Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki had never squared off in the post-season, that all changed however on Monday night, game one of the Lakers and Mavericks Western Conference Semi-Final series from Los Angeles.

Kobe Bryant hit a right-hander shot, the Lakers built up a 7-2 lead in the opening frame, but Dallas battled back to reverse the lead. Pau Gasol dished a neat feed to Andrew Bynum who threwdown a poster, LA trimmed it to three midway through second Q. Gasol, who scored 15 points and 11 boards, put down a right-handed slam dunk, Lakers regained their cushion and would soon pull away early in the third Q, Kobe fired a triple, LA stretched their lead to 16. Kobe would hoist 36 on the night.

The Mavs, however, staged a quick comeback. Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 28, drained a three point play, which brought Dallas within 11. Jason Kidd fed to an airborne Tyson Chandler for a big ally-oop dunk. Dallas stayed in the contention. Dirk made it one point game with a basket on the drive, and he would later sank two free throws to reverse the lead for the Mavs. Bryant fell down while trying to get the ball from Pau Gasol with 5 seconds to play. Gasol fouled Kidd, who hit one of two free throws.

Kobe would step up to do the final play, but his winning triple bounced out of the rim, the Mavs then went on to steal a 96-94 win at the Staples Center, taking 1-0 lead in the series.

Hawks tame Bulls 103-95, leads series 1-0

Also on Monday, the East's top seeded Chicago Bulls, opening their semi-final set with the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta, up by seven, in the second, when Derrick Rose, off the drive, gets the acrobatic lay-up to go. Rose, doing his thing to bring Chicago back within 5.

Late in the half, the Hawks, up by one, and Jamal Crawford says, anything you can do better. The sick hook, making the lead 3. But before time expires, the Bulls answer. Rose with the feed to Carlos Boozer, this o ne a one point game at half time. It would stay close, tied at 56, in the third, Rose with the spin and the floater, two of his 24 as Chicago takes a two point lead.

But the Hawks would start to soar in the fourth, already up nine, Joe Johnson, hits the triple to give ATL the 12 point lead. Johnson, on fire in game on, dropping 34.

Chicago, would briefly make things interesting as Joakim Noah, giving the Bulls fans a little bit of hope,

But Atlanta would shut the door on Chicago, who lost the game, and also got a scare at the end as Derrick Rose steps on Jamal Crawford's foot. He would come up limping and will have an X-Ray and perhaps an MRI.

A tough 103-95 game one loss for the East's top seed, but it will be an even worse blow if Rose is out for any extended length of time.

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