NBA Western Conference Semi-Finals Preview

For the third straight year, the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers will meet up in the NBA Playoffs. Two years ago, the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals with a 4-2 series win over the Jazz. Last season, Los Angeles needed only five games to knock out Utah in the first round. On Sunday, the two clubs will vie again in the postseason in Game 1 of the series at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Lakers were tested to begin the playoffs by the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder. A follow-up basket by forward Pau Gasol with under a second to play enabled LA to finish off the Thunder with a 95-94 victory in Game 6 at Oklahoma City on Friday. The short-handed Jazz pulled a mild upset to reach this round by handling the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets in six games. Despite playing without two starters, Utah played inspired basketball to advance to the conference semi-finals. In the regular season, the Lakers won three of its four meetings against the Jazz. All three victories by Los Angeles were by 14 points or more. The Lakers are building faith back in NBA bettors. But can they continue? Get over to www.sportsbook.com where they have all the NBA lines for you to bet on.

Utah will attempt to pull the upset over Los Angeles with one of the best guard-forward combos in the league. Guard Deron Williams (19 points, 11 assists per game during regular season) and forward Carlos Boozer (20 points, 11 rebounds per game during regular season) are a potent duo for the Jazz. Both players stepped up against the Nuggets as Williams averaged 26 points per game while Boozer added 23 points per outing. However, some injuries have limited the club's supporting cast heading into this series. Center Mehmet Okur (14 points, 7 rebounds per game during regular season) is out for the rest of the season due to an injury. Forward Andrei Kirilenko (12 points per game during regular season) could return to action at some point during the series against the Lakers after missing the first round with an injury. Reserve forward Paul Millsap (17 points, 10 rebounds per game in series vs. Denver) has picked up the slack for Utah's injured frontcourt performers. Utah is a very efficient offensive team. The club shot 49% from the field during the regular season. On defense, opponents were held to under 45% shooting. Hall of Fame head coach Jerry Sloan is wrapping up his 22nd season with the Jazz. He is in the playoffs for the 19th time.

The defending NBA champion Lakers are just eight wins away from a third straight trip to the NBA Finals. As usual, guard Kobe Bryant (27 points per game during regular season) leads the Lakers attack. After shooting just 41% from the field against the Thunder, he will be looking for a more productive series against Utah. Gasol's arrival in Los Angeles two years ago enabled the Lakers to become an elite team. He produced another solid campaign in the 2009-10 season by averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds per outing. 22-year-old center Andrew Bynum (15 points, 8 rebounds per game during regular season) is still developing as a player but is capable of being a difference maker for the squad. The biggest change from last year's title club was the addition of veteran forward Ron Artest (11 points per game during regular season). The defensive specialist will be counted on to aid the Lakers to another championship during this year's postseason. While the Lakers don't shoot as well form the field as Utah, Los Angeles has more offensive weapons to work with than the Jazz. Like Utah, Los Angeles held its opponents to under 45% shooting from the field during the regular season. Los Angeles also has a Hall of Fame coach on the sidelines. Phil Jackson is looking for his 11th title ring. He won six championships with Michael Jordan in Chicago while adding four more with Bryant in Los Angeles. In his 19 seasons, Jackson has never missed the playoffs. He has also won at least 55 games in the regular season in 15 of his 19 years as a head coach in the league. In back-to-back NBA Finals matchups in 1997 and 1998, Jackson got the better of Sloan as Chicago defeated Utah in six games in each series.

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