Clank

The Lakers closed out the Western Conference Finals last night, eliminating the Nuggets 4-2 and ending the season for your home team...

-When it all comes down to it, there is one basic goal in basketball: put the ball in the basket. It's been that way since James Naismith put up the first peach basket. We can talk all we want about triangle offenses, the officials, momentum, and every other variable, but the basic tenet remains. And the Nugs didn't do enough of it last night while the visitors did. Shooting 55 percent plus and the Nugs jacked up a horrible sub 35 in the first half won't get it done versus the Lakers in the playoffs much less versus the Thunder in January.

-The Nuggets didn't get many chances to make runs, and when they did the run was quick lived. Perhaps the final gasp and best chance was snuffed out late in the 3rd. They had "whittled" the Laker lead to 12 and had the ball with a chance to cut it deeper. An offensive foul was called on Chauncey, but yet the Nuggets forced a turnover on the other end. However, KMart went brain flatulence on pulled his best choker hold on Sasha Vujacic's foot. Rather than having the ball back with another chance to cut into the lead and finish the quarter strong, KMart has a foul and the Lakers close the quarter with four straight points. Game over.

-Is Kobe really as calculateed as we think he is? Did he bait the Nugs by passing and deferring for two game and wait until they were asleep to go on a scoring tear? Is this muthafucker Gary Fischer or a hoops player? He took the lackadasical defense the Nuggets gave and went to the hole, don't get it twisted and overanalyze.

-The energy in the building was sucked out by the 9 minute mark in the game. Get rid of the colliegiate -like "stand until we score" thing as the crowd was on their feet waiting...and waiting...and waiting during a horrendous Nugs' start. (As a CU Hoops fan, we do the stand till they score thing and weve stood until the sun came up the next day.)

-The white elephant in the room is the fact Chauncey Billups had a miserable final two games. Sloppy passes, turnovers, missed three pointers, and no pace to his game. He seemed to ease off the attack mode and linger about the 3-point line, a total 180 from teh first two series yet against inferior defenders.

-Now that the series is over, we can speak on the ABC/ESPN braodcasters? The threesome was horrible, with Van Gundy spewing words just to hear himself speak. Seriously, completely dissing Byron Beck's jersey in the rafters? Do your homework like a broadcaster and recognize the honor. Mark Jackson: I've been watching hoops for three decades and I've never heard it called a "cup." What is this The Masters? Couple the obvious pro-Laker bias and it makes for bleeding ears. Makes you appreciate Scott Hastings and Chris Marlowe and the local radio guys. Yeah, Marlowe, you got it tough this summer; going from calling the Nuggets to following the Pro volleyball circuit and chicks in bikinis.

RELATED: Eric B & Rakim - "Follow The Leader" - "I can't wait to break and eliminate , on every traitor or snake, so stay awake"