Game Preview: Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs - Playoff Round 1, Game 1

San Antonio Spurs vs Los Angeles Lakers

AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
April 21, 2013, 2:30 PM Spurs Time
TV: ABC - RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI

I'm not sure what I can say here that hasn't been said about this series. The good guys take on the dark side of the force and it's set to be an epic battle. Well, that is if you believe the current ESPN narrative. I guess I can't blame them. LA is a huge market and the Lakers are a big draw. ESPN is in the business of saying stupid things to get ratings and the Lakers get ratings. Why wouldn't you pump up the fact that this team does really have a chance and make a bunch of money while your at it? To be fair, most of their "experts" are picking the Spurs to win, but 14 of the 20 have it going six or seven games. Also, Magic Johnson said this.

Who knows? Maybe the Spurs have a fit of the playing like they're the team that's actually coached by Mike D'Antoni and play no defense and run painful offensive sets and this series could go beyond 5 games. I am not omniscient, it could happen (if I was omniscient I would be running ESPN and we wouldn't be subjected to the likes of Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith). That said, do we really believe that the Spurs are going to suck long enough in two or three games of this series to make it go 6 or 7 games? I don't.

Call me out for messing with the mojo. Call me over confident. Whatever, I don't even care any more. I'm like Jack Nicholas is that movie where he didn't care what anybody thought about him. You know the one. I typed that before I even remembered that ol' Jack will be court-side in LA. That is, of course, unless the Lakers are down a two or three games to none. Gotta love those celeb's, such solid fans. I'll take George Strait over any of those fake movie stars any day of the week. That dude is a stud.

Ok, well that was a bizarre rabbit trail. I think I was saying something about how the Lakers can only win if the Spurs beat themselves. That sounds right. And no, before you ask, I don't ever go back and re-read what's been written, it breaks the flow. Stampler knows, he didn't even take a breath during his playoff preview. That's probably why he's got the "always angry" face.

Anywho, as I said, I can't add much that hasn't already been said. The Lakers are good enough that this won't be a cake-walk and not good enough for the Spurs to lose when playing well. Any questions?

On to the lineups:

Lineups The Starters PG: Tony Parker SG: Danny Green SF: Kawhi Leonard PF: Tiago Splitter C: Tim Duncan Key "Bench" Players Manu Ginobili Gary Neal Matt Bonner Head Coach Gregg Popovich			Lineups The Starters PG: Steve Nash SG: Jodie Meeks SF: Ron Artest PF: Pau Gasol C: Dwight Howard Key Bench Players Earl Clark Antawn Jamison Steve Blake Head Coach Mike D`Antoni

The perspective of the Lakers can be found here: Silver Screen and Roll

Get your San Antonio Spurs tickets here!

Game Prediction: Spurs by 6

As always, Tony must dominate Fisher, and NBA league pass is recommended for those who are willing to pony up the cash. Almost every Spurs game will be broadcast there, which is especially helpful for those of us who aren't in the San Antonio area. Please don't post links to illegal game feeds in the game thread. Links to illegal feeds are not permitted on SBNation, but you can probably find them out there on the internets if you're resourceful and desperate.