Your Western Conference Finals Preview

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets

Game 1: Tuesday at LA, 9pm

Game 2: Thursday at LA, 9pm

Game 3: Saturday at Den, 8:30pm

Game 4: Monday at Den, 9pm

Game 5: 5/27 at LA, 9pm

Game 6: 5/29 at Den, 9pm

Game 7: 5/31 at LA, 8:30pm

The Lineups:

LA Lakers: Playoff

 Statistics

G: Derek Fisher 7.2 ppg, 2 apg, 1.7 rpg

G: Kobe Bryant 27.4 ppg, 4.5 apg, 5 rpg

F: Trevor Ariza 10.9 ppg, .547 fg%, 2.9 apg

F: Andrew Bynum 5.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 15.5 mpg

C: Pau Gasol 18.5 ppg, 10.8 rpg, .551 fg%

Key Reserves

G: Jordan Farmar 6.2 ppg, 2.1 apg

G: Sasha Vujacic 3.9 ppg, .281 fg%

F: Lamar Odom 12.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg

G: Shannon Brown 6.5 ppg, .588 3-pt%

Denver Nuggets: Playoff Statistics

G: Chauncey Billups 22.1 ppg, 7.3 apg, 54.1 3-pg%

G: Dahntay Jones 7.6 ppg, 54.0 fg%

F: Carmelo Anthony 27 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.3 apg

F: Kenyon Martin 9.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg

C: Nene 12.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 55.3 fg%

Key Reserves

G: J.R. Smith 16.3 ppg, 49.6 fg%

F: Chris Andersen 6.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg

G: Anthony Carter 3.5 ppg, 2.8 apg

The Keys to the series:

• Can Derek Fisher stay in front of Chauncey Billups on defense? He struggled with this when he faced Aaron Brooks and struggled mightily trying to cut off the penetration of Deron Williams. The Lakers best game defensively vs. Houston came in game 3 when Jordan Farmar got the start due to Fisher's suspension. If he can't stay in front of Billups, the Nuggets' offense gets a huge edge with J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony from the outside.
• Which Laker team shows up? The Lakers went 7 games with a young, short-handed, Houston team. As Kobe Bryant said after yesterday's game, the Lakers have been bipolar. Andrew Bynum needs to step up on the inside and provide the muscle the Lakers need. Hes averaged 5.6 ppg in these playoffs and until he returns to the form he had during the regular season, the Lakers will struggle. 
• Is Denver's best basketball in front of them? Since acquiring Billups at the start of the season this team has grown from a middle tier Western Conference team, to a title contender. He has provided the veteran leadership that some of these younger dynamic players needed. 'Melo has been on fire in these playoffs and the Nuggets bench has added the depth they needed. Can George Karl's team keep that defense going and advance to the finals?
• Trevor Ariza vs. Carmelo Anthony: Ariza most likely will guard Anthony throughout the series and his length could be a factor. Ariza is 6'8'' and has been a huge part in the Lakers success since coming over from the Magic last year.   
  

Bottom line is if the Lakers want this series, they will win it. They are the more talented team, and I believe they have the edge in depth that they have from the bench. The Lakers need to start from game 1 unlike they did with the Rockets. If it wasn't for Houston being short Yao and T-Mac, we would be discussing a Houston-Denver conference finals. 

Prediction: Lakers in 6 games. I think this series goes one of two ways. They Lakers come out and take care of business from the opening tip tomorrow and take the Nuggets to task, or the Lakers continue with their bipolar ways and lose this series in 7 games. The Lakers beat the Nuggets 2 out the 3 times they faced them this year with Chauncey and 7 out of the last 8 overall. I'm not sure I'm ready to right off the Lakers and I still feel their best basketball lies in-front of them. At the end of the day I like Kobe more than I like Carmelo in the playoffs.

Check tomorrow for the Eastern Finals Preview.