Lakers advance

101-85 victory in Game 6, allowing the Lakers to take the series 4-2, which happens to be the opposite of my prediction. Despite the difference in three of these games, I don't think the Lakers can say they breezed through the series. There was no sweep as predicted, and the Wolves put up more of a fight than most people expected.

The same problems were there for Minnesota in Game 6. Wally Szczerbiak taking fewer than 10 shots, little help from the bench. KG shooting 9/21 from the field didn't help either. In comparison, all five starters for the Lakers scored in double figures, with Shaq and Kobe both having impressive games (Shaq was 1 assists shy of a trouble double, finishing with 24 points, 17 rebounds and 9 assists).

The Suns lost by two in Game 6, so the Lakers will meet the Spurs in the second round. Should be interesting to see which Spurs team shows up - the one that fell 4-1 last year, the one that was swept in 2001 while losing by an average of more than 20 ppg, or the one that swept the Lakers en route to winning the 1999 NBA Championship.

The difference was the supporting cast and the main wolves players' performance.

George played good, Horry did his thing (as always, whenever it matters the most)... Meanwhile, Wally disappeared, and KG blanked...

I think the real playoffs will start now in the West... Lakers vs. Spurs & Kings vs. Mavs...

Let's see... I predicted the Lakers would four-peat as champions, but I actually hope they fall, yeah.

do you think this could make MVP voting a bit more interesting?

i mean garnett seemed to disappear in game 6.
and kobe seemed to take over things in game 5 and 6(in the 2nd half of the games)
and Tim Duncan didnt exactly have the huge scoring numbers as t-mac,kobe,kg or AI did but it was the other stuff he did.

this year would have to be one of the hardest to name mvp IMO.

but other than that good win by the Lakers, and i am glad the spurs won(even though i was goin for the suns) coz now i think lakers will take em in 5. I thought the suns woulda made it harder for lakers IMO.
but we'll see

Good win by the Lakers. Another 1st round exit for KG an co. I don't see the Spurs beating the Lakers if they play like they did in a majority of the 1st round. Parker has to pick his game up bigtime. Duncan has to watch his fouls and be a lot more aggressive. The only chance the Spurs have is if they get Shaq fouled out, Duncan has to take it at him, none of this waiting 5 seconds for the double team to come and then dishing it. He needs to attack as soon as he gets the entry pass. If the Spurs can get Shaq in foul trouble they might have a chance. If not the could be in for beating like last year. I say LA in six games.

I think it got harder for Garnett being named the MVP. In the past seasons, all the MVPs got their teams out of the 1st round (prolly 2nd round too) of the playoffs...

I'd still give it to KG, though I think Duncan, Kobe and Tracy (this is the order) have all increased their chances, as their teams all will qualify...

Now we get Lakers/ Spurs. I'm not going to jump out and get excited like i did in 2001, but this should be a great, great series.

i dont think post season matters for the MVP voting... its season MVP only..

I remember that when the Wolves have beaten the Lakers twice (& then led the series 2-1), KG was very pretentious, saying they would come through the second round easily......

i dont think post season matters for the MVP voting... its season MVP only..

its not meant to...... but IMO it does, i think the award will go to T-mac or Kobe now

I remember that when the Wolves have beaten the Lakers twice (& then led the series 2-1), KG was very pretentious, saying they would come through the second round easily......

yer also like what T-Mac said before game 5.
what a cocky bastard, then gets blown out by 30 points or whatever lol
and there gonna lost the series.
go pistons
and of course the lakers.

and i think that getting ya team past the 1st rnd helps so much in mvp voting.
or even past the 2nd rnd, coz isnt the voting while the conference finals are on??
coz thats usually wen they recieve the award.

Ditto... I think Kobe or Duncan will get it... Tracy too, but the Pistons had just won to tie their series, 3-3... And history tells it is hard for a player to repeat as MVP on the regular season... So... Unfortunately... Kobe...

500th post, heck

Still, I'm waiting for Shaq to say "We let them win two" or something like that.

On the subject of MVP, I don't think it should affect Garnett's status at all. The award is meant to be on regular season performance, so he's definitely still a candidate. The fact they usually wait a couple of rounds to award it makes you wonder though - can a player who has great regular season but a not so great playoff lose consideration for a regular season award? Apparently they can.

I dunno, in 99 Malone got it and he didn't have a great playoff run (ie getting outplayed by Brian Grant in the 2nd round).
But I heard on sportscenter that Duncan will get it. I hope not. I think T-Mac, KG and Kobe are all more deserving (in that order too)

People!!

The awards are known counted, crowned, signed, sealed and delivered!!!

Well not delivered, but they DO NOT go by the postseason, no how no way!!!

Please understand I am not trying to be a jerk, but it's just the way it is.

They vote during the last week of the season and complete the voting before one second of any playoff game is played.

I believe Kevin Garnett will win it, though Tim Duncan has a chance.
Garnett had no help at all, none, zero!!

No hope? What do you call Troy Hudson, Anthony Pelly, Wally Szcerbiak, Joe Smith and Marc Jackson?
I think KG is a legitimate contender, but please dont exagerate. And it does make things look shifty by the nba if the votes are in and they take so long in awarding it to the player.

And it does make things look shifty by the nba if the votes are in and they take so long in awarding it to the player.

...which is basically why there was speculation in the discussion about whether the voting takes place in time for early playoff performance to be considered.

Exactly