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For the Lakers, a two-game losing streak threatens to dampen the good vibes since the acquisition of new point guard Ramon Sessions, plus swelling hopes for home-court advantage throughout much of the playoffs. For the Mavericks, a four-game winning streak could signal stability after an inconsistent, sometimes turbulent season. Will either team find its path interrupted? We'll see, but after Lakers losses to shorthanded Jazz and Rockets squads, Brendan Haywood and Delonte West being definitely out for the Mavs, plus the possibility of Shawn Marion missing the game, doesn't feel like asset. Any scenario offering the Lakers an excuse to dial back their execution and focus feels dangerous, especially on the road.

For a look at what may lie ahead, I had an instant message conversation with Jeff Caplan, who covers the Mavs for ESPN Dallas. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: So what's the latest on Marion? He's always a key factor in defending Kobe Bryant.

JC: Marion indeed has been terrific against Kobe this year, limiting him to 14.5 points a game, which is like half his league-leading average, and below 30 percent from the field. His left knee has been sore for weeks, but finally forced him out. It was examined Monday and no structural damage was found. I suspect he plays against L.A., but don't hold me to that.



How do you think the Lakers will be different with Ramon Sessions?

AK: In theory, they'll be running more pick-and-roll, and there's a legitimate threat beyond Kobe at the wing to attack the rim. He's also the fastest point guard since Jordan Farmar, but with a bigger role on the horizon. So in other words, very different, and there will be adjustments for everyone involved. Sessions has to learn the playbook and where his teammates like the ball. Sessions' teammates must get used to his speed, and working with a player not named "Kobe" who keeps the rock in his hands so often. (In particular, the Mamba, who hasn't played with a guard this ball dominant since Nick Van Exel.) And most importantly, Brown must figure out the best ways to mesh his new acquisition, a test for a coach not known for offensive creativity. But with everyone cooperating, it's a marriage that should be tremendously beneficial.

Speaking of marriages (Obligatory Khloe joke alert!!!), what's the latest with "As Lamar Odom turns?"

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With a highly entertaining Western Conference Finals between Dallas and Oklahoma City now in full swing, we asked Clippers forward Ryan Gomes, a six-year vet who has matched up with both Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant, to break down the action for ESPNLA.com.

He looks at Thursday's win in Game 2 for Oklahoma City, and ahead towards Game 3. Here's an excerpt:

"...After Dirk Nowitzki's incredible Game 1, the Thunder did a nice job with their adjustments in Game 2, giving Dirk different looks compared to what they did in the other night. In Game 1 he was fouled a lot, but on the shots where he wasn’t, Dirk had his areas down. He was catching, jabbing, and shooting over guys. He was comfortable. In Game 2, the Thunder ran a few double teams at him, and made him get rid of the ball. Dirk finished with five assists, but in the third quarter the Thunder were forcing turnovers because he and his teammates couldn’t time when that double team was coming.

Oklahoma City did a nice job putting it in Dirk’s mind that help could be coming at any point, and from different places. As a player, that makes you just a little less sure in your moves. Then as they built the lead, they didn’t really want or need to double any more. The Thunder could play Dirk as straight and solid as possible, keeping other defenders on their shooters, knowing if he scored the Mavs still needed two or three more possessions in order to tie.

Dirk still had a great game, with 29 points on only 17 shots from the floor, but over the course of the night Oklahoma City did a nice job changing his rhythm.

Offensively, I thought Oklahoma City did a good job against Dallas' zone, putting Durant on the wing, but moving him around to the middle of the free throw line area. The Thunder tried to get him isolated right there against the guards at the top, so he could take those little mid-range shots or draw attention and kick to the opposite side of the floor. One time, he shot a pull up and missed it, but the Thunder earned the offensive rebound, and were able to capitalize with a nice lefty putback from Nick Collison. That’s the thing about a zone- if you don’t get that first defensive rebound, the opportunities for the offense to go in there and find holes are big.

That’s what they’ll need to keep doing in Game 3. Keep finding ways to get Durant to the middle, and have him make plays.

But even though Dirk and Durant were both good, the big key Thursday was with the other guys on the court..."

For the rest of Gomes' breakdown, including some great stuff on James Harden and the fourth quarter benching of Russell Westbrook, click here.

DALLAS -- Japanese monster movies are filled with scenarios in which otherwise manageable creatures are irradiated, mutate, and develop enough destructive power to take out a few cities. Godzilla, for example. Something similar happened to the Lakers on Sunday afternoon, as the Mavs unleashed a monster wiping out L.A.'s three-peat chase.

Call him Threezilla.

We saw glimpses in the fourth quarter of Game 3, when Dallas canned five of eight tries from beyond the arc, swallowing an eight-point lead for the Lakers and, for all intents and purposes, ending the series. Sunday, however, he finished the job. In the first quarter of Game 4, Dallas hit four of seven from downtown, enough to create four points of separation from L.A. despite putting the Lakers at the line eight times and giving up 13 to Kobe Bryant. In the second, the Mavericks poured it on, overwhelming the increasingly confused visitors. Seven makes in eight tries, including five from Jason Terry, as part of a 36-16 quarter. By halftime, the Mavs had only three fewer triples (11) than the Lakers had field goals and a 24-point lead.

If this were boxing, the ref would have stopped the fight. Game -- and season -- over.

"They just hit three after three after three," Bryant said after the Mavs made 20 in all.

In total, Game 4 was a supersized version of everything plaguing the Lakers throughout the series, save an opportunity to blow a late lead. They lacked any sense of continuity defensively, missing assignments and rotations helping spring the Mavs for open looks. The Lakers, meanwhile, hit only five of 24 from distance Sunday, and 19.7 percent for the series. J.J. Barea, with 22 points and eight assists, again sliced-and-diced the Lakers, combining with Terry (32 points) and Peja Stojakovic (21 points) for 20 makes on 28 tries, part of an 86-point bench performance for Dallas, a painful reminder of their superiority over the Lakers' reserves. And, of course, it was the Mavs keeping their composure while the Lakers shamefully lost theirs. Sunday offered no opportunity to blow a late lead, but the Lakers did pick up a pair of Flagrant-2 fouls in the space of 45 seconds, the most egregious and inexcusable belonging to Andrew Bynum and his cheap shot of a driving Barea.

"They executed extremely well, their spacing was excellent, they shot the ball extremely well. Their depth hurt us. Every night it was another player stepping up and performing, and making big plays. The credit belongs [with them]," Bryant said.

What they had was what the Lakers lacked all season.

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Hey folks. In the wake of Monday's 96-94 loss in Game 1 to the Mavericks at Staples, we joined forces with Jeff Caplan and Tim MacMahon from ESPNDallas.com for a two hour chat.

They held down the first hour, while Andy and I manned the second. To say the least, we covered heaps of ground over the course of 120 minutes, from Kobe Bryant's shot totals, to bench performances, a huge night from Dirk Nowitzki, and Phil Jackson's choices through the second half.

If you missed it, here's the link to the transcript.

For the Lakers, a win tonight is obviously important, but considering their pedigree, it could be seen as little more than the expected handling of business. It's what they're supposed to do, right? For the Mavericks, however, a road victory out of the gate would be massive. Their confidence after closing a series in Portland would be further inflated. Plus, home-court advantage would be, at least temporarily, neutralized, a scenario desperately needed by Dallas to end the Lakers' championship run.

There will be a tone set by tonight's outcome, regardless of who is standing when the dust settles. Here are a few items to keep an eye on once the ball is jumped.

Kobe Bryant in isolation and his outside shooting

Whether specifically because of the "62" game in 2005 or generally because of several strong games in the not-so-distant past, I tend to think of the Mavs as a team Kobe Bryant destroys. That they're low on options to check him (DeShawn Stevenson in limited minutes, Shawn Marion and, um, the popcorn vendor?) only enhances that perception. Thus, I was surprised to learn, via our friends at ESPN Stats & Information, about some of Kobe's numbers this season against Dallas.

On isolation plays this season, Kobe shot 44.3 percent (fourth-highest in the league in iso situations) on 6.3 attempts per game, good for one point per play on average. Against the Mavs, he took more shots in isolation (8.0) but connected at a lower percentage (37.5), dropping the average points per play down to .87.

Continuing that theme, Kobe averaged 8.7 points per game on jumpers 15 feet or further, drilled to the tune of 36.3 percent. Against the Mavs, Bryant was good for just 4.3 points and 22.2 percent shooting.

What to make of the seemingly unlikely dip? After a little digging of my own, I wonder if it could largely reflect one bad game and extenuating circumstances.

Bryant missed 14 of his 20 attempts during a 96-91 win in Dallas and, according to the Hoopdata advanced box score, his outside shooting was particularly horrific. Eight of nine shots were clanged from 16-23 feet. Ditto for all three attempts from behind the arc. Of course, Bryant also badly rolled his left ankle while already mired in a shooting slump. (The previous game was in Miami, site of the famous after-hours shoot-a-thon.) It also stands to reason that at least some of these long shots were created through one-on-one situations.

Remove that game, and the results are a little better. Bad luck from behind the arc persisted, but Kobe has always been a streaky 3-point shooter. In the meantime, he went 2-5 from 16-23 feet during a 109-100 loss and 2-4 from that distance during a 110-82 win. In the former game, Bryant shot 10-18 overall, and in the latter, he visited the line 15 times, meaning any success "containing" Kobe came with an asterisk.

It could be reasonable to conclude the back story surrounding one game could explain, in part, Dallas' unlikely success checking Bryant this season. Then again, considering the state of Kobe's ankle, concerns are understandable. In any event, we'll find out soon enough which iso/outside-shooting version of The Mamba surfaces.

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In our continuing effort to help get you up to speed ahead of Monday's series opener against the Mavs at Staples, we swapped scouting reports with Jeff Caplan, who covers the Mavericks for ESPNDallas.com. (You've already heard from his compadre Tim MacMahon. You can check out our report at ESPNDallas.com and the Mavericks Blog.)

JEFF CAPLAN'S MAVERICKS SCOUTING REPORT


1. Biggest strength: Without question it's Dirk Nowitzki. He has evolved into one of the most strong-willed, clutch players in the game. He emerged as a dominant fourth-quarter performer in the first round against Portland and displayed an arsenal of offensive weaponry, including far more aggressive driving than we've seen. Although he'll be busy on the defensive end against Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, the Lakers haven't found a way to stop Dirk, who averaged 22.0 points and 10.3 rebounds against L.A. this season.

PODCAST
Andy and Brian preview the Lakers-Mavericks Western Conference semifinals with ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon.Podcast

On a team that can't tell you who will be the second-leading scorer from night to night, Dirk will have to play at an MVP level every night. His 27.3 scoring average against Portland, despite shooting only 45.2 percent from the floor, suggests he can.

2. Biggest weakness: The Mavs' small backcourt didn't hurt them as some thought against Portland's bigger guards, especially on the second units, but the Lakers are a whole other story. It all starts with Kobe Bryant. The Mavs don't possess a true shooting guard with size who can defend and score. DeShawn Stevenson, the team's 12th man who became a starter first because of Rodrigue Beaubois' broken foot and then his ineffectiveness, will start out on Bryant; he typically plays only 13-15 minutes. Behind Stevenson is the 6-foot-2 Jason Terry, an offensive force, and Beaubois, plus under-6-foot backup point guard J.J. Barea, who plays the 2 sometimes next to Jason Kidd.

The problem with Kobe then becomes an issue with Ron Artest, because the Mavs' answer to Kobe will be small forward Shawn Marion, which then leaves the 6-4, 210-pound Kidd to wrestle with the 6-7, 260-pound Artest. We saw that movie once, and the Mavs really don't want to see a sequel.

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As the Western Conference inch closer and closer, we continue digging deeper and deeper into the matchup at hand against the Dallas Mavericks. This time, it's a conversation with Tim MacMahon, who covers the team for ESPNDallas.com. The talking points included:

PODCAST
Andy and Brian preview the Lakers-Mavericks Western Conference semifinals with ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon. Podcast

- Just as the Lakers still deal with the "soft" tag, so goes the "choke" tag for the Mavericks. And just like the Lakers, the Mavs have grown rather sick of being asked about their respective reputation. Thus, as MacMahon shares, advancing past the first round -- despite a Game 4 collapse against Portland-- means something for Dallas on a psychological level. Even if Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry are the only remaining members of a 2007 squad ousted in the first round oust as a No. 1 seed, the cloud looms, fairly or not.

- "I think he pretty much has to be absolutely dominant," answered McMahon when asked how well Dirk needs to play for the Mavs to pull the upset. "I think for the Mavericks to have a chance in this series, Dirk clearly has to be the best player on the floor for at least four games."

- MacMahon points to Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion as supporting cast members who must step up in support of Nowitzki. He also says he thinks the confirmed unavailability of Caron Butler hurts. The ex-Laker has been out a while, but were he somehow able to recapture his old form in a hurry, Butler has been the best No. 2 scoring option alongside Nowitzki in quite some time.

- How will the Mavs go about defending Kobe Bryant? In MacMahon's estimation, not particularly well. DeShawn Stevenson is a decent enough option but plays only limited minutes as a starter. If you eventually put Marion on Kobe, that leaves "Pick your undersized Player X" to get bullied by Ron Artest. As for matchups favoring the Mavs, MacMahon says he thinks the backup backcourt of Terry and Jose Barea could provide some fits, but at the end of the day, it's mostly about Dirk being the best big on the floor.

- So what to expect in this series from Mark Cuban and his rarely shut mouth? Beyond "fun" jabs at Artest and Phil Jackson, MacMahon predicted another scenario with the potential to send the billionaire's lips into motion:

"Any time the Mavericks lose, be on the look out for lessons about officiating and journalism, because those are the things that seem to cost the Mavericks a ton of games."

Speaking of patterns, there is a decided rhythm to whenever Cuban decides to embark on an anti-journalism crusade: Mavericks will lose a few straight games, then Cuban will take issue with the press. In 2008, after slow dividends to the Jason Kidd deal, Cuban imposed a brief locker room lockout for any blogger, even those attached to a major newspaper. This pitted MacMahon (then with the Dallas Morning News) and me (then with the L.A. Times) as quasi-political prisoners during a Lakers-Mavs game in Dallas. It also led to my open letter to Cuban calling shenanigans on this nonsense.

Ah, Memory Lane!

- Predictions! MacMahon offers a skeptical"Lakers in 7," while Brian and I both see the Lakers closing out in Game 6.

- With MacMahon gone, Brian and I discuss more Lakers-Mavericks matchups and whether the Lakers can resist the bait that is Dallas' zone defense.

For this week's edition of The Triangle, as is always the hope we put out the call for questions from readers. Unfortunately, a mixup with the script left us unable to use any of them. But we had some great responses, worthy of a public airing.

Here are a few, touching on some of the more common themes as everyone gears up for Monday's Game 1 against the Mavericks:

Q, from @RamiSoufi: Will #Lakers avoid mistakes of #Hornets Game 1 when playing Mavs? Who will mostly guard Dirk? Lakers bench vs Mavs Bench?

A: Kudos to Rami for squeezing three questions into 140 characters. Going in order...

1. If the mistake in Round 1 was a lack of adequate energy and respect for the opponent- it's certainly a common hypothesis- then no. I don't see the Lakers coming out Monday night with too casual an attitude. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but if L.A. goes down, it'll be for different reasons. Dallas is a good team, after all, capable of beating even an engaged Lakers squad.

Game 1's are always critical, but particularly so in this series. Should the Mavs steal the opener at Staples, many of the intangibles connected to questions about the mental makeup of Mark Cuban's squad lighten considerably, an advantage for Dallas because it would eliminate (at least temporarily) all the "So... when are you guys gonna blow it?" questions.

2. Dirk duty falls, more often than not, to a combination of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, with Ron Artest likely taking a turn here and there. Both Odom and Gasol have had (relative) success against Nowitzki in the past, though like Kobe Bryant, Dirk is a guy very difficult to truly shut down for an extended period. As our friends at ESPN Stats and Information point out, Dirk is incredibly effective in isolation, ranking at the top of the league in field goal percentage (56.8 percent) and points per play (1.10) on iso's. Against the Lakers, he's finished on seven-of-eight chances in isolation.

Against Gasol, S & I note the success Dirk has had on the perimeter, hitting 11-of-19 shots for 27 points (five of those buckets coming off screens), but only 1-for-7 in the post.

As a counter, the Lakers will need to force Dirk to work at the other end. Over the course of seven games, having to carry the Mavs offensively while playing a key role on defense could be enough to wear him down, and Dallas can't afford a less-than-outstanding Nowitzki if they expect to win the series.

3. Advantage Mavs. Odom is the best talent coming off either bench, but Jason Terry, while not my favorite player (too one-dimensional, too streaky) is still an asset. Jose Juan Barea, while not a great finisher at the rim, is a dynamic reserve guard, while Peja Stojakovic is a reliable source of perimeter shooting. The Lakers reserves were supposed to be better this season, adding Steve Blake and Matt Barnes while keeping Shannon Brown, but as a group have been extremely inconsistent.

Q, from @InfiniteHighway: @ESPNLandOLakers @ESPNLA K-Bros, how will the Lakers stay disciplined against the zone and not take those hard to make jumpers?

A: The Lakers, at least in theory, are tailor made to attack a zone. Every member of their starting lineup is a solid passer or better, all but one (Derek Fisher) is comfortable working out of the post. Plus, they play in a motion offense that encourages cutting to open spaces, moving without the ball, and hurting teams with the pass. Then again, zones also present the Lakers problems, namely because they're an adequate-at-best jump shooting team easily seduced in to hoisting them.

The zone D is a major part of Dallas' identity. They use it not with shame, but pride. If the Lakers are patient and stick to their offensive principles, they could force the Mavs into more man-t0-man than they might otherwise prefer.

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Flip over to ESPN.com's official Lakers vs. Mavs page and one thing quickly pops out: 12 basketball writers forecast the series, and all 12 pick the Lakers. Four in five games, five in six, and three in seven.

Not a huge surprise. Dallas is a perennial playoff disappointment, and despite polishing off a very solid Portland squad in six games, few believe they have the requisite combination of talent and intestinal fortitude to knock off L.A. Particularly after a late season swoon costing them a chance to host this round instead of opening things up at Staples, and when all the matchups are taken into account. As it is in every series against the Lakers, the Mavs have the basic questions to answer about who guards Kobe Bryant or how to deal with L.A.'s length. On paper, at least, Dallas is not quite as equipped to exploit weaknesses of the Lakers as other teams in the Western Conference.

I won't rock the boat, because I'm picking the Lakers, too. But count me among those expecting a longer series. Dallas is a balanced team with depth, well coached and highly motivated. They'll be a tough out.

Season Series: Lakers, 2-1.

1. January 19 (at Dallas)- Mavericks 109, Lakers 100
2. March 12 (at Dallas)- Lakers 96, Mavericks 91
3. March 31 (at Staples)- Lakers 110, Mavericks 82

The final two games will be the ones receiving the most attention when people look back at the season series, particularly the March 31st game in which the Lakers outscored Dallas 56-31 in the second half and five players were ejected thanks to a Jason Terry shove on Steve Blake. Both were important games rife with playoff implications, and for the Lakers to win both probably means something. Still, reading too much into either, especially the blowout, is a mistake. The score didn't reflect it at the end, but through the first 24 minutes the Lakers had only a three-point lead, and the game felt similar to the very competitive one played a couple weeks earlier in Dallas. The second half constituted a total unraveling of the Mavericks, not something likely- or less likely, at least- to happen in the postseason.

Bottom line, relying too much on regular season results can be a very poor diagnostic for the playoffs.

Questions and Ponderables:

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For the second time in two weeks, the long arm of NBA law has reached out and cuffed a member of the Lakers.

Friday, it was Matt Barnes forced to the sidelines, suspended one game by the league for "escalating an on-court altercation and actions following his ejection" during the fourth quarter of Thursday's 28-point smackdown (pun semi-intended) of the Dallas Mavericks at Staples. The other members of fracas No. 1 -- Steve Blake, Brendan Haywood, and Jason Terry -- received no additional punishment. Terry, in fact, saw his flagrant foul 2 reduced to a mere flagrant foul 1, despite being the guy who started all the nonsense with his shove of Blake near the baseline.

Shannon Brown, ejected in fracas No. 2 also received no additional discipline.

In the wake of these sorts of incidents, standard practice among the media is to ask the following question as many times to as many people as possible: "So, you think he'll get a game?" My reaction, along with most people I spoke with Thursday night, was yes. The NBA rightly frowns on players who, as they put it, escalate dustups, and while he wasn't technically the third guy in as Blake and Terry were jawing with each other, Barnes was clearly "the escalator." Particularly when you consider the distance he covered reaching the scrum.

Assuming the NBA is dinging him more for that than anything happening along the sidelines with Dallas assistant Terry Stotts, it's a reasonable move. While nothing really came of the scuffle, it could have, and much of it would have been on Barnes.

As for the stuff near the Dallas bench, while it looked bad to see Stotts hit the deck, Barnes didn't do anything wrong, in large part because Stotts had no business putting his arms around him in the first place. As Barnes put it Thursday, "I was just trying to walk to our bench and someone was trying to bear-hug me. I didn't realize it was a coach until I turned around, after he was kind of off me. I definitely wouldn't want to push a coach but he was bear-hugging me right on their bench."

The unwritten rule says coaches handle their own guys, save some sort of calamity. Barnes was walking toward his bench, with an official in between him and the court. Stotts meant no harm and Barnes certainly could have handled the situation with more elegance, but if this part of the proceedings added to the ledger against Barnes, it's unfair.

Barnes did, though, take a long time leaving the court, and never stopped yapping at any point, again a no-no in the eyes of the NBA. I'm sure that weighed into things, too.

All in all, it was a fair punishment, one that shouldn't hurt the Lakers too much Friday night in Utah. The Jazz are a downtrodden bunch, while the Lakers are accustomed to operating without Barnes. More importantly, the incident started what could be a top shelf Twitter war heading into a potential second round playoff matchup.

No Andy tonight, but don't fear. Just as Bruce Dickinson needs more cowbell, we've been told Lakers Late Night needs more Markazi. Arash Markazi, specifically. He joins the show following an eventful night at Staples, as the Lakers turned a three-point halftime lead into a 28-point win with a dominant second half. On tonight's show, we kick around the following:

• What a potential second round matchup against Dallas could look like. Do the Mavs have the size to compete with L.A. over seven games?
• The fallout from all the extracurricular activities on the floor Thursday night. Does Matt Barnes get suspended, after charging into the breach in defense of Steve Blake?
• San Antonio lost again Thursday night, leaving the Lakers only two games behind the Spurs in the loss column. Can the Lakers catch them? Should they?
• Another good night defensively, helped by another night of very low turnover totals (seven).

Click below for more postgame videos (from actual players). Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom weigh in on what they think happened on the floor Thursday, whether with the wrasslin' or the actual basketball being played, and weigh in on how all of this could impact a playoff series, should the teams meet later this spring.

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It would have been nice to enter tonight's contest contest up two games in the loss column, but unfortunately -- and stop me if you've heard this one before -- the Clippers didn't handle their end of the bargain Wednesday at Staples. (I've never been the world's biggest Mo Williams fan, but as last night's ejection demonstrated, he's much better at keeping things organized during crunch time than Eric Gordon or Randy Foye.) Still, the Mavs will be playing the second end of a back-to-back while the Lakers compete on three days rest. Assuming rust isn't a factor, that edge in energy should be a nice asset for the Lakers.

As for other matters, here are a few other items to be mindful of once the ball is jumped.

Steve Blake's defense on Jason Terry
While examining this game in our "Week in preview," I mentioned how this game could be the tipping point for voters undecided between Lamar Odom and Jason Terry for Sixth Man of the Year. However, LO theoretically outplaying The Jet isn't simply a matter of his own numbers. Someone has to limit Terry's stats, and matchup-wise, that task doesn't fall on Odom's shoulders.

During times when it's second unit vs. second unit, checking Terry could fall on Steve Blake's shoulders. Based on the most recent meeting, the Laker reserve will be able to answer the call of duty. Blake's pesky defensive effort was a big reason Terry finished with just 13 points on 16 shots. He also stripped The Jet on a drive to the cup and generally discombobulated his rhythm throughout the night. This showing against Terry was indicative of Blake's game in general, which may have been his best in a Laker uni.

Mitch Kupchak recently appeared on The Stephen A. Smith Show and offered the following assessment when asked if he had faith in Blake for the postseason:

"Yes, I do. I know he's been criticized a little bit. Maybe for not scoring as much as people thought... (But) I think maybe the fact that Blake is out there looking to move the ball and do the little things has allowed Lamar to have the type of season he's had this year because Lamar brings the ball up the court a lot and acts as a guard."

It's not the first time the intertwined relationship between Blake and Odom has been acknowledged, and Kupchak is correct about the way subtleties often get lost in the shuffle when evaluating how teammates improve each other. Still, it would be great if whatever assistance Blake offers LO -- much less the Lakers -- is of the decidedly more tangible variety.

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Another week, another chance to keep the Victory Express a-rollin'? We shall see.

Game of the Week

Thursday vs. Dallas, 7:30 pm PT
The "both teams are jockeying for 2nd place in the west and a win Thursday essentially cements the Lakers' hold on the spot" angle has already been heavily examined and will undoubtedly be revisited before the tip off. Instead, I wanted to touch upon a pair of potential battles within the battle.

With the regular season chugging towards the finish line, that means awards talk is in full bloom. Some voters on the fence for various honors will often let a head-to-head matchup break the tie. I remember how a mid-April game between the Lakers and Hornets was cited by many in 2008 as the tipping point to vote for either Kobe Bryant or Chris Paul as MVP. Personally, I consider this approach an illogical and naked cop out for the undecided, as one game shouldn't take precedence over a seasonal body of work. But as a non-voter, I don't makes the rules. I just get to periodically shake my head at their application.

With that in mind, Lamar Odom and Jason Terry are the respective leaders of the Lakers' and Mavs' benches, and considered serious contenders for sixth man of the year. Terry's pedigree includes the 2009 award and Odom's 34 games as starter for an injured/suspended Andrew Bynum will undoubtedly hurt his chances with some voters. However, LO's campaign seems to be gaining steam, and deservedly so. Lamar's numbers off the bench compare favorably to the prominent names (Terry, Jamal Crawford, Glen Davis, etc.), but his versatility and overall impact arguably bests them all. Plus, unlike anybody else in the field, he was in the conversation for the actual All-Star team, which should count for something.

In my opinion, LO should win, but I get the impression it's still a fairly wide open race. Absurd as it may be, outplaying Terry could swing momentum in Lamar's favor.

This game could also perhaps shift a few minds regarding Kobe in this season's MVP race. The general consensus seems to have him on the outside looking in, but should the Lakers maintain their torrid run since the All-Star break, it wouldn't shock me if Kobe -- your new Western Conference Player of the Week -- gained traction as a more "viable" candidate. Were this the case, a great performance in an important rubber match will certainly speak well to his credentials.

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A big win for the Lakers, with huge implications in the Western Conference playoff race. Without a W, there was basically no chance for a No. 2 seed. Victory in hand, the Lakers now sit just one game behind the Mavs in the loss column, making matters exceptionally intriguing. There's still work to be done, but at least it's a realistic goal.

The Good

Steve Blake
Quite possibly his best game as a Laker. On both ends of the floor, Blake looked like the player fans expected when he was signed this offseason.

He was aggressive running the point. Five dimes in all, highlighted by back-to-back dishes to Andrew Bynum and Matt Barnes for easy buckets. He was aggressive shooting the ball, with nine points and a trio of 3-pointers. (No trey was bigger than the one splashed immediately after Kobe Bryant turned an ankle in the third quarter and left for the locker room. Blake's bomb pushed the lead to five and signaled things would remain OK were the Mamba unable to return.) And he was aggressive on defense. Blake stuck to Jason Terry and Roddy Beaubois most of the game like glue on glue. The former Mav was stripped on a drive, while the latter was forced into bad decisions with the ball.

No rotation mainstay has underperformed on a more regular basis this season than Blake. Hopefully, this showing will prove one to grown on.

Andrew Bynum

A ginormous game for the Lakers' most physically ginormous player. From a first quarter concluded with 3-for-3 shooting (six points) and five rebounds onward, Bynum was a monster, ruling the paint and forcing several errant shots from Dallas. He even did an admirable job on possessions faced up against Dirk Nowitzki. The German got the best of Drew a few times, but he gets the best of most defenders. The best you can ask for is a quality challenge, which Bynum provided.

His night wrapped with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and a game-high 37 minutes. Phil Jackson seemed reluctant to take Drew off the floor and I don't blame him.

The only blemish was five misses in nine tries at the free-throw line, but like a iconic Laker center before him, Drew "made them when they counted." With 11 seconds left, a pair was canned to essentially put the game on ice.

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There's only one way to move forward when an eight-game winning streak ends. Start a new streak. And for the Lakers, the desire to get the "W" train rolling again in Dallas isn't simply a matter of pride or competitive spirit. There are practical implications at hand.

Thursday's fall to the Heat coincided with the Mavs beating the Knicks. Thus, the Lakers are now two losses behind Team Cuban in the quest for the Western Conference's second seed. Saturday's result will swing the standings a full game in either direction. Should the Lakers fall three games behind, the race is essentially over in mid-March.

For more insight on the Mavs, we talked with Jeff Caplan, who covers the team for ESPNDallas. Here are a few items to keep an eye on once the ball is jumped.

K Bros: From a matchup perspective, where do you see the strengths and weaknesses for Dallas against the Lakers?

Jeff Caplan: When the Mavs play teams such the Spurs, Hornets and previously Utah, they can be exposed at the point guard position simply because Jason Kidd just can't keep up with those young, penetrating guards, and it forces the Mavs to put Kidd on the shooting guard. That's not the case with Derek Fisher. The matchup allows Kidd to stay on the point and the Mavs can then get creative with covering Kobe. So chalk that up as strength, defensively and offensively as well.

As for weakness, even though the Mavs have stocked up on 7-footers specifically to face the Lakers, L.A.'s big men, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, are far more skilled inside, and when Dirk Nowitzki is on Gasol, I believe he's crafty enough to make it tough on Nowitzki. And when Lamar Odom is in as well, I'm not sure the Mavs can effectively match up.

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