Hey, Lamar.  Welcome to the Western Conference Finals.  Glad you could make it.  It sure was nice having you around. 

It didn't start too well for you, as you let Birdman and Kenyon have a block party, but boy, did you get some sweet payback.  You looked like the Lamar that rocked Cleveland in February (back when we looked invincible).  It would be nice of you to join us on Friday too. 

Hope to see you there.  We'll wrap it up in 6 if you do.

Here are your daily Lakers Links:

Boxscore:  Lakers 103 - Nuggets 94

Recaps:

• Silver Screen and Roll
• The Los Angeles Times
• ESPN
• ESPN Daily Dime
• 20 Second Timeout
• Lakers.com BasketBlog
• dEdge
• The Orange County Register
• LA Daily News

Click on through for the rest....

• Lose one, win one.  The opinion pendulum swings.
• It was the Lakers team that Forum Blue & Gold remembers.
  
• Lamar Odom taking his lumps, but carries Lakers on his aching back.  Take your pick.
• He left himself (and us) smiling.
  
• Our defense stepped up, our inside game was better and the Nuggets fell apart on offense.  The Lakers made a stand.
• "Vroom, vroom firestarter!"  ShanWOW.  UPS Brown.  Whatever you want to call him, Shannon Brown set us off with this.  He was a great spark for us.  (Sorry Fish, I know you hit some shots, but it was no coincindence we made our run with you on the bench.)
  
• Our supporting cast lifted us.  The Lakers are friends again.
• Last year was a love-fest as we breezed through the West.  What's better?  The peace, love and steak from 2008? Or the never- take-a-break Lakers of 2009?
• The Lakers looked good, but is Game 7 inevitable?  Expect Billups to emerge in Game 6.
  
• We looked like the #1 Seed, but was Game 5 the best the Lakers probably will be?  ( I think they can be better.)
  
• So, an "unidentified" Nuggets players claims the Lakers paid $50K to buy Game 5.  Absolutely ridiculous.  Once again, a team (Denver) who benefits from the home whistle just as much as any other team whines about the officiating.  Whines after they claim they are the more physical team, but fold when the refs let them play?  It went both ways.  It was 30 fouls to 22 fouls, Nuggets.  35 FT's to 30 FT's, Lakers.  Which one is it?  How does this make sense?
• George Karl did the same thing Phil did after the game.  Let's see that "player" complain now.  It's what coaches do when they are frustrated, or the team is.  We know.  It's the Nuggets turn to complain.  I guess the truth cost money.
  
• Basketbawlful's Worst of the Night: Game 5 on that unidentified player, "Grow a pair. Seriously."
• X's and O's of Basketball gives it thoughts on"Kobe Doin' Work."
• Please fire Simers.  We don't care if he hates Phil.

Audio/Video:

• Post Game Interviews
• The Basketball Jones
•  The Dan Patrick Show
• ESPN NBA Today
• ESPN 710 Los Angeles

• NBA Fanhouse RoundCast