Where to begin with the problems for L.A.? Really only Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum have showed up so far, and Bynum said after Game 2’s loss that the players aren’t trusting each other. Kobe didn’t really disagree. But L.A. looks old and outmatched by a Dallas team that was built essentially to match up specifically with the Lakers – i.e. adding big men Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood (last year).

The Lakers will be shorthanded tonight as Ron Artest has been suspended after clotheslining Mavericks guard J.J. Barea in the final seconds of Game 2. Frankly, that might help L.A. on the offensive end as Artest is averaging just 6.5 points on 27.8 percent shooting. But he’s still a top-notch defender and that’s one fewer guy that L.A. has to help defend Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki, who has dominated by averaging 26 points on 53% shooting. It is expected that Lamar Odom will move into the starting lineup for Artest (who hadn’t missed a game this season), with Matt Barnes now seeing a lot more minutes. This might be one of those additions by subtraction situations.

What the Lakers also need is to wake up Pau Gasol. To say he has been a non-factor isn’t accurate but it’s close. He is averaging just 14 points on 45 percent shooting and was hearing the boos in Game 2 as he clanked free throw after free throw. Gasol averaged 18.8 points and 10.2 rebounds during the season but hasn’t surpassed that point total yet in these playoffs and has beaten the rebounding number just once. Plus he can’t guard Nowitzki at all.

Only three teams have lost the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home and come back to win the series. No team has come back from a 3-0 deficit. It’s the first time the Lakers have lost the first two games at home in a playoff series in 42 years.

Can the Mavs make it 3-0? Bet now on this game at Bodog!