The Los Angeles Lakers are up 3-1 after a very controversial call Tuesday night in San Antonio at the end of game 4.

Joey Crawford, the referee (whom I think is one of the best refs around in any sport) made the call that Brent Barry was not fouled by Derek Fisher, and the game ended on a missed hail-mary shot from way downtown.

Well, yesterday, the NBA reviewed the call and said that it should have been called as a two shot foul. Now, considering Barry made both of those shots, the game may have had a different outcome, but I doubt it. If you haven't led for an entire 48 minutes, I doubt that you will be able to gather enough momentum from 2 foul shots to go into overime and win.

So, with that said, I don't think it would have changed the outcome at all. Hell, I don't even think Barry would have sunk both free throws, but we'll never know, will we?

Even if the Spurs don't win this series, I doubt that Spurs fans will hold that call in their memories as what cost them their season. I think that they are very respectable and decent fans, and wouldn't bame the bad call on the Lakers or their fans.

I'm 100% certain that the Lakers aren't letting the thought of the NBA Finals get in the way of their game tonight, so I'm gonna think about it for them!

Say the Lakers advance and sit around until June 5th waiting for the Celtics and Pistons to hurry up, yada yada yada. Here is what I believe would happen to each possible NBA Finals opponent of the Lakers:

Lakers vs. Celtics
The Celtics get the majority of home game sin this match-up, which up until last week probably meant that they were gonan win. Uh, wrong!

The Pistons, who are a far inferior team to the current boys in Purple and Gold, defeated the Celtics in Boston by 6. Now, if Boston keeps playing how they have played, then I firmly believe the Lakers can steal at least one game in the Garden.

Lakers in 6.

Lakers vs. Pistons
The Pistons make noise every year, but when the get to the East Finals, they lose. If that changes, I doubt that they will be ready enough to face as fast and smart of a team as the Lakers.

If Tayshaun Prince has to guard Kobe, then Kobe will jus pull out his bag of tricks like he did in Game 1 of the West Finals, scoring only 2 in the first half, and exploding in the 3rd and 4th quarters, scoring 25. You can bank on something similar from him and the rest of the Lakers if they have to play Detroit.

Lakers in 5.

Thanks for reading! Take care!

-Mike Greenspire

That's right, there's something I have to admit. It's been bugging me for the past couple months, and I think that it is finally time to come out and say it.

Some of you may be very surprised to hear this. I hope nobody goes into shock.

But, I am now "coming out of the closet" and admitting something I have never said to anyone ever before.

You probably know my favorite team in the NBA is the Orlando Magic. Yeah, they are my favorite, but with them comes another team, my other favorite.

I, Mike J. Greenspire, have been a closet Los Angeles Lakers fan for the past couple years, and this is the first time I have actually come out and said anything about it.

I hope nobody views me differently due to my “preferences”.

All I can ask is that you try to work with me, and try to still be my friend.

All the while, the Lakers are whoopin’ ####!

GO LAKERS!

-Mike Greenspire

E-mail: greenspire.mike@gmail.com

Did anyone happen to watch the San Antonio Spurs beat down n the Los Angeles Lakers last night. Well, I did, and I was disappointed with the lack of effort the Lakers put into the game.

That is, until there was only 2 minutes and 56 seconds remaining. Then they got aggressive, hoho! We have to wait until we’re down by 20 to start doing good, Kobe said so!

What the f***?

Seriously?

You gotta be kidding me.

They were more relaxed than a drunk guy, high on anesthesia for 44 minutes and 4 seconds. Then, when somebody asked himself “Self, can we lose by 20?” Self said “NO!” so, they only lost by 19 due to the kinda play you wanna see outta guys making millions to win. But, they only used that kinda lay for roughly 3 minutes!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOIN’?

I’m glad I didn’t bet on the Lakers, because I would have had I found a Spurs fan somewhere. Whew, at least I’m off the hook there.

I want to see more aggressiveness and hard-nosed ballin’, or I’m gonna wait until I read the paper the next morning to find out who won, Kobe, so get your and your teammates acts together, and perform like you did in Games 1 and 2.

No money lost there, but the Pens better get something going quick or I’ma lose some serious moolah.

-Mike Greenspire

Well, in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, it wasn’t exactly as close as I predicted it would be, but at least I picked the correct winner. The final score was 101-71 in favor of the Lakers.

Wow. This surprised me for one, because I expected to see a lot more fight out of the Spurs, but they looked very relaxed, and somewhat tired. The Lakers coming back from a 25-point-deficit in Game 1 on Wednesday might have something to do with that. Kobe didn’t wait until 6:00 left in the 3rd to get hot, scoring 13 in the first half. Kobe scored a game-high 22 points.

But, if you ask me the main reason that this game was a blowout was because Jordan Farmar really stepped up on both ends of the floor, scoring 14 or the team’s points. Leaving out Sasha Vujacic and Lamar Odom would be unwise, because they both did terrific last night, having sensational defensive stands, and combing for 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

However, the one concern I would have if I were the Lakers would be Radmanovic only registering 4 points and 2 rebounds. This surprised me because in Game 1, he was a little more of a factor, with 10 points and 5 rebounds.

For the Lakers to go up 3-0, they need to get Odom, Farmar, and Vujacic into it right off the tip. Kobe’s confidence is always there, but these guys need his leadership to put up a performance, that when combined with the rest of the team’s, gives them a 30-point victory.

For the Spurs to get on the board in the series, they need Manu Ginobili to get on fire; he has only scored 17 points this series. Tim Duncan disappointed in Game 2. After a 30-point, 18-rebound Game 1, he only scored 12 points in game 2, yet somehow kept his rebound total up there at 16.

The keys for each team are:

Lakers: Get the teammates involved early. Kobe can obviously get there confidence up early and wait until the 3rd to start scoring.

Spurs: Manu needs to breakout and expose a poor match-up, while keeping Duncan in the game. If Duncan can’t get the ball, he can’t score, and you bet he needs another 25 or 30-point performance if the Spurs want a chance come 3 minutes left in the game.

Enjoy your Memorial Weekend!

-Mike Greenspire

After last night's 103-97 loss to the Detroit Pistons in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, is there reason for panic in Boston now?

I'm gonna get killed for flip-flopping twice in two days, but yes, there is reason for pani in Boston.

In case you haven't heard, which I'm sure somewhere you have, the Boston Celtics have not yet won a road game, and their first home loss was last night, to the Pistons.

So, hypothetically, Detroit should take this series in 5 or 6 games. I still have my doubts about both teams, but that scenario is the most likely to happen in the next week and a half.

Ray Allen had the breakout game we've been waiting for, and I, for one, saw it coming. Yet, despite his 25 point performance, as well as KG's 24 and Pierce's 26, the Celtics still lost.

Wow, this win speaks volumes for the Pistons; as they say "Actions speak louder than words" Good thing nobody talked beore the game! (cough, cough, Jameer Nelson, cough, cough) Grrrrrr.......

Anyways, the Pistons now have theoretically 2 easy wins at the Palace, and a real chance to go up 3-1 on the favorites.

Do I think it will happen exactly like that? Nope, not exactly.

I think that the Pistons, even though they are a veteran team, may slack off a bit, get cocky having beaten the Celtics in their house, but will still find a way to pull off game 3. Game 4 I'm not so sure about. The Celtics have to win that game because even if they win Game 5 @ Boston, they can't afford to be in a elimination game heading abck to Detroit. Either game, 3 or 4, is a must-win for the Celtics. They do not need both, just one.

The C's better win, I got money on their @$$es!!!

Now, for the West Finals. The Lakers are palying Game 2from LA tonight, looking to go up 2-0 on the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, after an improbable win on Wednesday coming back from a 20-point-deficit (I believe it was 20?). Kobe had a sensational second-half, scoring 92.6 percent of his points in the final two quarters.

"I can just turn it on whenever" is what he had to say in the post-game press conference.

Hmm. Well, ya can't argue with him, can you? It would be like debating religion to a scientologist, to be blunt.

Gasol and Kobe should be lightin' it up all night, and I'm not gonna gurantee anything this time, or make any wild predictions like a blowout, but I don't think that the Lakers will let it stay that close for that long tonight. I'll say, a final of 99-87.

Thanks for reading! Have a good Memorial Day Weekend!

-Mike Greenspire