Lakers vs. Spurs - NBA Playoffs 2013 TV Schedule & Preview: Four Keys To LA Pulling Off A Victory

With the Los Angeles Lakers clinching the 7th seed in the Western Conference playoffs after a huge win against the Houston Rockets, they will now face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round starting this Sunday.

For the first time in the Kobe Bryant era, the Lakers will enter the playoffs without the future Hall of Famer and undisputed Lakers leader. They are also missing another Hall of Famer in Steve Nash and must find a way to win without two of their biggest stars. We've compiled a list of what the Lakers will have to do to pull an upset over the always-challenging Spurs.

1. Contain Tony Parker
Year after year Tony Parker puts up some of the best performances in the NBA, and yet rarely gets the hype that he deserves, perhaps because he's not playing in a more "popular" city. The truth is, he is averaging 20.3 points, 7.6 assists, and 3 rebounds a game. Furthermore, he has an assist-to-turnover ratio of almost 3:1. If the Lakers cannot contain his ability to drive to the basket and distribute, they stand little chance of winning.

2. Trust In Steve Blake
Speaking of underrated point guards, the Lakers have one of their own. Steve Blake has come up huge for the Lakers in their past two must-win games of the season, putting up 47 points and 11 assists combined. He has one of the sweetest three-point shots in the game and takes care of the ball well. The Lakers may not have Steve Nash, but their other Steve is more than capable of putting up big numbers, and the Lakers need to trust him to do just that.

3. Don't Become Phased By Spur's Ball Movement
The San Antonio Spurs lead the league with 25.1 assists per game. Their ball movement is extraordinary to say the least, and it's not enough to focus just on Tony Parker. Manu Ginobili is a very capable ball distributor as well, and Tim Duncan has always been crafty and aware around the basket. The Spurs will make smart decisions with the ball, so the Lakers better be prepared to contain the passing lanes at all costs.

4. Bang Down Low
The Lakers have an incredible combination in Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard, and they need to use both of them early and often. With Kobe Bryant gone they should both be getting a lot more shot attempts. The Spurs really only have Duncan as an inside presence, as Tiago Splitter plays more like a small forward than a center. The Lakers should be able to control the paint defensively, and if they can get down low and physical on offense, watch out. 

1st Round Lakers vs. Spurs Schedule -

(2) San Antonio vs. (7) L.A. Lakers

Game 1 - Sun April 21, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R 
Game 2 - Wed April 24, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m., TNT 
Game 3 - Fri April 26, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN 
Game 4 - Sun April 28, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT 
Game 5 * Tue April 30, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TBD 
Game 6 * Thu May 2, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD 
Game 7 * Sat May 4, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TNT

Full Playoffs Schedule - Click Here (NBA.com)