Yes, too many things have happened with the Lakers and it wasn't expected that they're going to be this far because of how they started the season terribly. These dramas that has happened for both teams were now forgotten and everyone is just looking forward for their upcoming match within the next few hours. And we should give Embiid around of applause for winning the MVP award this 2022-2023 season.
News: Joel Embiid edges Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo for his first NBA MVP award

^^ Sooner or later there will be blaming games and pointing finger as to what cause Memphis that series against the Lakers. Obviously, two of them, Ja Morant's interview, "I'm fine in the West" comment and then Brooks disrespecting Lebron and "poking the bear" and until someone drops 40 on him. Yeah, the last game of the series, the Lakers won by 40 point lead, and Brooks performance in that series was garbage.

And with that, perhaps management said that they have enough of this clown, and as Draymond said, "The dynasty starts after you, not with you”. So good riddance for Brooks, and let's see if a team is going to pick him up, or going to Shanghai Sharks, 

The final games of both Jokic and Embiid has been the deciding factor IMO.
In the final games, Jokic sit out, and didn't play because of injury while Embiid is out there carrying his team. I guess that's the reason why Embiid has picked the winner. I mean in most of the regular season, we don't know who will be the MVP because both of them are playing very well. It's just that Jokic got injured, sit out in the final games of the regular season, and Embiid is still playing. Anyway, I won my bet on this one big time. Congratulations to Embiid as well. Still Larry Bird is still the last player to win MVP 3x in a row back in the '80's I think.

Looks like the front office of the Grizzlies have enough of him already. His destroying the reputation of the team with his trash talks, and I guess we will all agree if I will say that he's the one who trash talks the most in the whole Grizzlies roster, but isn't converting it into stats, and still performing very awfully all throughout the season, and in this last playoffs against the Lakers.

Nevertheless, now that we know that the Grizzlies will not get him again, I wonder which team will try to get him? I hope that the Warriors will get him.   I mean Westbrook and Beverley became teammates in the Lakers at the start of the season, and we know the beef between the two of them back a few years ago. Don't take what I said very seriously because I don't think that the Warriors will get him anyway. Overall, I'm excited on which team will try and get him after what happened.

Indeed! I knew AD will be a big problem this playoffs to any of these team, plus the Lakers has really done a good job defensively. Though they almost lost that lead with 5 mins left in the 4th, but then again they manage to put a defensive clamp against Curry to force him to pass the ball to his teammates.
That huge free throws discrepancy was really a huge factor for the Lakers. They play it big and forcing fouls in the paint while the Warriors shooting threes excessively , that's pretty much the same thing as getting an And 1 while attacking the paint.
Good job to the Steve Kerr for letting Curry be the pt guard who facilitates and play P&R, that almost worked though. Both teams really looking exhausted tonight, as the Warriors needs to move more quicker to catch with the Lakers defense, while the Lakers exhausted all they can to defend the GSW quicker small ball.
This series is just getting started to get interesting.

They've made 21 threes which is way beyond the average number of threes the Lakers are giving to their opponent which is 12. I don't think that the shooting accuracy is the problem on this game.

It's the free throw that's the problem in Game 1. Look at the difference on both teams when it comes to free throws. Lakers shot 29 free throws, made 25 of it while the Warriors on the other hand had only 6 free throw attempts and made 5. I mean the Warriors could've won this game if only they've had more free throw attempts. As for containing Davis, I guess Green can do it, and I believe that he will guard him more in Game 2. It's just that Green got into early foul trouble that's why he didn't guard him that much. Wiggins will focus more on Lebron while Green will focus more on Davis with Looney in the paint.

Davis on the other hand is a monster in this Game 1. He is the 4th player behind Shaq, Wilt, and Elgin Baylor who got 30+points, 20+ rebounds & 5 assists in a playoff game. Well, Looney played really good as well as he got 23 rebounds, and it's his 4th straight game where he got 20+ rebounds in the playoffs. Schroder was amazing as well, but what I'm surprised the most is when Vanderbilt decided to chase Curry. We know Vanderbilt as an elite defender, but I didn't expect that he can cope up with Curry's speed.

Overall, it's a good performance still for both teams. Lakers being a good defensive team allowing the Warriors to shot only 6 free throw attempts, but on the other hand they've allowed the Warriors to had 21 threes made. Both teams had to make some adjustments. Warriors to draw more fouls, and the Lakers to at least lessen their productivity in threes.

Yes, as we have been saying, AD will be the key, if he stays healthy, the better the chance of Lakers winning not just against Warriors, but any team in the West, just like what he did against Memphis. He has game that it doesn't look like very AD, but the next game, he come up big with huge numbers.

Credit also to Vando for putting a good defense against Steph, it seems the can't get going and has turnovers. As compare to his last game against the Kings wherein he can score at will, anytime he wants, but not in this game.

Vando is always around the same with the way GP2 is doing with their opponent.

I like the overall performances of Lakers players. They play tough from both ends, they are all willing and ready to take the challenge
each time, Warriors are trying to rally for a breakaway.

Lakers, after calling a timeout, manage to adjust and they manage to catch up and not to allow any dominance from the Warriors.

Big game for AD, but credit also to all the core teams of Lakers as they all share decent productions.

I don't that the Warriors is willing to take a player with that kind of attitude, and it's a very different story with Westbrook and Pat Bev, yeah they trash talk but at the end of the day they try to deliver and it's part of their competitive nature.

As compare to Brooks, who says up front that he doesn't like the Warriors including Draymond and the rest. So that's attacking the team itself and there's no competitiveness in that statement, it's just pure hate or he is really envious of the success of the Warriors organization. And he talking about dynasty? right now players are going to laugh at this fool for his statements and his performance in the playoffs.

The Knicks are struggling even without Butler, but how significant is his injury for the series? Will he come back in Game 3 or will he need more time to heal? Based on the current record, the Heat already have the edge, but if Butler doesn't return, I think the Knicks will use that as an advantage to try and steal a win.

Yes, the Lakers stole one game on the road, and they are very hyped up right now. However, I wouldn't join in on the hype because it's just one game. The Warriors could still come back with good adjustments