Believe it or not: Lakers this year's team to beat

Believe in the glamorous lifestyle, the beautiful scenery. Most will tell you they love L.A., and the purple and gold, a characteristic that describes the atmosphere in April which usually last until June. Now, it’s when you can be a witness of the Los Angeles Lakers, the most lethal team in the playoffs. Only you can be a witness to the Lakers dominance, and only you can be a witness to a new rivalry most likely hitting the Staples Center in early June. Yes, the Lakers-Cavs rivalry.

The good people in Cleveland are witnessing NBA’s preeminent superstar LeBron James, an impending MVP award winner in the next few weeks. It’s understandable after leading the Cavs to a franchise-best 64 wins and preserving home court advantage through out the playoffs. So if there’s a Lakers-Cavs matchup, the first two games are played in Cleveland where the Cavs have defended their home floor as if it was their last time ever playing in the loud and energized venue. As those towel-swinging fans are witnesses of LeBron, the same goes for Los Angeles where the once deadbeat crowd has maximized the noise factor, and witnessed the Lakers take Game 1 of the best-of-seven series in a 113-100 win of Utah.

No, there aren’t any free tacos to go around.

But importantly, the Lakers have redeemed themselves a bit from last year’s humiliating Finals lost to Boston. By cruising pass the Jazz, a team that seemingly could’ve posed a threat in the first round. Now the smartest precautionary actions to take, requires boarding off the damaging scenes with yellow caution tape and caution signs outside of Staples Center. It's obvious the Lakers are the team to beat. It’s the most dangerous team, the most powerful team in the postseason and their tenacity and sense of urgency delivers problems for any team that faces them in the up coming games. Doubting them is an understatement, and if convince they’ll choke in the Finals, well think again.

By envisioning the Lakers controlling fate decisively, it’s too amplifying to image a letdown against Boston or Cleveland. Removed from the bitter lost a year ago, the Lakers have matured and grasped a clear sense of awareness on what it takes to win on the grand stage. They now know it takes cohesiveness, team contributions and defensive aggressiveness. Having all those components enhanced their dynamic and charismatic tough-driven promise. And their unyielding philosophy gives them an advantage over the Cavs. With much experience and a fiercer culture, it's a primary agenda of nothing less than a championship. The Lakers undoubtedly aren't a team to be reckon with in the playoffs amid craving a title, and remains unsatisfied until seizing its fourth championship this decade.

Unlike their trip to the Finals a year ago, the Lakers are fundamentally sound. Of late health hasn’t been a problem in which it hindered their championship chances a year ago. By derailing in the series, the Lakers have a better perception and the robust presence of Andrew Bynum, who's finally getting a feel for his first postseason appearance, and the forcible Trevor Ariza, who missed much of the postseason last time with a foot injury. Now, they’re twice the go-getter building block to the much-malignant team. And everyone is involved in the Lakers almighty offense as Kobe Bryant, who scored 24 points, isn’t just a superlative scorer, but an outstanding distributor to whereas he ensures his teammates feels the ball before those self-centered days when he would shoot first.

Now, it’s a different approach as he finds teammates. Of course in a few weeks, the Most Valuable Player will be named, and Lakers fans have already started their campaign when Bryant added the finishing touches to secure the first win of the series. He drove to the basket and finished on a dramatic dunk in the face of Utah’s Paul Millsap, which established a three-point play and while attempting the free throw that he converted moments later, the crowd chanted “MVP! MVP! MVP”!

What’s up now LeBron? Um! I wonder if he has a legitimate answer. Well, if everything goes as plan I’m sure he’ll attempt to be the Lakers unstoppable irritator.

Aside from the Kobe-LeBron hype, as usual Bryant put the icing on the cake and then the party erupted under the bright lights of Hollywood, when the Lakers managed a 110-98 lead. Following Kobe’s spectacular dunk, Ariza wanted to add to the firework display when he buried a three-pointer off of Bryant’s assist. It signifies a team with enough ingredients to attain the hardware, and it’s enough to be crowned champs when it’s all done. As well, it symbolized home-court dominance, a trait that has followed the Lakers for quite some time. On their home floor, in the first round of a series, they’re 31-2. Maybe it isn’t the hardwood, but it’s definitely the role players having a large influence on their unbeaten and unstoppable capacity.

In this matinee on Sunday afternoon, the Lakers were led by the explosive scorer and defensive-minded Ariza, who scored a career-playoff high 21 points, missing two of his 10 shots, Pau Gasol tallied 20 points and collected nine rebounds as they took advantage of Utah’s unmatchable size. This time, the Jazz met coach Jerry Slogan’s standards by standing up to the Lakers in a much competitive battle, unlike Tuesday night when Slogan presented his unpleasant comments to reporters after the Jazz yielded against them.

Despite trailing by 22 points at halftime and allowing the Lakers to shot a dazzling percentage, explosive point guard and floor leader Deron Williams posted 16 points and spoiled the free tacos for everyone. Then, counterpart, Carlos Boozer was effective inside, scoring a mere 27 points. A large number of those points came off of Williams’ playoff career-high 17 assist. But by now, the Jazz realize that’s not enough to overpower the dominant Lakers, arguably the best in the business and a team that comprises dimension.

Of course without defensive center Mehmet Okur, the Jazz misses his presence inside. He sat out in street clothes, nursing a minor right hamstring injury which offered the Lakers seven-footers, Gasol and Bynum advantages to attack inside. In the meantime, Bynum wasn’t given the chance to take advantage of the absentee as he was limited to just seven points and three rebounds, spending most of the game on the bench in foul trouble, which meant positive indications when there are contributors and the league’s most dominate closer in Kobe.

Any team will have a tough assignment playing the Lakers. And their tough days might not come this year as they just might hoist another trophy, including another victory parade. This was a bold statement to teams in the playoffs.

Dear teams, the Lakers aren’t a team to be reckoned with. They’re extremely dangerous and this is their year to win it all. Yes, Lakers-Cavs is bound to happen.

But a celebration in L.A. is more likely to happen. Sorry LeBron, but the Lakers are clearly the better team. After Sunday’s game, they unveiled their true characteristic. That’s toughness, tenacity and a bitter taste of bad experience. After learning the hard way, the Lakers will finally reach the pinnacle of becoming this year’s legitimate champs, at least from my perspective. It’s just difficult to image any one beating them.