karl meltdown.

Lakers win this in seven. I think it will be a classic series to be honest and I could see Denver taking it in six as well. I think Kobe will be able to take over because like I said before no one on Denver will be able to hold Bryant to be able to take four games from the Lakers.

-Charlie.