Deja Vu

The Closer

Mr. Defense

All eyes on me

"I got so much trouble on my mind...refuse to lose..."

Chuck D - Welcome to the Terrordome

The Lakers defeated the Nuggets 103-97, playing spoiler to the first home Western Conference Finals game in the mile high city, in the last 24 years.

Get Familiar

The Lake Show now have a 2-1 lead in this best of 7 series, and as the saying goes...the more things change the more they stay the same. Allow me to explain: so the venue changed, but Los Angeles won after trailing most of the game...Kobe scored at least 40 points in a victory...Pau Gasol led the team in rebounding...and what's more uncanny is that Trevor Ariza gets a key steal off the in-bounds play, late in the 4th quarter. Sounds like something you've heard before right? That's exactly what I was thinking...

Unlike the last Lakers win in which I felt they really lost...tonight with great defense, and some clutch shooting and desire from Kobe Bryant, the Lake Show actually deserved the comeback win. This is the type of game that could change things, as the purple and gold actually seemed to solve the mystery of the Denver Nuggets. This was a swing game, and Game 4 favors LA.

The keys from tonight's game are as follows:

Kobe Bryant...enough said, but if I must explain, he turned it on late, and never gave up on the script. He also in the midst of a scoring binge trusted his coaches, and teammates.

Luke Walton played pesky defense on Carmelo Anthony, which is no easy task, and then he made some great passes and plays on the offense end while Ariza was out of the game.

Pau Gasol made the baskets that kept the Lakers within striking distance, giving his team enough room to take over and win. LA's front court is the key to the team success.

Lamar Odom played superb defense on the in-bounds pass that led to the Trevor Ariza steal...just like in Game 1.

Carmelo Anthony had a great first half, played aggressive, gave his team the lead, and kept the City of Angels at bay. However he struggled in the 2nd half and fouled out the contest.

Chris Andersen grabbed 7 rebounds, and netted 15 points which could prove costly for the opposition in the upcoming games.

J.R. Smith has changed his game, and is now finding the open teammate, as he had 6 assists, but his technical foul after making a 3-pointer was unnecessary and costly.

The refs have been sub par to say it nicely.

The struggles from the foul line from both teams can determine the series because the games are so close.

Photos: Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images

Will Power

40

39

Teammates

"You have to show them that you're really not scared..."

Michael Jackson - Beat It

When the Rockets took the Lakers to the brink of elimination, two things happened...the so called experts said it was over for LA, and the team clicked, and destroyed Houston in the 7th and deciding game.

Savvy

The well rested Denver Nuggets flew to the City of Angels to matchup against the Lake Show. Carmelo & company played extremely great from the outset...they played well enough to win, however there were a few things that led to a 107-105 Denver loss. 

It seemed as if everyone including the Lakers were watching Melo play, instead of assisting/defending him, as he was able to do whatever he wanted to the tune of 39 points. The Lakers need to make someone else beat them, and people like J.R. Smith need to get more involved. 

The home team should have lost Game 1, but I honestly believe it was the inexperience of the upstart Nuggets that led to their demise. The Lakers didn't win the game...the Nuggets just lost it. For example the Kenyon Martin foul on Kobe Bryant with 30 seconds remaining...sending him to the line, where Bryant sank 2-free throws for a 101-99 lead...then Trevor Ariza stole the ensuing in-bounds pass that allowed LA to wind the clock down to 10 seconds, before Kobe was fouled again for a 103-99 lead that sealed the victory.

Experience is the best teacher, and between the lessons the Lakers learned last year, and the painful learning curve the Nuggets had last night...the door is wide open for anyone to win Game 2. 

As Rasheed Wallace would say..."both teams played hard", but it was the squad that executed the best down the stretch that won the game...well that, and Bryant's 40 points didn't hurt either.