The Los Angeles Lakers were able to close out the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday night in game 6, 98-80, winning their first-round series four games to two. Similarly, the Dallas Mavericks took care of business on the road as well, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 103-96 in Game 6, finishing their series. The Lakers and Mavericks are now set to duel in the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1988. Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki, two of basketball's brightest stars of the last decade plus, finally meet on the NBA's biggest stage.
The Lakers and Mavericks both finished the regular season at 57-25. The Lakers earned home court advantage by virtue of winning their division, while Dallas finished second to the Spurs in the Southwest Division. The Lakers beat Dallas in two of three meetings this season. Here is the series schedule, which begins Monday night at Staples Center in a nationally televised game on TNT (all times PDT):
- Game 1: Monday, May 2, 7:30 p.m. at Los Angeles (TNT)
- Game 2: Wednesday, May 4, 7:30 p.m. at Los Angeles (TNT)
- Game 3: Friday, May 6, 6:30 p.m. at Dallas (ESPN)
- Game 4: Sunday, May 8, 12:30 p.m. at Dallas (ABC)
- Game 5*: Tuesday, May 10, TBD at Los Angeles (TNT)
- Game 6*: Thursday, May 12, TBD at Dallas (ESPN)
- Game 7*: Sunday, May 15, 12:30 p.m. at Los Angeles (ABC)
*if necessary
For more news on this second-round matchup, be sure to stay tuned to this story stream at SB Nation Los Angeles. For more NBA playoff coverage, check out SB Nation's playoff bracket and schedule. For more news and information on the Lakers, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.