We knew it was going to happen sometime soon, but I don't think any of us expected to happen within a week of each other, but that's what's happened here.

What's interesting is the Mavs aren't too far behind. This might be there only shot before OKC, MEM, POR, etc take over the West for a good while.

I know it's less compelling a story, but didn't everyone already believe the Spurs were finished after last season against the Suns (or even '09).

There was just a surprise resurgence during this year's regular season. I guess you could say this year makes it official, but in the minds of most, imo, it already was.

First off, I wouldn't count the Lakers out this year until they're out.

Furthermore, LA is almost always a free agent signing (Dwight Howard) or a lopsided trade away (Pau Gasol part 2) from being right back on or near the top.

The Spurs will have a much tougher time achieving elite status again.

The Lakers obviously need to do some tinkering (i.e. find a perimeter player other than Kobe that can create his own shot; truly address their PG situation) but they still have plenty there with which to win the whole thing. Gasol, Bynum, and Odom aren't THAT old and Kobe certainly isn't the sole reason they've been losing to Dallas.

They've played in the last game of the season three straight years. There's a reason why it's been 25 years since a team's done that four straight -- it's hard to do. Real hard.

moorehead hit the nail on the head.

The Spurs run is over, and has been for 4 years now. The Lakers not so much.

I don't know why the Lakers were not as good this year as they were last. Lack of motivation I guess. But with their core group (Bynum, Gasol, Bryant and Odom) under contract through 2012 they have a lot of options going forward.

Kobe, Gasol, and Odom are all on the backside of their careers and are going to do nothing except get worse.

That was a lopsided trade:

If the Lakers had gotten anything back in the Marc Gasol trade they'd probably be up 2-0.





(stolen material)

'Kobe, Gasol, and Odom are all on the backside of their careers and are going to do nothing except get worse.'

Kidd and Dirk are older than Odom and Gasol and Kobe will NEVER be the guy that gets you beat no matter how old he is...he'll retire before he gets to that point.

Bottom line is the Lakers can't shoot a whole heck of a lot worse than they did in the second half last night (or the whole game from 3). 32 points in the back half of a crucial game is flat out putrid. Not saying they have a chance in this series, but age is certainly no excuse at this point.

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Kobe, Gasol, and Odom are all on the backside of their careers and are going to do nothing except get worse.

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Maybe so, but those 3 guys plus Bynum will still be one of the best cores in the league for another 4-5 years. They'll still be in the mix, particular if they add another stud via FA or trade.

I'm sorry, but it's too early to declare that their era of domininace is emphatically over.

The Lakers don't rebuild, they reload.

I'm not saying the Lakers are going to become a lottery team, but we are seeing the changing of the guard right before our eyes right now.

Dallas isn't far away either from falling apart. This literally is probably their last opportunity to win it all. I think this year marks the beginning of the flop between the 1-4 and the 4-8 seeds in the West.

Lakers arent done yet. There's no way that JJ Barea ends the Kobe dynasty. No way. But then again I also said that there's no way a Zach Randolph led 8 seed team ends the Duncan dynasty.

When you Lakers and Spurs you really mean Kobe and Duncan. Duncan is clearly done as an all-star and Kobe could be done as the top alpha dog in the playoffs (but let's not bury him yet).

This is not the last hurrah for the Mavs. Dirk is still cruising along in his prime. Chandler will be resigned for way too much money but a Dirk/Chandler nucleus can win Everyone else is completely interchangeable. Terry and Kidd come off the books after next year. Unless you guys want to declare the Mavs done and irrelevant like you tried to do in 2008. If this group of spares can take down the champs then you have to feel good about the future.

I think what you are going to start seeing is the change of the dominant conferences. Miami and Chicago look loaded, if Paul really does sign with the Knicks, they could be a force, and the Celtics have a couple years left where they can hang.

It just seems like whenever we crown teams as the next team to rise and take over a conference, they slide back down.

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That's true. In '06 I was sure that Dallas and Phoenix were going to win multiple titles between the two of them.

Then Miami with Wade and Shaq seemed like they were going to be the team to beat.

Then Cleveland looked like they would win a championship at some point for sure.

Then after the '08 season Boston looked like they were about to go on a run of championships.

After last year LA looked like they'd be a dynasty for another several years.

It has never looked more wide open than this year.

Officially? I can see the Spurs, but when did an NBA playoff series end after 2 games? You Mavs fans should know that better than most (see Heat in NBA Finals circa 2005.)