5 Things to Keep an Eye on: Western Conference Finals Game 5

Do or die. Win or go home. Other clichés. The Champs are up against the cliff, and the Lakers have the spear pointed at their backsides. Manu! The Machine! Kobe! Bonner! Okay, maybe not Bonner. Either way, this should be fun this evening. In the latest in our continuing series, we look at five things to keep an eye on tonight in the Western Conference Finals Game 5 between the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.


1. Ginobility In Defeat: It's pretty clear Manu Ginobili is not 100%. And with him struggling as much as he has, it puts the Spurs in an even dicier proposition than just being down 3-1. The Spurs offense has eroded into the big three and the occasional shot from the supporting cast, and with a third of that on one leg, it effectively puts the pressure on the Spurs aging bench to produce. Granted, sometimes that results in Brent Barry scoring 23 points and nearly winning the game. But it also forces too many perimeter shots from players that are struggling with confidence in shooting and allows the Lakers to gamble more on pressuring Tony Parker on pick and rolls and attacking Tim Duncan with the double in the post. Ginobili is going to have to have three absolutely knock out games back to back to back if the Spurs are going to have a prayer of getting back in this thing, starting with Game 5.

2. Barry Barry Good To Me: Speaking of Barry, he's emerged as the Spurs' veteran shooter du jour for this round of the playoffs. Greg Popovich has a tremendous amount of respect and confidence in Robert Horry, but Big Shot Bob has lost most of his value, outside of trying to injure the other team's squad or drawing suspensions. Popovich needs energy, speed, and shooting, and Barry is supplying all of the above right now. We'll see if the Lakers dedicate more pressure on Barry with their rotations or continue to roll the dice on whoever is in the second pass shooter spot, Barry or otherwise.

3. Lamarginalized: Lamar Odom is due for a bad game. Why? Because he had a great Game 4. Even with struggling from the field, he attacked the basket, and started to finally warm up in the second half. The formula for beating the Lakers is to close out on their shooter, let Kobe shoot jumpers to his heart's content, and frustrate Lamar Odom as much as possible. The Lakers don't want to toy with any 3-2 comeback stories in Game 6, particularly after that little problem they had with Phoenix two years ago. Odom has to be the one to shut the coffin door on the black and silver dynasty and put the nail to board. Hammering it is up to...

4. The Best Player In The Game: Here's the irony. Kobe Bryant doesn't have to be jaw dropping to play his best basketball. He's at his best when he's trusting teammates, flowing with the offense, and getting everyone, especially Pau Gasol, involved. Of course, knocking down those dead-eye jumpers off the dribble whenever the Spurs pulled within 2 or 3 helped, too. The question is which Kobe will we see? Will his bloodlust to finish off the champs goad him into shooting fadeaway threes before the offense can set up for the rebound? Or will he use the 3-1 cushion to let the game come to him, work the triangle, and pick apart the champs bit by bit?

5. The Other Best Player In The Game: Tim Duncan isn't going down without a fight. This game can be in Staples, Office Depot, Wal-Mart, wherever. He's not going down without putting a stamp on this game. Duncan was bothered by the constant double teams, especially because somebody clued in the Lakers to the fact that Duncan can't put the ball on the floor in the post at all. Duncan might need to actually deviate from his usual trust of his teammates and just get aggressive. He needs to score 30+, maybe 35+ for the Spurs to have a fighting chance in this one, and he's got to be efficient as well. Duncan is undeniably the best power forward in the history of the game. Before we go crowning the Lakers as the newly crowned force in the West, the Big Fundamental gets his say.