The question of whether Kobe Bryant is too old, not fast enough, or good enough has been quickly put to rest as he averaged over 30 PPG while shooting over 50 percent from the field in this year's semifinals.
Unlike the Spurs and Hawks, the Jazz have actually been good competitors against the Lakers. In every game, the Lakers built a major lead, then the Jazz came back and made the Lakers beat them.
What this series basically came down to was size. The Lakers were just too big for the Jazz to come out and compete against.
Without Mehmet Okur playing and Andrei Kirilenko barely being a factor, the Lakers were able to manhandle the Jazz in the paint.
But it wasn't easy as the Jazz are extremely self-disciplined due to Jerry Sloan's great coaching style.
Game Three's victory came on a missed tip-in at the end of regulation by Matthews that would have given the Jazz the victory in that game. But like everything else this season and playoffs, when it's all said and done, things simply went the Lakers way.
In the past 10 years, I don't think I have seen a Lakers team as lucky and fortunate to manage and pull out a victory at the end of games.
It does require skill, but sometimes its just luck and the Lakers were very lucky in this series.
Moving forward, the Lakers now have a week off to patch up their bandages and catch up on some sleep and come back next week to play a well-rested Phoenix Suns team who also managed to sweep their semifinals opponent.
In 2006, the Lakers loss to the Phoenix Suns in seven games after failing to close a 3-1 series lead. This was also the classic series where Bryant was clothesl...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
