Lakers Vs. Mavericks, Game 4: Dallas Completes Sweep Of Champs With Dominant Rout, 122-86

Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson and the L.A. Lakers went out with a whimper against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, and it’s the first time since 2007 that L.A.‘s gone out before the NBA Finals. You know what that means?

For the first time in four years, TNT and Inside the NBA got to send the Lakers fishing.

Through the series, rumors circulated about relationship drama Gasol was going through. The Lakers’ power forward alluded to his off-court issues in his post-game remarks after L.A.‘s crushing Game 4 defeat. From Yahoo!‘s Marc J. Spears:

Gasol was the key to the Lakers’ back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010; the Lakers were wildly unsuccessful in the playoffs during the era after Shaquille O’Neal had been traded and before Pau was acquired. It’ll be interesting to see how much goodwill he’s burned this season.

When the Lakers implode, they at least do it in horrific ways. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom being ejected for ugly fouls in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinals defeat-to-be against the Mavericks certainly qualifies.

Odom earned his ticket to the locker room for a flagrant foul against Dirk Nowitzki on a screen; Bynum upstaged his teammate by throwing a forearm into an airborn J.J. Barea, crumpling him, and being ejected for his trouble.

Will the Lakers mount a second-half comeback to stave off elimination?

Be sure to check out our Lakers vs. Mavericks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Mavericks, visit Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.

Dallas hit four of its seven three-point attempts, while the Lakers whiffed on all five of their deep tries.

Be sure to check out our Lakers vs. Mavericks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll. For more on the Mavericks, visit Mavs Moneyball.