COMMENTARY | Witnessing Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals was like watching a little brother who learned he could finally out-muscle the big brother who had tormented him for many years.
It was merciless, it was vengeful, and it certainly wasn't pretty.
The Oklahoma City Thunder attacked relentlessly in a 119-90 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers as youth, speed, and talent overwhelmed them in every facet of the game. Interestingly enough, it wasn't lack of effort on the Lakers' part that was the sole reason for the lopsided defeat. Oklahoma City was just better -- in every way imaginable.
Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum each scored 20 points for the Lakers, but it wasn't nearly enough.
The Lakers were clearly underdogs going into the game, but by the second half, it appeared as if they too believed the odds-makers. There were no answers for Thunder guard Russell Westbrook early on. He finished with a game-high 27 points, and made the Lakers' defense look lethargic.
The problem for Los Angeles lies in the fact that the Lakers defense is slow when compared to the team speed of Oklahoma City. But they are also motivated. Those factors combined created a perfect storm of adversity for the purple and gold.
As if the Thunder weren't playing with a chip on their shoulder going into the game simply because of their desire to beat the famed Lakers, they also had NBA Sixth Man of the Year James Harden to play for. He was the recipient of a horrendous elbow from Metta World Peace during the two teams' final matchup of the regular season.
If anyone thought the Lakers had a chance to win the series, Game 1 put those ideas to rest in 48 minutes. Furthermore, the Lakers have shown that even if they were to miraculously overcome the Thunder in a series, there is too much firepower among the remaining teams to compete with. The San Antonio Spurs will likely beat the Los Angeles Clippers, and that team has continuity, depth, and a team full of true professionals -- all areas in which the Lakers are lacking to some degree.
There are too many variables with respect to the Lakers that expose them to an early exit in the playoffs. Among the many are most prominently age, a new coaching staff, an offensively anemic bench, a volatile pair of seven-footers, and an aging superstar. Of particular significance is the fact that the team is arguably less talented than it was just a year ago after losing its own former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Lamar Odom.
The rest of the series will be worth watching, but it shouldn't surprise anyone if it's a very short one. The Lakers have a major uphill climb ahead.
Michael C. Jones is a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in Sports and covers the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. He has been published in southern California's Press-Enterprise and Examiner.com. Follow Michael on Twitter @MikeJonesTweets
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