The Los Angeles Lakers easily took care of the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the 1st round Western Conference playoff series, on the back of their ridiculously talented big man Andrew Bynum. Big Drew scored just 10 points, but his effect on the game was most surely felt, in historic fashion. With 10 blocks, Drew joined joined the history books as one of only three players to go for double digit blocks in a game (the other two were Mark Eaton and Hakeem Olajuwon), and with 13 boards, Drew also became the first Laker to go for a triple double in a playoff game since Magic Johnson in 1991. Not bad, young man. Not bad at all.
With Drew destroying any semblance of offense for the Nuggets, the Lakers had the contest in complete control, leading by double digits for at least half the contest. Kobe Bryant struggled early, but figured things out by game's end, going for 31 points on 11-24 shooting, and Pau Gasol was right behind Drew in trib-doub territory, with 13 points, 8 boards and 8 dimes. Meanwhile, Devin Ebanks and Steve Blake both gave the Lakers a lift in the first half, and Jordan Hill cemented his place as the only backup big man in the rotation, picking up 10 and 10 in 24 minutes.
We'll have more on this way too easy victory today, but for now, bask in the shade provided by the behemoth in the middle of the Lakers franchise.