After 82 games of NBA Basketball, the 1 vs. 8 Matchup in the West is finally set. With the Mavericks victory over the Hornets Wednesday night, the Lakers will host the Denver Nuggets this Sunday as the NBA Playoffs take center stage.
Rather than bore you with the statistics on how superior the Lakers are to the Nuggets, in sweeping the season series, I’m going to look past that and go to my well-known TLN post-game format. Instead of the top three Laker performers of the game, I’m going to let you know which three Lakers need to step up against Denver so we can take care of them quickly…
1) Lamar Odom needs to continue to play like he has since Gasol arrived. It’s not a coincidence that the Lakers are 22-5 with Gasol in the lineup. Since the trade, Lamar has done incredible, and he will be the key for the Lakers in this series. Kenyon Martin is as healthy as he has been since they got beat by the Clippers in 2006. Lamar’s versatility should help slow down K-Mart (and possibly Carmelo at times). Look for Lamar to average 15 and 12.
2) We have all seen Derek Fisher play in the playoffs before, so I’m not too worried about him. But Farmar is still young and we need him to carry our bench. Not only does he need to make those open threes, but he will also have to help slow down A.I. Farmar has been pretty streaky this year, and when he is at his best, the Lakers look unstoppable. Hopefully, Farmar brings his “A” game.
3) Either Vlad Rad or Luke must show up in this series. We need production from the SF position. Vlad Rad has been streaky this year with his shot. Luke has looked like garbage for most of the season. If they aren’t hitting their shots, they MUST be doing their part on defense to slow down Melo.
STD: Hopefully, the STD of the series is Ira Newble. The reason I say this is because if he plays, most likely the Lakers are up by 30 points. 
What to Look For in the Series: Look for a ton of scoring from the Lakers. Both teams average over 108 PPG and love to run.
My Prediction: Lakers in 5 games.
Fans Attending the Games: BE LOUD! Be early! Show that Purple & Gold. Represent L.A. with your car flags and TLN with those Kobe/Gasol ‘08 bumper stickers! Go Lakers!
Fans Not Attending the Games: Represent L.A. with your car flags and TLN with those Kobe/Gasol ‘08 bumper stickers OR buy some upper level seats off me, e-mail me at LakersDynasty999@GMail.com.
TLN’s Playoff Preview: Lakers vs. Nuggets [Game 1]
TLN Playoff Preview: Lakers vs. Nuggets [Game 3]
TLN’s Playoff Preview: Lakers vs. Nuggets [Game 4]
TLN’s Playoff Preview: Lakers vs. Nuggets [Game 2]
TLN’s Playoff Report: Lakers vs. Nuggets [Game 4]
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lakers:4
denver:1
Lakers: 4
Denver: 0
Eff the 4-1. Do it the old-fashioned way. Sweep!!
Lakers can take in 5 or 6 games, but for the playoffs they need to forget about scoring and play defense, they can score anytime they want but DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS, if they play good D they can sweep the Nuggs
are you sure its on saturday??
Steve,
I added you in my yahoo messenger..i added the email you posted in this article..If you received my invitation or not just notify me here..
GOOD LUCK LAKERS!!!
BEAT DENVER!!!
I don’t want to make predictions by saying-oh, this is easy, we’re gonna kill em, we’re sweepin em-i don’t want to underestimate them like how me & many Laker fans did to the Pistons in the 2004 Finals. IMO, the only thing that making predictions do is jinx the team.
gooo Lakers!
If Lakers play defense like they did against the San Antonio Spurs, then they can sweep the Nuggets.
I HAVE A QUESTION!
When they say that we’ll get home court advantage if we’re in the 1st seed in the conference.. does that mean all 7 games? Or like 71% of the games? (2 games) Or whatever?
4-2 at the most
I GIVE IT NO MORE THAN 5 GAMES…..KOBE WILL BE HIMSELF….[[THIS IS WEN U WILL C Y WE WANTD FISHER BACC]]….LAMAR IZ THA KEY TO HOW FAR WE GO…AND LETS C HOUSTON N THE NEXT ROUND
good question.
i thought they played sunday??
Lakers I think are going to sweep em just like they did in the regular season. Look for the Lakers to score 100+ points in all four games because the nuggs don’t play defense. Let’s GO Lakers!
go lakers….. my prediction 4-1…
Home court throughout the playoffs means that the Lakers will have home court for each series they play. This means the Lakers would have 4 games at home while the opponent will have only 3 out of a 7 game series.
lakers in 4 by average 12 pt wins
The Season just ended , I dont believe the playoff schedule has been released yet Who is the source for the Sat. start
Oh Yeah Lakers SWEEP 4-0
ur wrong….game is sunday at noon….announced on kcal
2) This is where PJ’s decision last year benefits us. Farmar has experience against a great PG in the playoffs. I don’t think he’ll have much of a problem, I think he’ll step up.
3) Luke will step up in the playoffs. By the end I doubt anyone on here is still complaining about him and very few if any will still complain about his contract. He’s been hurt all year, and now is the time he will suck it up the most and produce. Watch out, he’ll be huge.
Sasha vs. JR Smith. this is going to get ugly. Both shooters who play no D. Also look for Ronny to be key. The Nuggets’ bench is not that good and is inconsistent. They have basically JR and Klezia scoring wise, and they are both very inconsistent. I hope PJ doesn’t cut the minutes of the bench unless they are playing terrible. Not only will they keep/gain confidence for later on in the playoffs, should the Lakers advance, but it won’t disrupt the chemistry the team currently has. IMO the best thing that can happen to the team is nothing. They need to keep the rotations and all the same it has been.
Sasha plays D…he gets in front of peoples face
Sasha plays pesky defense, I don’t know what you’ve been watching.
Lakers 1st round schedule:
Game 1 at LAKERS
Sunday, April 20
12:00pm
ABC
Game 2 at LAKERS
Wednesday, April 23
7:30pm
FSN West/TNT
Game 3 at NUGGETS
Saturday, April 26
2:30pm
FSN West/TNT
Game 4 at NUGGETS
Monday, April 28
7:30pm
KCAL 9/TNT
Game 5 at LAKERS*
Wednesday, April 30
TBD
FSN West/TBD
Game 6 at NUGGETS*
Friday, May 2
TBD
KCAL 9/TBD
Game 7 at LAKERS*
Sunday, May 4
TBD
TBD
MORE PLAYOFF CENTRAL COMING SOON
good job chinese guy of posting the dates and times.
from now on ill respect asians……
just jk
when is the next injury update for bynum or ariza? because the 3 times the lakers beat them was because bynum crushed them. that means gasol needs to step it up on the defense side!
This series should be easy for the lakers.
If it turns out any other way than a 4-1 series, it would mean that the Lakers are playing bad. That’s all there is to it.
Rather than bore you with the statistics on how superior the Lakers are to the Nuggets, in sweeping the season series, I’m going to look past that and go to my well-known TLN post-game format. Instead of the top three Laker performers of the game, I’m going to let you know which three Lakers need to step up against Denver so we can take care of them quickly…
^great idea!
game is on sunday abc.
In response to Sean, the Bynum did nnot crush the Nuggets in the regular season. Bynum only played in 2 out of the 3 games against Denver and in the game in Denver Bynum had only 2 points nad was coming back from a stomach virus, he missed the game against Minnesota the night before. The last home game against Denver we crushed them without Bynum and Gasol. We had Kwame at center still. Denver plays very little defense and I do not see them getting hot for an entire series, they will get maybe 2 games probably 1. Go SHOW!!!!!!
nuggets steals game 1 and the season bwahahah… kobe out of the first round again…=D just like dirk while being the mvp..
Lakers should win and the only guy that will be challenging is iverson, who I doubt fisher or farmar can guard. We might see Kobe guard him as the lakers have troubles with fast PG.
i have never been this excited before…neither has my family…i feel happy knowing that i converted my dad from a celtics fan to a lakers fan this season =)…lakers are gonna take it all!!
Coaches, please tell Lamar NO OUTSIDE SHOTS!!! It is FORBIDDEN!!!
On offense, keep the ball away from Luke as much as possible. Limit his touches. The guy has been a train wreck out there for most of the season. Don’t drive and kick to Luke because for the most part those end up as empty posessions.
Vlad has to show up - not the space cadet that appears from time to time.
converted from a celtics fan to a lakers fan? your dad must not watch basketball very much. you can’t be a fan of 2 different NBA teams in 1 lifetime.
yeah obviously defense is key. the offense should roll without too much resistance, but the lakers still shouldn’t try to go into a scoring race with denver, because that’s the only way denver has a shot of beating LA. look for kobe to only hit the 30 point plateau once in the only tight game of the series and for his assists to be around 8 or 9 in the other games. so 4-1 or 4-0 depending on if kobe does carry us to a win in that probable one game where nothing seems to be clicking.
lakers 4-nuggets 0
kobe in the playoffs. lamar in the playoffs like last year. fish in the playoffs + gasol come on they got no chance!!!
A sweep would be nice but just the fact that Kobe will carry this team past the 1st round will be a great way to get the monkey off his back. We have not experienced the second round since Shaq left so that would be a great success. Also, the X factor for both teams are going to be the Lamar Odom & Kenyon Martin matchup. Besides, has anyone seen the lower bracket of the Western Conference matchups? Wow! I am glad that the Spurs, Suns, Dallas and Hornets will have to eliminate each other. There is no doubt in my mind that the Lakers will get to the Finals. Go Lakers!…..
Sweep.
when you have a team like the lakers do, its not too hard to convert =)
All of you guys say 4-1 When are the nuggets going to win one. Carmelo has been arrested and i know he will play they play no d and last time remember we were at their house A.I drooped 52 on us and we still beat them. It will be a SWEEP SWEEP it doesn’t matter how much A.I scored 60 it doesn’t matter SWEEP.
AND WE WILL SEE JAZZ IN THE SECOND ROUND AND PROBABLY 4-1.
I wonder if Kobe sent that bottle of MOET to Melo’s house yet? 4-1,Lakers!
its on sunday at 3 ET (12 Pacific Time)
game 1 lakers win by 20
game 2 lakers win by 30
game 3 lakers win by 15
game 4 lakers start their bench, farmar, sasha, ira, mihm, mbenga, try to get their starters as mucch rest as possible and lakers win
how did that exorcism go? I heard in order to do that exorcism you have to use the NBA Logo which is a silohuette of Jerry West.