The Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be proceeding as planned, as we noted in our preview of Game 4.
Similar to how their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies went, their series against the Golden State Warriors was progressing.
The Lakers won Game 1 before dropping Game 2 behind a weak effort and winning Game 3 decisively. This series followed the same pattern as its previous, and Game 5 of that series saw the Warriors win at home.
The Lakers will win in a possibly nerve-wracking Game 6 since these incidents tend to be repeating themselves, right?
That opinion is unjustified against any team in any playoff position, of course.
However, with the Warriors as the defending champions and the Lakers looking a little battered and bruised, there are no guarantees on the purple-and-gold side of things.