I love the Lakers. So much so that I stay up until the wee hours of the morning to watch them play anybody - even the Clippers.

I always think they can win the title, no matter who's hurt, or who's playing like their fourth mistress is ready to spill the beans to TMZ.

I've seen a lot of Lakers games this season. I've also taken in my fair share of Oklahoma City Thunder games in 2009-10, and it's no surprise, to me, at least, that the first round series between the two teams has been so tight the first two games.

Even though the Lakers are up, 2-0, you get the feeling this series could swing at any time.

Here are some reasons I think this series still has a long way to go before being decided.

-L.A. refuses to run its offense through Pau Gasol
The Lakers win 8 of 10 games Gasol is in the lineup because he's such a versatile, skilled big man. But he's only averaging 14 shots a game through the first two. That number should be at around 18-20 if the Lakers want to win this series and a title. No team in the league has a player who can match up with Gasol.

-Russell Westbrook
The second-year converted point guard will continue to eat 35-year-old Derek Fisher alive until Lakers coach Phil Jackson decides to put someone else on him. This has been going on the last couple seasons. Fisher can't stay in front of young, fast guards. I'd hate to see what happens to him should Utah beat Denver and meet up with the Lakers in the first round.

-The Thunder defense is severely underrated
They don't have names that jump out at you on defense like Dwight Howard, Josh Smith or Gerald Wallace, but Oklahoma City's defense this season has stayed ranked in the top 10 in every major category. The Thunder has held the Lakers more than 10 points under their season average so far this series at 91/game. That number is seven less that what Oklahoma City gave up during the regular season.

-The Lakers bench has been bad
Lamar Odom going back to his sixth man role should boost L.A.'s bench, which has been about as productive as a quadriplegic on "Dancing With the Stars." But OKC hasn't been able to take advantage of this...yet.