That question is becoming more and more relevant in the face of the Lakers' strong play as the regular season draws to a close. Of course the Lakers can be beat, but are any of this year's other contenders up to the task?
In the West, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Dallas are considered to be the top choices to potentially dethrone the Lakers, and beyond the West, Chicago, Boston and Miami are the popular choices to meet the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
Each one of those teams except the Thunder have defeated the Lakers in the regular season, and each one gave a glimpse of what it would take to beat them in a series.
The trick will be finding a way to maintain consistency in the face of the Lakers' size, talent and experience, and as they have proved the past two seasons, it will not be a simple task.
The Lakers benefit from understanding exactly what it takes to win an NBA championship, and they have the advantage of being arguably the league's most complete team.
But the Lakers do have flaws, and each of the teams listed above have systems or players that are capable of exposing those flaws and capitalizing on them.
I have compiled a list that ranks each of the three teams in the West, and what they must do to beat the Lakers in a seven-game series.
And if the Lakers should survive the West, then there are potentially three other teams from the East who are looking for a chance to end their reign in the 2011 NBA Finals.
All six of the teams mentioned have a legitimate shot at knocking off the champs, but they must capitalize on the advantages they have and find a way to neutralize the Lakers' strengths.
There may be other teams who have a chance of beating the Lakers in a seven-game series, and please feel free to mention any teams who have a shot at...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
