NBA Playoffs Preview: Dallas at Los Angeles

Added on May 02, 2011 by Scott in

NBA

The second of the Western Conference Semifinals series will tip late tonight when the Dallas Mavericks travel to the Staples Center to face the two-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. It will mark the first time the two franchises will meet in the postseason in 23 years. Each team struggled a bit in their opening round matchups, with both winning hard-fought series 4 games to 2. Which of these contending powers holds the edge? Let’s take a closer look.

Dallas Mavericks (61-27) versus Los Angeles Lakers (61-27)

The upstart Mavericks disposed of the Trail Blazers and will look to take one step closer to reaching the NBA Finals. As is the case with most Mavs teams, the key to victory will be playing aggressive and smart defense. Limiting the Lakers’ explosive weapons and physical nature will prove to be a challenge. The duo of Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler have given Dallas a strong inside presence which should be able to counter the Lakers size in the paint. However, defending Kobe Bryant remains the biggest hurdle to leap. Head coach Rick Carlisle will likely use three to four players to slow the superstar scorer, but it might not be enough. Bryant has averaged 24.6 points versus the Mavs during his career.

Speaking of Kobe, is his sprained ankle fully healed? Considering how he looked in the final two games against New Orleans, it probably doesn’t matter; he netted 43 points and didn’t appear to be affected too much. The Lakers won two of three regular season games with the Mavs and bring tons of playoff experience to the table. They must do a better job defending the perimeter. Chris Paul was a one-man wrecking crew in the first round, so slowing down Jason Kidd and Jason Terry should be a priority. Of course the biggest obstacle for the Lakers is themselves. When they hustle and focus they are the best team in the league. When they go through the motions, they are vulnerable, especially against teams the caliber of Dallas.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see LA drop Game 1. For whatever reason, it seems to take them a couple games to get in gear. That being said, I think Phil Jackson will have them prepared to grab an early lead in the series. Dallas keeps it tight, but loses it late.