Lakers v. Hornets: Game 3 Preview

So many questions that need answered. The Lakers need to know what's going on with Pau Gasol. Can they get him back to form? Is he injured?

The Hornets need to know if their Game 1 victory was more than just some aberration in a season where they have seen little to no success against the Lakers. The final question is whether either team will be able to accept the answers they are given.

In Game 2 we saw a battle. Low scoring, hard-nosed defense, bad offense and plenty of aggresion and will power. We should expect more of the same in Game 3. I said a couple days ago in the Game 2 recap that this felt more like an audition for WWE Tough Enough, and we can't expect it to get much better ... er worse. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

The Lakers will come out and continue to try and establish themselves as the best team in the league. Ron Artest, Kobe Bryant and Bynum will continue to bring the tenacity they have had for the last threee games and will also try to inspire Gasol, who hasn't decided if he wants to be a basketball player or not yet.

Both the Hornets and the Lakers know if the Lakers set the tone tonight and dominate this game, the series is all but over. The Hornets need this win and will do everything possible to get it. Attack the pick n' roll, try to isolate Paul at the top of the key and hope Aaron Gray has another big night while hoping Gasol is having another White Swan night.

Both teams lack any major injuries.

As interesting as one might try to make this game, the Lakers are just too deep. April 20's game was proof of that. The score of the game does not reflect how the game was actually played. The Hornets gained a lot of points in the final two minutes due to some shaky officiating that made what was almost a 20 -point deficit, 10 points.

The Hornets proved in the first two games they have the attitude and gumption to play with the two-time defending world champions. What they don't have is the depth and talent to finish the job. If Kobe continues to play under his Team USA persona and Gasol can bring it home, the Lakers will cruise through this game with ease and will be looking to April 24 by the third quarter.

Lakers v. Hornets: Game 2 Recap

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Hornets April 20 at the Staples Center in what could only be considered an audition for WWE Tough Enough.

The physical scrum, full of leg whips, high elbows, technicals and generally chippy behavior, was ignited in the first quarter when Kobe Bryant, charged with the task of guarding Chris Paul, threw a couple shoulders in the direction of the fifth-year point guard.

Bryant, who seemed disinterested with scoring, only had 11 points, 6 of which came late in the fourth quarter. But Bryant's energies seemed to be focused on limiting the effectiveness of Paul, who had torched the Lakers two days earlier. The defensive was similar to Bryant's three years ago with Team USA. Paul only scored 20 points on 5-of-11 shooting but did not score his finial 7 points until late in the fourth quarter with the game seemingly decided.

The Lakers got help from Andrew Bynum, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds as well as two blocks. Lamar Odom also had a better second game, posting totals of 16 points and 7 rebounds while Ron Artest was 2-for-5 from three-point territory while scoring 15 points to help lead the Lakers to a 87-78 victory.

The win prevented the two-time defending champions from being put in a 2-0 series deficit while reinvigorating some of the Lakers fire. One that seems in need of more stoking is Laker forward Pau Gasol who seems to still be in a passive playoff slump. Guarded by Hornets forward Aaron Gray, Gasol found it difficult to find consistency with his shot and seemed to be uncomfortable with his established position once he received the ball in the post.

But that didn't stop the Lakers, who seemd to be on a mission Wednesday night, playing with increased intensity and physicality. iIt's obvious the Hornets drew the attention of the Lakers. Now the question is are they going to be able to recuperate and steal another game back home in New Orleans and make this a series? Only time will tell, but April 22 will bring answers to that question soon enough.

Lakers v. Hornets: Game 1 Wrap-up and Game 2 Preview

If you haven't already read the Knicks-Celtics recap, I'll reiterate my excuse for not getting the recap up sooner. Traveling for little brother's bachelor party, got back late Sunday, missed most of the game, fell asleep early, then did taxes Monday. Depression set in, no Game 1 recap.

Excuse done.

Now, on to the Game 1 recap. Ready?

Hornets played virtually perfect behind a huge performance from Chris Paul, decimating Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol for more points than I care to recall. Lakers played about average.

Gasol played like the White Swan instead of the black one and the Lakers sorely missed bench players Steve Blake and Matt Barnes. Blake was out with the chicken pox, while Barnes only played eight minutes due to a previous injury. Lakers fans fall into a deep depression, others gave up, and that should just about cover it. Lakers lose Game 1.

Let's move on, shall we.

The Lakers come into Game 2 with one major problem on their collective minds: How do we stop Chris Paul?

True, Paul has played as if he were injured at times this season. But there was no indication of that April 17, as he simply dismantled anyone the Lakers threw at him. The Lakers have had two days to put together some type of plan to limit Paul's effect on the game. One factor that should help is the return of Blake, who will provide some solid relief for the aging Fisher and maybe, with some luck, give Paul the chicken pox in the process.

Another possible matchup could be the athletic Shannon Brown. If anyone on the Lakers is capable of keeping up with Paul defensively it will be him. The question will be if they can get him to play solid and tenacious defense on Paul without taking chances and overplaying the All-Star guard.

But even after seeing the Lakers' taste defeat at the hands of CP3, there is no reason to believe the Lakers are not favored in this game. Gasol played horribly in Game 1, only posting totals of 8 points on 2-of-9 shooting and 6 rebounds. Lamar Odom also had a similar slump in the rebound column, where he only pulled in 1 rebound.

Premier players like Gasol and Odom don't have these type of games often, especially on the same night. It's even more rare to see it happen in back-to-back games. In turn, two Hornets players had season highs in Game 1 in points and shooting percentage. Aaron Grey had 12 points and Jarrett Jack shot 83 percent from the field.

Don't look for a repeat performance from the Hornets. Grey is listed for doubtful for Game 2, and it is highly unlikely the Hornets will maintain the insane shooting efficiency we saw in Game 1. Look for Gasol to step up and be more aggressive in getting the ball and in the paint. Also, look for Odom to get a little more involved in both the offense and on the boards, making sure he is a factor in this game.

Paul will try to attack the pick-and-roll like he did in the first game, but the Lakers will make adjustments and use their size to keep all the Hornet's role players from doing damage while Paul tries his best to keep the Hornets afloat.

The Hornets managed to play out of their minds in Game 1. And while I'm not saying they can't do it in Game 2, teams don't permanently become another team overnight. They have flashes of brilliance at times and they have times where they can't get the ship going. Though it would be insane to think the Hornets turned into the Lakers overnight while the Lakers turned into the Timberwolves.

Expect the Hornets to come out firing early because they know they have a punchers chance with Paul at the helm. But Paul is only a right hook, and without a solid and consistent uppercut on the team to assist him, this team is only capable of winning Round 1 with some luck. Expect the score to stay close, and as soon as the Hornets get tired of punching, midway through the third quarter, expect the Lakers to come off the ropes and throttle the Hornets like they don't belong in this fight at all, which they don't.

For the Lakers, the four-game sweep starts now.

Celtics v. Knicks: Game 2 Recap

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics once again eeked out a win against the New York Knicks, 96-93, in front of a packed Boston Garden on April 19. Coach Doc Rivers said, "we were lucky to win" when asked in postgame interviews. The win came on a go-ahead basket from Kevin Garnett with about 14 seconds left in the game. Garnett would then make the key defensive play 10 seconds later, diving on the floor to steal the ball from Knicks center Jared Jefferies to clinch the win.

The Knicks, playing without starting point guard Chauncey Billups, withstood a first-half point guard clinic by Rajon Rondo to keep the game close and go into halftime with a lead. Rondo, who had 14 points in the first quarter, finished the game with 30 points, a career playoff high for the All-Star point guard.

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony also had a career night, matching his playoff high for points with 42. Anthony also pulled down 17 rebounds and six assists while playing tenacious defense on the Celtics Paul Pierce, who struggled from the field, ending the night with 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting.

Amar'e Stoudemire finished the night on the bench alongside Billups due to back spasms that began bothering him late in the first half. Toney Douglas, who replaced Billups in the starting lineup, had 14 points. Stoudemire's replacement, Jeffries, ended the night with 10 points and the critical turnover for the Knicks.

Anthony was criticized slightly after Game 1 for taking a long three while double teamed. He chose to pass the ball this time to Jeffries, who turned the ball over after receiving Anthony's pass with 8 seconds left in the game. When asked about Anthony's decision, coach Mike D'Antoni said Anthony made the right play.

The Knicks will now return to Madison Square Garden down 0-2 in the series but with plenty of reason to believe they can extend this series past four games.

"The Celtics didn't do anything special," Anthony said. "They won two games on their home court. Now, it's our turn to go to our home court and try to do the same thing."

And return they shall, April 22, to the cheers of a crazed New York crowd who would love nothing more than to send the Celtics back home tied 2-2.

Playoff Preview -Round 1: Celtics vs. Knicks

Rivalry.

Paul Pierce swears there isn't one between the Celtics and Knicks. At least not in this decade. There are millions of Knick fans that would argue the opposite. Maybe the Celtics look at the Knicks as lesser mortals, but the Knicks definitely see Boston as a stone-cold enemy. If you don't believe me, look at their battles this year. Bloody, beaten ragged and scathed could describe both teams after each game in the regular season.

That's what we have to look forward to: a war, no prisoners. Both teams dislike each other; both teams want to win. Don't let Boston fans fool you when they say this isn't a big game and this series won't impact them. Boston is scared. They come into the series limping, and it's possible this isn't a limp that can be miraculously healed by a wheelchair ride back into the locker room. Even if the Celtics have what it takes to win this series, they will not come out unscathed.

The physical nature of these teams may take its toll on the winner. Boston is older and has been slightly injury-prone this year with the likes of Jermaine O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal taking the brunt of those injuries. This series is sure to issue a few more.

Boston is the odds-on favorite to win, and they have to win, it's expected of them. They have to prove they were more than a flash in the pan this year. The Knicks, well, they are playing with house money. Not even expected to make the playoffs, they have exceeded the hopes of fans and the front office. The Knicks simply have nothing to lose, and they have the egos to think they could pull this off.

The Knicks just don't have enough fire power to win this series. As a team, they have a lot of questions left to be answered. Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire have not figured out how to play well together at the same time. Chauncy Billups has been almost nonexistent the past 10 games and will need to be far more productive if New York has any chance to win. Landry Fields has the potential to be an offensive spark and the X factor for the Knicks while Melo will look to up his defensive prowess as he has in previous playoff series. That's where the compliments for the Knicks end.

Boston has New York outgunned at every starting position, except perhaps small forward. But as much as Paul Pierce will have trouble stopping Anthony's scoring binges, Pierce is just as much of an offensive tyrant. Rajon Rondo is too young, fast and brilliant to let Billups slow him down, Kevin Garnett and Stoudemire will  likely be a wash, which leaves the deciding factor as Ray Allen, the 3-point shooting king. As long as Allen stays productive, the Knicks will have fits closing out on the Celtics.

Boston will win this series in six games. That really isn't the question of the series. The bumps, brusies and wounds they're going to receive are. They will have to do their best to minimize those because they'll be looking at a quick turnaround to play the Miami Heat, who seem to be chomping at the bit to take down the Eastern Conference champions, something that should have Boston fans worried if their last game together was any indication of the future.

The best way to look at the Knicks in this series is not as a Cinderella, rather as meat tenderizer for the Miami Heat.

And that's what a rival is. Because if they can't beat you, they will surely try to make it easier for someone else.

Playoff Preview - Round 1: Lakers v. Hornets

Four or five? That's the question for this series.

How long will it take the Lakers to beat the Hornets. The question isn't if they will win, but how fast can they dispatch them. The Lakers come sputtering into the playoffs and seem to be in disarray. For lack of a better word, the Lakers are a strange group. They seem aloof at times, disinterested and vulnerable with the task at hand. But as soon as you think you can count them out, they turn up the fire and start to eviscerate the league.

The Hornets are an entirely different animal. The Hornets struggled to get into the playoffs and it could be said that if it wasn't for their monster start this year, they might not be here at all. Going into the playoffs, the Hornets are losing their No. 1 scorer in David West, who is out for the season. Which leaves Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor to bear the burden of scoring. The task can be problematic for all three players. Paul is still playing as if something is wrong with his knee. Okafor is not known for his offense and Arizia has never been one to post 30 point games on the regular.

With all the cards on the table, the Lakers are a far superior team. Even if you take Kobe Bryant out of the mix, this is still a sweep by the Lakers. Paul will play as we have come to expect and Ariza will do his best to prove he was more than capable of being an Artest-type player that the Lakers gave away.

When its all said and done, the Lakers just have too much fire power. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol will use this as a steppingstone to come to form before their second-round matchup. Lamar Odom will be the consistent force he always is, picking apart the Hornets bench players without thinking twice about it. Expect Phil Jackson to give Shannon Brown the chance to get out if his current slump as well. Looking ahead to the future and knowing the team will need him to be a contributor if they are to leave this season as champions.

Even if the Lakers come into this series disinterested -- which they won't -- still expect the Lakers to make short work of the Hornets.

The only question is in four or five?

Playoff Preview - Round 1: Lakers v. Hornets

Four or five? That's the question for this series.

How long will it take the Lakers to beat the Hornets. The question isn't if they will win, but how fast can they dispatch them. The Lakers come sputtering into the playoffs and seem to be in disarray. For lack of a better word, the Lakers are a strange group. They seem aloof at times, disinterested and vulnerable with the task at hand. But as soon as you think you can count them out, they turn up the fire and start to eviscerate the league.

The Hornets are an entirely different animal. The Hornets struggled to get into the playoffs and it could be said that if it wasn't for their monster start this year, they might not be here at all. Going into the playoffs, the Hornets are losing their No. 1 scorer in David West, who is out for the season. Which leaves Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor to bear the burden of scoring. The task can be problematic for all three players. Paul is still playing as if something is wrong with his knee. Okafor is not known for his offense and Arizia has never been one to post 30 point games on the regular.

With all the cards on the table, the Lakers are a far superior team. Even if you take Kobe Bryant out of the mix, this is still a sweep by the Lakers. Paul will play as we have come to expect and Ariza will do his best to prove he was more than capable of being an Artest-type player that the Lakers gave away.

When its all said and done, the Lakers just have too much fire power. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol will use this as a steppingstone to come to form before their second-round matchup. Lamar Odom will be the consistent force he always is, picking apart the Hornets bench players without thinking twice about it. Expect Phil Jackson to give Shannon Brown the chance to get out if his current slump as well. Looking ahead to the future and knowing the team will need him to be a contributor if they are to leave this season as champions.

Even if the Lakers come into this series disinterested -- which they won't -- still expect the Lakers to make short work of the Hornets.

The only question is in four or five?