Spurs in six (again)

I missed it by two when the Spurs swept Memphis in the first round of the NBA playoffs, so I figure if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Spurs eliminate the Lakers in the semis in six, just like last year. If San Antonio keeps playing like it did in its 81-71 Game 1 thumping of Los Angeles, well, the Lakers may be in the market for some new Hall of Famers in the off-season.

Is it time to panic yet? Is Jack Nicholson threatening to jump off the Tower Records building? Does Shaq need to open up a can of Kazaam! on the Spurs? According to Gary Payton, he played defense against San Antonio's Tony Parker just fine--which leads to my favorite quote regarding Game 1, courtesy of Bill Plaschke at the L.A. Times:

The only way anybody would have believed he had done a good job on Parker was if this had been Souvenir Blindfold Day.

I just have to wrap this up by sending a big "Thak You" to the Houston Rockets. The Lakers looked dead on their feet in the fourth quarter, and L.A. coach Phil Jackson blamed it on fatigue catching up with them. Must've been the toughest five-games series in history, eh?

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