Down The Wire: The Western Conference Finals Preview

Starting this Monday, NBA will turn from sports entertainment to a two-week soap opera. The games in the West wouldn't just be about games. In fact, it would be more of bringing together the stories of these teams and the emotions that come with them. Eventually, this fight between the Lakers and the Suns will get more and more intense as the series progress.



LOS ANGELES LAKERS (1)

The Lakers In: Could it be true that the Kobe Bryant of last year has been unleashed and is ready to once again lead the team to another championship? It is, perhaps. Bryant has regained his form despite his finger injury and a few more on the knee, ankle, and the back. He has been an efficient offensive weapon, scoring for more than 30 points on 35 shots or less. Add to that the strong effort of his assisting pilot, Pau Gasol, who, after the game-saving putback against the Thunder, exploded and learned to use his size and jump shooting ability against Utah's big men.

However, teamwork is composed of more than two players, and many of those in Purple and Gold have to really step up. Andrew Bynum, whose knee injury worsened and is now recovering, should learn to deal with pain and play defense. Efficiency and shot selections should be considered for Ron Artest and Shannon Brown, both of them having to go inside to score. Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher has to provide all the assistance that Kobe and Pau needed, most especially in clutch situations. With all these in check, maybe another championship ring won't be too far.

PHOENIX SUNS (3)

The Suns In: Even though that it is obvious that it's possible, everyone was taken aback when the Suns swept the playoff-experienced San Antonio Spurs in four straight games. And mind you, all four games are not just about run-and-gun. Credit must be given to the Suns first five for holding back the Spurs' big three - Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker - and reducing their performance at minimum. Nash was able to create more scoring opportunities for Grant Hill and Jason Richardson, while Amare Stoudemire literally worked his way in and go over Duncan.

Surprisingly, it was the bench was able to provide additional firepower and helped seal the wins for good. Channing Frye, as always, was given the chances to hit shots from beyond the arc and also contributing to the help defense inside. And who would forget Goran Dragic and his four-point play? He was the one who stole game three away from the Spurs through outside scoring, stretching their defense and allowing the post players to penetrate. With these two and the rest of the backups playing alongside their stars, Phoenix could get a shot at owning the Lakers for the third time this decade.

What Could Be: Obviously, the Lakers will still have the natural advantage over the Suns: height. Pau and 'Drew could put a stop on all the Phoenix bigs, while the backcourt combination of Bryant and Artest could lock Nash, Hill, and Richardson down. Phoenix could win through open looks, but the Lakers most probably wouldn't allow that. Lakers in 6.