The Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers are in command of their respective Western Conference semifinal series as of today.
And barring any serious injuries from any of these two ball clubs’ line up 
, the Suns and the Lakers could be heading to a potential Western Finals’ collision.
That would surely provide an opportunity for the Lakers to erase whatever stigma was left of the 2006 Playoffs opening round.
If you’re not aware, the Lakers were ahead, 3-1 in the series, poised to advance to the second round even though Los Angeles was relying heavily on Kobe Bryant on scoring throughout the playoffs in 2006.
But the Suns didn’t mind the deficit, played their guts out in the last three games of the series to complete a remarkable 1-3 comeback and give a nightmarish “Hollywood ending” for Kobe, coach Phil Jackson and the rest of the Laker Gang.
The final score in Game 7: 121-90.
That series actually put an end to Phil Jackson’s aura of Playoffs invincibility.
For the first time in 15 career postseasons, Jackson lost a first-round series. Jackson also lost his first Playoffs series in which his team has led, putting a blot to his once unblemished 44-0 record.
Fast forward to 2010.
The Lakers finished the regular season with a 57-25 record to and the no. 1 seed in the West.
Gained homecourt advantage throughout the Playoffs and this time, defending their NBA title behind a talented supporting cast led by Pau Gasol, much-improved Andrew Bynum, defense minister Ron Artest and solid back up roles from Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar.
Kobe and the Lakers even hold a 3-1 regular season series sweep of the Suns.
With everything seemingly going their way, the Lakers, once they disposed of the limping Utah Jazz, can look forward to making the Suns set either in Los Angeles or Phoenix, depending on where the series will end, should they clash in the West’s Finals.
Well, that’s just my imagination. But should the Suns squeak past the veteran and experienced San Antonio Spurs in the semis, Los Angeles can have that opportunity to turn the tables against Phoenix.
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