The Lakers persist to do what they do best after trumping the Mavericks 110-82 on national television in what proved to be quite an entertaining game despite the blowout.

The first half was exciting and had a playoff atmosphere with both teams going at it back and forth with constant lead changes. There was an edge to both teams knowing that this game was for 2nd place in the Western Conference. At halftime the score was 54-51 and it looked like we were in for an exciting 2nd half and it was an exciting 2nd half indeed.

By the end of it, 5 people were ejected, 6 if you count the fan that was thrown out.

2 1/2 minutes into the 4th quarter, Steve Blake was fouled driving to the basket while being guarded by Jason Terry at which point Terry shoved Blake after the initial foul was committed. Blake immediately got up and got right in Terry’s face which caused the refs and other players to start “making peace”.

Matt Barnes rushed Blake, Terry and the referees and shoved Terry before being held back by Brendan Haywood. Barnes started walking towards the Lakers bench while Terry was walking to the Mavericks’ bench and were going to cross paths again if not for the Mavericks’ assistant coaches. Barnes was telling assistant coach, Terry Stotts, to get off of him after he wrapped himself around Barnes. Barnes then pushed Stotts to the ground and was ejected from the game along with Blake,Terry, and Haywood. Tyson Chandler was about to charge Barnes after he pushed Stotts but was held back by Brian Cardinal

Shortly after that, play was stopped because a fan had to be escorted from the arena by security, after he was charging down the stairs towards the Mavericks’ bench.

In the 4th quarter the Lakers had blown the game open and the closest the Mavs ever got was 12 points. Despite the score, players were still playing scrappy. At one point Kobe was by himself on the break before being advertently shoved in the back by Nowitzki with no flagrant being called, just to show you what kind of game this was.

Finally, Brian Cardinal fouled Gasol with a hand to the face  in the final stretch of the game before Shannon Brown came to his rescue with a little shove. You guessed it, he got ejected as well.

None of this really matters, because the Lakers absolutely destroyed the boards and shut the Mavs down in the 2nd half. Just expect this kind of intensity in the playoffs.