With 82 games behind us in one of the craziest Lakers' seasons of late, it's FINALLY time for some playoff basketball. What started at 9-8 with all of the looks of another mediocre season, the Lakers (and Mitch) turned things around into their first #1 seed since 2000. The Lakers head into this series with hopes of avoiding their third-straight first-round dismissal. In the previous two seasons the Suns dismissed the Lakers early. This season, the Denver Nuggets stand in the way of redemption.
The Lakers are 3-0 in the season series with a 127-99 win on 11/29 at home, a 111-107 win on 12/5 at the Pepsi Center, and a 116-99 win on 1/21 at home. In the regular season, the Lakers scored 108.6 points per game and allowed 101.3 points per game with an offensive rating at 3rd of 30 and a defensive rating at 5th of 30. The Nuggets scored 110.7 points per game and allowed 107.0 points per game with an offensive rating at 11th of 30 and a defensive rating at 10th of 30. All three of the Lakers' wins were prior to the Gasol trade.
Series Schedule: Game One Sunday - 4/20 Nuggets @ Lakers Noon - ABC Announcers: Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Michele Tafoya
Game Two Wednesday - 4/23 Nuggets @ Lakers 7:30pm - TNT/FSN TNT Announcers: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller and Craig Sager
Game Three Saturday - 4/26 Lakers @ Nuggets 2:30pm - TNT/KCAL TNT Announcers: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller and Craig Sager
Game Four Monday - 4/28 Lakers @ Nuggets 7:30pm - TNT/KCAL TNT Announcers: Marv Albert, Reggie Miller and Craig Sager
The Lakers are 61-28 in best-of-seven series (any round) all-time. (55-27 Los Angeles, 6-1 Minneapolis)
The Lakers are 57-32 in Game 1 of best-of-seven series (any round) all-time. (53-29 Los Angeles, 4-3 Minneapolis)
When winning Game 1 of a best-of-seven series (any round), the Lakers are 50-7. (46-7 Los Angeles, 4-0 Minneapolis)
When losing Game 1 of a best-of-seven series (any round), the Lakers are 11-21 all-time. (9-20 Los Angeles, 2-1 Minneapolis)
The Lakers are 50-39 in Game 2 of best-of-seven series (any round) all-time. (47-35 Los Angles, 3-4 Minneapolis)
When splitting Games 1 and 2 of a best-of-seven series (any round), the Lakers are 25-12 all-time. (20-12 Los Angeles, 5-0 Minneapolis)
When losing Games 1 and 2 of a best-of-seven series (any round), the Lakers are 2-15 all-time. (2-14 Los Angeles, 0-1 Minneapolis)
When winning both Games 1 and 2 of a best-of-seven series (any round), the Lakers are 34-1 all-time. (33-1 Los Angeles, 1-0 Minneapolis)
Opening Round History (from game notes): The Lakers have opened the Playoffs in the FIRST Round 36 times and in the SECOND round on seven occasions (1962, 63, 65, 66, 80, 82, 83) since moving to Los Angeles prior to the 1960-61 season. The Lakers have won 33-of- 43 opening playoff series over that span and are 124-66 (.653) in opening round games.
In Game 1’s of their first postseason series, the Lakers are 31-12. When the Lakers have had home-court advantage in the opening round, they have posted a 30-2 series record. When winning Game 1 in the opening round, the Lakers have a series record of 30-1. Their lone loss came to the Phoenix Suns (2-3) in 1993. When falling behind 0-1 in the opening round, the Lakers are 3-9.
Staples Center Advantage (from game notes): Since moving to STAPLES Center prior to the 1999-2000 season, the Lakers have won 81% of their postseason games (43-10). The Lakers have topped the century mark in nearly half of their postseason home games at STAPLES Center (26-of-53) while the opposition has been held under 100 points in all but 12 of those games. In their last 16 home playoff games, the Lakers are 13-3.
Good read, too bad that we have to listen to Marv and Reggie.
I believe Iverson is the Nuggs' shooting guard, and Carter the point guard, I guess Iverson does have more assist and minutes but I think Karl lists them that way.
Last edited by nba is the worst on April 20th at 1:14 AM.
I'm a realistic observer of the vast world that surrounds the Los Angeles Lakers. You can thank Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Elden Campbell, Cedric Ceballos, and Vlade Divac for making that possible. The greatest person of all time is Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn. There's no getting around that. Me? I'm eighteen years old and working my way to a journalism degree.
