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Los Angeles Lakers Lock Up the #1 Seed In The Western Conference

What a season for our beloved Lakers. Training camp and most of the off-season was full of kobe trade talk and kobe being upset that the Lakers front office didnt get him any help. But early in the season the general manager Mitch Kubpchak starting making his moves also the emergence of the center Andrew Bynum gaves us lots of hope. He traded Maurice Evans and Brian Cook for Trevor Ariza an athletic and outstanding forward but his season was cut short due to a leg injury. After this trade went down the laker faithful assumed that this was all the Lakers would do to improve the squad...............

But the biggest trade in the NBA took place the lakers traded center Kwame Brown and rookie point guard Javaris Crittenton, two draft picks for all star center Paul Gasol. This ignited the fire for the lakers and the team will only get better when Bymun and Ariza return which should be during the second round of the playoffs. The Lakers had what it took during the season to win tough in-conference games on the road. With the thrashing of the Sacramento Kings the Lakers get an extra day of rest and will play either the Dallas Mavericks or the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the playoffs this weekend.

Could we see the Lakers and Celtics in the finals again just like the 80s? Time will only tell.......

How did your favorite NBA team do this year? Any Predictions?

Eddy Martinez
Nationwide Funding Group
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Posted by Eddy Martinez on 04/16/2008 03:24 PM

Comments (40)

eddy martinez, los angeles lakers, gasol, bryant, odom, fisher, phil jackson, 2008, western conference

Post is included in group: RE Pros who are Football Fanatics
Post is included in group: Sports Talk

40 Comments on Los Angeles Lakers Lock Up the #1 Seed In The Western Conference

APR

2008

Eddy -- You know our neighborhood is -- I can remember back in the day -- whenever the Lakers won a championship, people would all come out of their homes and shoot off (illegal) fireworks in the middle of the street .... It was always a major celebration ... maybe those days are on their way back!

Cheryl what you are saying is true, i was a youngster back in the showtime days but i remember that all happening on figueroa and york !!!!!!!!!

The Good Ole Days :)

Eddy

APR

2008

For the folks in other parts of the country: You gotta visualize this ... the streets are deserted throughout the whole second half of the game ... everyone is inside glued to their TV set -- as soon as the final buzzer sounds -- (a Laker win is a given) everybody pours out their doors to party on the streets....

Envision the same scene here in northeast los angeles with the LA Dodgers after Kirk Gibson hit that historical home run in game one of the 1988 world series against the Oakland A`s!!!!!!!!!

Eddy

APR

2008

Eddy...looks like it could be an old fashioned Lakers-Celtics matchup...wouldn't that be cool!

BLR Guy------------ I am keeping my fingers crossed for that to actually occur. So far so good the Celtics blew out the Hawks and the Lakers blew out the Nuggets in the first game of their respective series.

Eddy

APR

2008

Eddy...I know the Celtics have a much easier road....The Lakers may still need to beat Utah and The Champs to even get to the finals....But it would be great if that rivalry could be rekindled!

Theres no doubt that the Celtics will make it out of the eastern conference the only team that has a chance against them is the Pistons. They are down 1-0 against the 76ers but they will regroup and take control of the series. The only team that has a chance to beat the Lakers are the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.

What happened to the suns? They are not playing well...................

Eddy

I see the Pistons on the down side and the way they were goofing around with the Sixers was just crazy...

I also think the Suns are on the downside and the long term affect of the Shaq trade will be showing soon.

BLR guy------- i have changed my mind since my last post in regards to the Detroit Pistons. I have a feeling that they will exit the playoffs sooner than we all think.

The Suns and that trade for Shaq was terrible. Shaq is just too old and slow. When the Spurs hurry back on offense Shaq is still in the back court jogging to catch up on defense.

Eddy

APR

2008

I agree with you on both points...although I think Detroit will get out of the first round,I think Orlando may take them out.

I really do not know what Phoenix was thinking...especially with their up tempo offense...they will probably be in the lottery in the next couple of years.

BLR Guy------- Speaking of Orlando Hedo Turkulo is having a hell of a series that guy is shooting lights out !!!!!! The pistons blew out the hawks but if they meet Orlando in the second round they will have their hands full.

Phoenix made a terrible trade, Shawn Marion did many little things on the court that go unnoticed.

Eddy

APR

2008

I agree with your assessment of Shawn Marion.I think Miami has the chance to get good again quickly.

I thought the first round of playoffs was 3 out of 5....I think they are actually 4 out of 7...so,Toronto has a chance to upset Orlando..as they can get hot.But,I think Detroit will lose next round and not make it to the Eastern Conference finals.Who knows?

BLR Guy-------Miami also will have a great shot at getting the number one overall pick in this years draft in June. They expanded the first round of the playoffs to seven games for every round, the first round should only be a 5 game series in my opinion.

Eddy

Eddy..it is all about the $$$$...that is why the playoffs were expanded.I remember when the first round was 2 out of 3...seems like an eternity ago

I hate the lottery...that ping pong ball stuff is crap in my opinion.

BLR Guy----------- Can you blame the NBA? After all it is a business at the end of the day. I agree the lottery is pretty darn annoying they should do it the way the NFL does it.

Eddy

APR

2008

I always believed...you pick where you finish...I could care less if rotten teams sandbag....Houston is the only example where that could be true.They said the same about the Celtics last year..but how could you tell...they were horrible...and thankfully,they lost the ping pong ball madness otherwise,it would have been another 25 win season.

Detroit laid another egg last night...but they should still escape Philly...they will probably get a cheap win in Philly and then win the remaining 2 at home..If not..Flip can Flop somewhere else as he will probably get the ax.

SA must have heard it is playoff time...as they are 1 away from advancing!

BLR Guy-------- You couldnt of said it any better. Hopefully David Stern wakes up smells the coffee and makes some serious changes.

The Pistons look horrible, they are playing terrible defense it seems like they are trying to look past Philly.

SA is looking sharp and the Suns havent fully messed with the "Big Cactus" aka Shaq. They are an up-tempo team and they just cant play slow methodical half court playoff basketball like their opponents.

Eddy

APR

2008

David Stern won't make that change...and I hope he doesn't add anymore teams and continue to water down the scoring.

My C's stubbed their toe last night....but will probably be the only game Atlanta wins.

S A should wrap it up today and you can put a fork into one of the worst trades and the end of the Suns

BLR Guy------------- Youre right the NBA wont make any drastic changes in their operations for a long time........

The Celtics had a bad defensive game, did you see Horford from the Haks get in Paul Pierces face at the end of the game? That was a really dumb move.

The Suns are done this afternoon, rumor has it that Suns coach M. Dantoni is on his way out.

Eddy

Eddy,I didn't see Horford's after game act....I guess he will get a dose of reality in the next 2 games....but you see this all the time in sports...Washington just did it with Cleveland and now they are down 3-1...just shut up and play!

Phoenix looks to be extending to another game....but there is no way they are coming out of this 3-0 hole.

I am a bit surprised Denver has had no showing whatsoever against your Lakers....next round should be interesting though

BLR Guy----------I agree, talk is cheap unless you have lots of credibility or you are the defending champions..........

The Suns finally decided to come out and play in the fourth game of the series. You can stick a fork in them, there's is no way they are beating the Spurs in San Antonio in game 5.

Coach Karl of the Nuggets has totally lost his team. They don't listen to him and refuse to play defense but he will be back as head coach next year. Utah vs the Lakers is going to be a great series but we should take them in 5 games, Utah cant handle us at Staples center.

Eddy

APR

2008

Just remember...Utah has only lost 5 games(1 to Boston) at home this year...but you are correct...they had a hard time on the road....they did handle the Celtics in Boston though.

Detroit finally solved Philly in the 2nd half of game 4.Philly is a pretty bad free throw shooting team and those teams do not survive in the playoffs.

Dallas is another team who made a rotten trade and is also on the same elevator as Phoenix heading down.

I expect the C's to take care of business in Atlanta tonight.

BLR Guy------------- Funny thing is that nobody was able to handle the Celtics in Boston for the most part. The Celtics will close out the lowly Hawks in the next two games.

You are right Phillys run is over, they should trade Iverson back he doesnt fit in Denver.

Dallas is also out , did you hear what Howard said in regards to smoking pot?

Eddy

APR

2008

LOL..yes the Howard comments are quite comical!

Your Lakers sealed the deal while My C's continued to struggle...blowing a 10 point lead in the 4th....for some reason,they had their problems with teams like this all year...Charlotte gave them fits as well and after what happened to the Patriots....anything can happen

Orlando also took care of business...so they are ready and waiting for Detroit.

L A shouldn't have the same cake walk against the Spurs though....make sure Memphis is on your Christmas card list...LOL

In regards to Josh Howard, thats what i call shooting yourself in the foot lol !!!!!!!!

The Lakers played a pretty bad defensive game, the nuggets made over 25 layups unbelievable!!!!!! But at the end of the day they took care of business.....................

Memphis is clearing alot of salary cap space thanks to us :)

Whats up the "mighty" Celtics ? Could the Atlanta Hawks pull off the greatest upset in NBA history? Boston is a tough place to play at but the Hawks are thriving at home.

Eddy

Eddy...The Hawks are NOT going to beat Boston...just isn't happening..it makes for great drama though.

I don't care what kind of spin memphis puts on that trade...it wasn't very good on their end.The Celtics always used to make these kinds of trades in the past with idiot partners too...

One last thought....although The Hawks somehow did win the last 2 games...there is a reason they only won 36 all year and looked pitiful in Boston....

BLR Guy---------- Well if thats the case the Celtics need to start taking care of business ! The Lakers just swept the Denver Nuggets who are a clearly superior team to that of the Atlanta Hawks. The Pistons who are also in the Eastern Conference are also struggling against another terrible team, the 76ers.

Eddy

APR

2008

That is true about the Nuggets...but the Hawks are playing hard..the Nuggets didn't seem to.The Sixers have played pretty well since their trade and have beaten some good teams along the way.

It is a long road.....so let's sit back and enjoy the ride to the championship..It is gonna be Lakers-C's;)

Josh Smith is having a hell of a series and they are picking some momentum, but the Celtics should handle them tonight in Boston. The Sixers are playing great basketball except for Andre Iguodala whats going on with him?

Youre right we are still a long way from the NBA Finals.............

Eddy

Eddy..did you see Avery Johnson just got the chop....he will land somewhere.It is so hard to pull for Dallas with Mark Cuban in charge.

I am getting ready to watch the Celts.....I am hoping for a much different result tonight..LOL

BLR Guy---------- Yeah i heard the news this morning which wasnt all that surprising the head coach is always the fall guy on a underachieving ballclub. Dantoni from the Suns looks to be the next to go. Mark Cuban and Al Davis have alot in common, which isnt a good thing at all!

The Celtics have all of the pressure on them tonight!! Good Luck ...........

Eddy

MAY

2008

Eddy....Well..The Celts did what they needed to do...I didn't realize Atlanta was 12-33 on the road...that is pitiful.

Even if Atlanta survives Friday...they will need a miracle in a game 7 at the Garden.

Phoenix says they want to keep their coach...that usually means..he is toast..LOL

How about Washingtom surviving for another day....

MAY

2008

I think we might be seeing that rematch from the 80's....L.A. is going to win it all though

Andy-------- Regardless of the match up in the NBA finals i really hope that the laker's win it all!!!!!! The Celtics have shown that they can not win on the road and if the Pistons steal one in Boston they will be in serious trouble.

Eddy

JUN

2008

Yup, we are going to see the Lakers Celtics!!! I can't wait for the Finals to start!!!

Andy Laughlin

Connect Realty

JUN

2008

Game #2: Lakers ( 0 ) vs. Boston ( 1)

How do you see tomorrow's game and why?

What are your keys to the game?

Andy-------- Sorry about the late response but i had a bad feeling about the game before it began. As long as lakers win tonights game 2 then we will be ok since we have games 3 through 5 in LA......

Find a notary--------- The keys to tonight's game are the following

1- Lakers perimeter defense. They allowed too many open three pointers.

2- Lakers need to simply put the ball into the hole!! There were at least 8 shots during the course of the game that rimmed out.

3- Hustle, Lakers need to dive and scramble for all of the loose balls. Quite frankly they played lazy during game one.

Enjoy the game :)

Go Lakers!!!!!!!!

Eddy

JUN

2008

It is over for the 2007 - 2008 NBA Season.

Boston Celtics are World Champs amidst a controversy of fixed games, something I have suspected since the 1999-2000 Conference Finals, the Lakers vs. Trailblazers.

It was an aweful Championship game. The Lakers showed no heart and played with n defense.

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