Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum: Why Dethroning L.A. Lakers Will Be a Difficult Task
Last night's NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks was supposed to be a very important game for both teams and for two-and-a-half quarters, it was.
The game was a battle for the No. 2 seed in the West; a win by either team would also clinch the season series.
But more importantly, the contest would also draw the victor closer in the standings to the San Antonio Spurs, whose five-game losing streak has placed their hopes of earning the conference's top seed in jeopardy.
The Lakers and Mavericks played on even terms for the first half of the game—both teams performed with an intensity that is usually reserved for the playoffs.
But in the third quarter, the tide of momentum shifted in the Lakers' favor and when the two-time defending champions turned it on, the game got ugly fast.
The Lakers physically, emotionally and mentally overwhelmed the Mavericks.
In the process, they left little doubt as to who the West's top team is, regardless of the final seedings.
Los Angeles defeated Dallas 110-82, but the 28-point margin of victory doesn't begin to convey how bad the beating administered by the Lakers really was.
The win was the 16th in 17 games for the Lakers since the All-Star break, while Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum once again served as the catalysts.
Bryant dominated the Mavericks on the perimeter with 28 points and Bynum demoralized them in the interior by scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, turning the battle in the paint into a horrible mismatch.
Some observers have theorized that the Mavericks were one of the teams who could possibly upset the Lakers in the West because on paper, Dallas seems to have a roster that mirrors the Lakers in size and depth.
Dallas has two seven-footers in Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood, and they have a bevy of guards who are capable of applying offensive pressure from all over the court.
But as we all found out on Thursday night, the Mavericks don't have anyone on their roster quite like Bryant or Bynum.
The message the Lakers sent to Dallas applies for anyone they might face in the postseason.
If you can't match Bryant and Bynum's toughness on the perimeter and in the paint, then you have no chance at all of defeating the Lakers.
Bynum spent most of his time on the court bullying Chandler, Haywood and the Mavericks' other seven-footer, Dirk Nowitzki, and when he wasn't dunking on Dallas' entire frontline, Bryant was making their life miserable on the perimeter.
Bryant only shot 8-21 from the field, but a few of those buckets were of the and-one variety, and they were usually a result of a futile defensive effort by numerous Mavericks.
The game eventually got away from the Mavericks early in the fourth quarter, and they were reduced to basic acts of thuggery fueled by desperation.
Dallas guard Jason Terry's flagrant two foul on Lakers guard Steve Blake led to ejections for Matt Barnes, Blake, Terry and Mavericks center Brendan Haywood.
But the Mavericks desperate measures only illustrated the dilemma that any team facing the Lakers in the coming weeks must contend with.
The Lakers are not only big and talented, but they are also tough and that attitude is embodied by Bryant and Bynum.
Bryant and Bynum may be the best players in the West at their respective positions, and they are definitely the most physical.
What other team in the West can stand up to their pressure in a seven-game series?
Not San Antonio, who may have the size to match the Lakers but lack interior depth and a player who can contain Bryant.
Not Oklahoma City, whose fans will soon learn that Kendrick Perkins was a much more effective player as a member of the Celtics.
And certainly not Dallas, who answered any questions about whether or not they were a true title contender in their demolition at the hands of Bryant and Bynum.
