Since 1999, the Lakers or Spurs have represented the Western Conference in the NBA Finals every season except 2006.
On Tuesday night, the two teams that have combined to win nine of the last 12 titles will face off for the first time this season.
But the championship squads are trending in different directions.
The Lakers are coming off their two lowest scoring outings of the season in losses to the Bucks and Heat. The Spurs own the best record in the league and have won 11 of their last 12 games.
While the Lakers’ Ron Artest is averaging career lows in points and minutes, the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili is averaging career highs in those categories.
Pau Gasol started the season with seven straight games of 20 or more points but has reached that mark just five times in the last 18 games for the Lakers. Andrew Bynum has just one double-digit scoring game and has averaged just 4.7 rebounds in his six games back. And Artest has averaged just 5.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in December.
For the Spurs, Tony Parker is averaging a career-high 7.2 assist a game. Richard Jefferson has improved from his first season in San Antonio. And role players George Hill, Gary Neal and Matt Bonner have each contributed at least one 20-point game this season.
The Lakers lost four games in a row earlier this year, while the Spurs have lost four games all season.
After 30 games, the Lakers are already five games back of the Spurs. Can they cut that to four Tuesday?
