Parting Shots

In a single game the L.A. Lakers went from respected champs to classless chumps. In game 4 of the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Dallas Mavericks buried the defending champs and completed a four-game sweep and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

It was a dominating performance by the Dallas bench as Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry and J.J. Berea combined to score 75 points and send the Lakers and Phil Jackson off into the sunset without a single victory. The 36-point blowout was not the only embarrassing aspect of this game. After the game was well in hand, Lamar Odom laid a severely cheap shot on Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki, collecting a flagrant foul on the play and was ejected for his actions.

Apparently there were more frustrations that needed to be acted upon as Andrew Bynum decided to unload a forceful blow to a defenseless J.J. Berea on the next defensive possession, earning an immediate ejection for another Laker player on consecutive trips down the floor. It was an incredibly shameful departure for a very prideful organization. The antics were completely inexcusable and will cast a dark shadow on the end of one of the most successful eras in recent NBA history.

Unfortunately, the dirty play did not come as too much of a surprise. Ron Artest had already been suspended for a cheap shot on Berea in game 2 of the series. It was a disastrous combination of frustrations mounting, tempers flaring and damaged egos that led to what was an almost predictable conclusion.

With the anticipated retirement of the L.A. Laker head coach, the duo of Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant appears to be all but over, and this was certainly not the send off that either of them could have ever imagined. In a season and series where great things were expected, this exit has left the Lakers with a lot more question marks heading into the off season.

So what's next for the Lakers? Time will certainly provide the answers to that question, but this result provided evidence that major changes are most likely on the horizon. Their bench, specifically, will probably be the focus of the front office as Dallas' bench absolutely killed the Lakers and was one of the more decisive factors in the end.

With most of the major pieces still under contract for the following season, a trade seems like the most realistic option to shake up the current roster. As one of the older teams in the league, the window of opportunity appears to be closed and it will definitely be an interesting summer in Laker land as they will look to add some new pieces and perhaps try and get a little younger.

As a Celtics fan, I can't say that I was sad when watching this demise unfold. Despite my disdain for the Lakers, it's still hard to ignore the fact that Phil Jackson was one of the great coaching legends the game has ever seen. That being said, I could not be more excited to see him go.

A loss for the hated rivals will send good vibes throughout the Celtic fan base and hopefully the C's can capitalize on that momentum and get a victory in tomorrow night's pivotal game 4 match up with the Heat. If not, Boston will unfortunately be staring down the same exact fate that the Lakers are now dealing with, and the very same questions that L.A. will have to answer this off season will be many of the same facing the Celtics. Let's hope those questions can be put on hold for awhile longer and Boston takes care of business at home to put the pressure back on Miami and even the series up.