Though the oddsmakers seem to disagree with me completely, tonight is when the Los Angeles Lakers should finish the Western Conference finals against Denver.
Yes, it's true they have Game 7 to fall back on in LA. But it appears in the last few games the Lakers have regained that little something that can only be described as "Lakerisma.''
You know, charisma, Lakers style.
Up 3-2, if they squeeze the Nuggets early in tonight's game, it's going to be tough for the Nuggets to keep things together. They still haven't done anything of note in the playoffs, remember. They have talked big and tough in every series, but the Lakers have shown they know how to combat that.
And if Lamar Odom gives them just a little something close to the 19 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks he had in Game 5, the Lakers have a bench that even J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen can't match.
By the way, whatever happened to J.R. Smith?
Take away Game 4 against the Lakers, and he's 10-for-41 from the field in the conference finals. That includes 1-for-10 from 3-point land in Game 5.
The guy has reverted into the guy everybody else in the league actually thought he was.
At any rate, the Lakers need to put the Nuggets out of their misery tonight. As much as everybody likes Game 7 scenarios, this series doesn't need one.
--Eddie Sefko
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