Sam Smith Contributor

There have been many wonderful advances in the NBA, though none quite like this. It was the way it was in the early 1980's, when it was Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Lakers playing for the championship, or Boston.

The teams would start in one city, play two games, take off for the other city, play two games, then come back for a game, then  fly across the county and play Game 5 say back in Philadelphia, then take one day off to fly back across the country for Game 6, and then a game and maybe another day off and back across the country for Game 7.

And then fellas play your best in the most important game of the season.

How about this 1984 Finals: Game 4 Wednesday in Los Angeles, Game 5 Friday in Boston, Game 6 Sunday in Los Angeles, Game 7 Tuesday in Boston.

If it's Thursday, they must be exhausted.

Bean me up, Scottie! Scottie!

That mercifully changed the next season with the beginning of the 2-3-2 format, which is a good thing since this season it's looking more and more like a return to the 80's with a Lakers-Celtics Finals.

Tell Rick Pitino, the big guys are walking through the door again.

The terrific acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen by the Celtics makes them favorites, though no sure thing over the Pistons, to get back to the Finals for the first time since 1987. Going into the season, I thought they'd get there and still believe they will.

I didn't feel the same about the Lakers, who pulled off the deal of the season in acquiring Pau Gasol for smog.

I had the Lakers a lower rung playoff team, but this strikes of the great acquisitions they used to make to fortify their runs, like Mychal Thompson or Bob McAdoo.

I had the Suns, finally, in the Finals. I thought the NBA's suspensions last playoffs of Stoudemire and Boris Diaw against the Spurs for basically getting off the bench even thought here was no fight, which distinguishes it from the Knicks' fiasco of a few years back, was one of the most unfair judgments I've ever witnessed in pro sports.

The Suns had just won in San Antonio to even the series at 2-2 with two of the next three at home. It seemed to me to prove their system did work. I thought they'd sweep by the Jazz and Cavs to their first ever title. I thought they'd come into this season hungry and angry, except they seemed to be at one another.

The vibe was different. They weren't the same joyful group running and jumping after the Shawn Marion trade demands. Marion didn't make a scene once the season started, but you could see he couldn't get past it. Steve Nash talked about how little fun they were having. As they had the best record in the Western Conference.

There also was size missing. To manage their budget better, they gave the Supersonics some draft picks to take Kurt Thomas. It suddenly left the Suns smaller than ever and reliant too much on Stoudemire to rebound and play defense, which he does so grudgingly. And it was too much to ask of Stoudemire, who was doing what he could.

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Clearly, the Suns saw it as well, thus the controversial move to acquire Shaquille O'Neal.

It certainly had to be, in part, a reaction to the Lakers brilliant acquisition of Gasol for non regulars, though coach Phil Jackson kept trying to believe in Kwame Brown. Suddenly, Kobe Bryant was energized like perhaps never before.

Watch out for an energized Bryant in the playoffs. It reminds me some of when Michael Jordan finally realized there were players around him he could trust. The 90's were never the same.

There's no better finisher and probably pressure player in the NBA than Bryant. He began to see possibilities with the sudden emergence of Andrew Bynum. Suddenly, the Lakers had a legitimate post threat and size along with Lamar Odom. Bryant was energized and the Lakers were fighting for the top of the West when Bynum was hurt, though he's due back sometime in March.

In the meantime. Gasol, a seven footer who can score fills the gap and the Lakers just had a terrific Eastern trip. If Bynum could return even near the form he displayed in the early part of the season, the Lakers suddenly look loaded.

Trade? Who me?

No, Bryant's not talking about that anymore, and the Bulls have never been the same since.

Gasol is an ideal third option and I expect his defense will improve. How? Bryant will get in his face and make him do it. It's what Jordan used to do. It's a powerful motivator. Gasol couldn't carry a team, befitting his 0-12 playoff record with the Grizzlies. But he can be there and be another threat at a time you almost have to double Bryant. Or maybe Bynum.

Back to Boston and L.A. for June. I say the Lakers end up doing the celebrating.

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