Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will have to go through a grueling Western Conference playoffs in May to reach their 3rd consecutive NBA Finals, and defend their title.
The Mavericks and Nuggets are much improved, and the Nuggets were a few stupid inbound passes away from their own trip to the NBA Finals last year.
Dallas acquired Caron Butler, and the Nuggets acquired Aaron Afflalo for stellar defense. With the Lakers looking beatable with three straight losses for the first time in the Kobe-Pau Gasol era, the time is now to beat the Lakers for the Western crown.
Teams that can beat the Lakers are the Nuggets, Mavericks, Thunder, and Jazz. Every one of those teams has a legitimate scorer, and good defensive play. Only the thunder do not have a dominate force in the paint, but their guard play is terrific.
The Jazz have a great frontcourt to match with the Lakers, and Deron Williams may be the best point guard in the NBA. 2 of these teams will have to play each other in the second round, and possibly face the Lakers in the Western Finals.
The NBA has an exciting playoffs to look forward too. Many young players will be looking to make a name for themselves in the spring. There is no clear cut favorite in either conference, giving everyone hope for glory in June.