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It’s bewildering, if you don’t stop to think about it. You wonder, “Can that be right?” But then, after a few moments reflection, you begrudgingly acknowledge that it must be true. Andrew Bynum has outdunked the entire Spurs team by a count of 85 to 34. On his own, the Lakers center is +51 on the Silver and Black. Those numbers are indicative of a broader clash between the Spurs and Lakers. L.A. scores an amazing 46.4 points in the paint per game; San Antonio’s stingy interior defense only allows 33.3. Or, put differently, Los Angeles is as good at scoring in the paint as San Antonio is at preventing interior buckets.

But such contrasts are part of the fun whenever these two teams meet-two teams that have won 7 of the last 10 NBA championships. So, Spurs fans, revel in your low dunk count. It’s very unLaker like. Not one of the Spurs 4 championships is the result of leading the league in dunks. Exalt as Pop prowls the sidelines looking for a fight and wanting a timeout while Phil Jackson takes it all in with a stoic stare. Be happy that the Spurs play the league’s estranged son to the Lakers’ darling daughter. It’s a slug out between the best two players between MJ and LJ; a chess match between the best two coaches of their generation; it’s just one more good game between the best two teams in the conference, now and for the last decade. I love a Lakers-Spurs game.