Los Angeles Lakers Tickets

Los Angeles Lakers 2010 Playoffs Preview The Los Angeles Lakers haven't been nearly as dominant this year as last, but they have still managed to lock up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

The first round will present a test as the Lakers will match up with the blossoming Oklahoma City Thunder.

Los Angeles has two major advantages in the series. One is center Pau Gasol, because the smaller Thunder really have no one to match up with him. The second is experience, because the champion Lakers have a ton and the young Thunder have none.

Of course, the Thunder will present plenty of challenges, with the toughest being how to slow down Kevin Durant. Durant won the scoring title at an incredibly young age yet somehow still seems to fly under the radar as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and others grab the headlines.

The Lakers will likely put Ron Artest on Durant and hope the veteran might be able to get inside the youngster's head.

Andrew Bynum's health continues to be a big concern. Many pundits feel the Lakers cannot repeat without a healthy Bynum, and it's still unknown when he will be able to return to the lineup.

With Bynum's health comes questions about bench play. The Lakers bench hasn't been as solid as last year, when a number of reserves stepped up and made big plays in the postseason.

The Lakers certainly don't seem as driven or to be playing as well as they did last year, but you can bet they will crank things up a notch in the playoffs. They still stand a solid chance at repeating as champs, but every game is going to be a real battle.

Los Angeles should be able to get past the Thunder in the first round, but it won't be easy. From there, things only get more difficult.