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-The Lakers were the favorite to emerge from the Western Conference, but their road to the Finals was a tough one. They played 3 physical series versus the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets.
The Utah series began at Staples Center where the Lakers won by double digits. Game 1 had the Lakers leading by as much as 22, but the Jazz cut the lead by as much as 9. In Game 2, the Lakers lead by 20 points towards the 2nd quarter, but the Jazz again managed to trim the lead down to 3 points in the 4th quarter. Game 3 at Utah's Energy Solutions Arena had the Lakers fighting back from a deficit that they managed to turn into a 13-point lead midway through the 3rd. However, the Lakers blew the lead as they lost by 2 to a Deron Williams jumper with 2.2 seconds left. The loss and the blown leads the Lakers had extending all the way back to the regular season lead some publications, especially the Salt Lake Tribue, to question if the Lakers were as good as their season record indicated. The Lakers quelled such criticism by blowing out Utah in Game 4 where the Lakers lead by 20 in the 3rd quarter and keeping the Jazz from getting any closer than 11 points. But, in Game 5 the Lakers lead the Jazz by as much as 21 points but had the lead cut down by 6 in the 4th. The Lakers held on, won Game 5, and the series.
After felling the Jazz, the Lakers moved on to face the Houston Rockets. On the onset, the Rockets surprised the Lakers in the form of an 8-point defeat at home. The Lakers recover in Game 2 by winning by 13 points and Game 3 by 14 points. Yao Ming dropped out of the series with an injury to his foot, but the Rockets were not deterred, winning Game 4 by 12 points. They lead by 28 points in the 3rd quarter. The Lakers struck back in Game 5, however, with a 40-point triumph, tying the Rocket's worst loss in Playoff history. Despite the dominant victory, the Lakers returned to Houston and began on the short end of a 21-3 run at the start of the game. The Lakers would come as close as 3 points in the 3rd quarter, but the Rockets hit them hard, giving the Lakers a 15-point defeat. Then back at Staples Center, the Laker defense smothered the Rockets as the Lakers held them to 58 points with 3 minutes remaining in the 4th.