For the first time in their careers, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki will square off in the playoffs. Considering the Lakers and Mavericks have both been Western Conference powerhouses for over a decade, this makes the upcoming match-up between the Mavericks and Lakers all the more anticipated.
After a shaky start to their first-round series with New Orleans, the Lakers bounced back and eliminated the Hornets in six games.
The Mavericks are coming off a first-round matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers. After losing Game 4, despite holding a 20 point fourth quarter lead, the Mavericks impressively won Games 5 and 6 to closeout the series.
Before the Lakers and Mavericks begin their series Monday night in Los Angeles, let’s take a look at 5 things to keep an eye on throughout the course of the series.
5. Lamar Odom versus Jason Terry
Odom and Terry are arguably the two best sixth men in the NBA. Lamar Odom won this year’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, and Jason Terry won the award in 2009.
In the six games against Portland in the first-round, Terry averaged 17 points and nearly four assists a game.
Odom was below his season averages (14 points and eight rebounds) in the Lakers’ first-round series against New Orleans, averaging 12 points and six boards a contest.
Whichever player wins this crucial “sixth man” battle will put his team in great position to win the series.
4. Mavericks are always “in the zone”
No body played zone defense as frequently or effectively in the NBA this season than the Mavericks.
Therefore, Kobe and the Lakers should expect to see a fair share of zone throughout the series.
If the Lakers are patient enough to attack the gaps in the zone and feed Gasol, Bynum and Odom, there is no reason why they should struggle against it.
What the Lakers don’t want to do is get impatient and turn into a jump shooting team against the Mavericks’ zone.
The Lakers are not a great outside shooting team, but they go through periods where they tend to neglect their advantage in the paint and shoot too many jumpers.
The Lakers cannot afford to go through one of those stretches against Dallas.
3. Confidence
Whether it was their collapse in the 2006 Finals against Miami or being upset in the first-round in 2007 against Golden State, the Mavericks playoff troubles are well documented.
It looked as though the Mavericks were ready to add to their list of playoff shortcomings this season, after blowing a 20 point fourth quarter lead to Portland in Game 4.
But the Mavericks silenced their critics temporarily by winning Games 5 and 6 and closing out the series in Portland.
However, is everyone truly convinced all of the demons have been exorcised?
I have a hard time seeing the Mavericks beating the Lakers in a seven game series. Let’s just hope the Mavericks don’t think the same way.
2. Haywood and Chandler
Much has been made this season about Tyson Chandler transforming the Mavericks from an average defensive team to a good defensive team.
Many think Chandler’s defensive presence is the missing piece of the championship puzzle for the Mavericks.
All of this will be put to the test as Chandler and Brendan Haywood will have the pleasure of trying to slowdown Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom.
Odom and Gasol both had a mediocre series against New Orleans and will be looking to bounce back.
If Chandler and Haywood are able to slow the Lakers’ three-headed front court monster enough to give Dallas a series victory, they should have statues erected in front of the American Airlines Center.
1. Defending Dirk and Kobe
At this point, I think it is fair to call the Dirk vs. Kobe match-up a wash statistically. Both players are great, and they will more than likely get theirs throughout the series.
Ultimately, the Lakers have a little more personnel to slowdown Dirk than the Mavericks have to slowdown Kobe. Artest, Odom, Gasol and even Kobe will probably all have their respective opportunities to try and slowdown Nowitzki throughout the series.
It will be up to DeShawn Stevenson and Shawn Marion to try and slowdown Kobe.
Joshua Sexton is a lifelong basketball fanatic, who watches as many games as possible. In addition, He has played and coached the game at the high school level. He has recently started writing about the game of basketball.
