




lakers win.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!









2007-08 ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM
| Position | Player, Team (1st Team Votes) | Points |
| Forward | Kevin Garnett, Boston (118) | 612 |
| Forward | LeBron James, Cleveland (117) | 610 |
| Center | Dwight Howard, Orlando (86) | 546 |
| Guard | Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers (127) | 635 |
| Guard | Chris Paul, New Orleans (124) | 629 |
2007-08 ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM
| Position | Player, Team (1st Team Votes) | Points |
| Forward | Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (1) | 189 |
| Forward | Tim Duncan, San Antonio (25) | 397 |
| Center | Amaré Stoudemire, Phoenix (30) | 412 |
| Guard | Steve Nash, Phoenix (2) | 311 |
| Guard | Deron Williams, Utah | 228 |
2007-08 ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM
| Position | Player, Team (1st Team Votes) | Points |
| Forward | Carlos Boozer, Utah | 174 |
| Forward | Paul Pierce, Boston (2) | 151 |
| Center | Yao Ming, Houston (2) | 71 |
| Guard | Tracy McGrady, Houston (1) | 137 |
| Guard | Manu Ginobili, San Antonio | 123 |
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first team votes in parentheses): Allen Iverson, Denver, 116; Carmelo Anthony, Denver, 89; Marcus Camby, Denver, 59; Chauncey Billups, Detroit, 38; Baron Davis, Golden State, 32; David West, New Orleans, 24; Rasheed Wallace, Detroit, 22; Tyson Chandler, New Orleans, 18; Antawn Jamison, Washington, 15; Al Jefferson, Minnesota, 14; Chris Bosh, Toronto, 11; Joe Johnson, Atlanta 8; Andre Miller, Philadelphia, 7; Caron Butler, Washington, 5; Shaquille O'Neal, Phoenix, 5; Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers, 5; Kevin Martin, Sacramento, 4; Ray Allen, Boston, 4; Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando, 3; Jason Kidd, Dallas, 2; Josh Howard, Dallas, 2; Richard Hamilton, Detroit, 2; Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia, 1; Brandon Roy, Portland, 1; Michael Redd, Milwaukee, 1; Tayshaun Prince, Detroit, 1; Tony Parker, San Antonio, 1.








As it turned out, that series was wrapped up in five games. And the only First Round series to go the distance was the improbable Hawks catching the Celtics by surprise.
But, Lakers vs. Jazz? A 57-win No. 1 seed against a 54-win No. 4 seed? L.A. with it’s unstoppable offense (fourth in the league at 108.6 points per game, and an even more impressive 114.8 average in the First Round) pitted up across Utah’s awesome homecourt advantage (a league best 37-4 in the regular season)?
Now you’re talking about a series with “Game 7 potential” stamped all over it.
It will take more than three games at Energy Solutions Arena to get the job done for Utah. The biggest challenge the Jazz will face is trying to stop Kobe Bryant, who torched the Nuggets for averages of 33.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in Round 1. Will Jerry Sloan give Andrei Kirilenko the task of trying to stop Bryant, or will the assignment fall in the lap of the 23-year old Ronnie Brewer?
Similarly for the Lakers, veteran Derek Fisher will have a difficult matchup on the defensive end marking Deron Williams, who seems to get better by the day and has a height and quickness edge over Fisher.
It’s not just guards who are going to have an impact on the series, however, as both the Lakers (Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom) and the Jazz (Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur) trot out All-Star level big men.
The Jazz are aiming at back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances, while the Lakers are trying to win multiple rounds in the Playoffs for the first time since 2004.
Los Angeles will have the spotlight on it, as it has the Hollywood fans, Showtime legacy and bright yellow jerseys that attract cameras and columns alike. Meanwhile, Utah serve as the backdrop as it will pick and roll, drive vehicles purchased at a discount from its owner’s car dealership and wear muted purple and faded blue digs.
But there’s at least one thing that the two cities have in common: Fantastic professional basketball teams.
Game 1 is Sunday, May 4 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). Let’s hope it’s the first of seven.
-- Dave McMenamin