Spurs

MEXICO CITY - Contradictory court judgments in the war crimes trial of former Guatemalan dictator Gen. Efrain Rios Montt this week set off protests in Guatemala City and prompted rebukes from human rights organizations around the world. On Friday, Judge Jazmin Barrios, who is presiding over Rios Montt's genocide trial in Guatemala's capital, called court to order despite another judge's ruling a day earlier granting an appeal by the defense to annul the case based on a technicality.

The Lakers (45-37) start their first-round playoff matchup against the San Antonio Spurs (58-24) on Sunday, and that's causing a rift between brothers. Metta World Peace has a close relationship with his brother, Daniel Artest, but the two are divided by loyalties. Artest, a 6-foot-5 power forward who has played in a number of leagues including the American Basketball Assn., is a die-hard Spurs fan. "My brother's not a friend right now," said World Peace after the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, clinched the playoff berth against the Spurs.

The release arrived Friday afternoon with the breathless headline "LAKERS ISSUE FRAUD ALERT. " No, it wasn't about getting the No. 7 seeding in the Western Conference with a $100-million payroll. The Lakers wanted to warn fans about scams associated with buying playoff tickets from third-party sources while conveniently directing them to a ticket exchange on their team website. The Clippers issued a similar release about an hour later. It's a sad reality that the NBA playoffs are filled with cruel intentions.

The Lakers have to shoot for the moon against the favored San Antonio Spurs. Just ask Metta World Peace. "They said there wouldn't be a man on the moon and a man went to the moon," the Lakers' loquacious forward said. "Is it true? Some people say the pictures are fake, though. I believe it. It was the first time. There's a first time for everything. If a man can go to the moon, we can do it. And we've got Dwight Howard too? Superman can go to the moon. " The Lakers concluded their strange, circuitous orbit around the regular season with a seventh-place finish in the Western Conference, earning a first-round playoff date with the Spurs on the last day of the regular season with a $100-million payroll littered by injuries and, at times, stunning ineffectiveness.

WESTERN CONFERENCE LAKERS VS. SPURS 2. San Antonio 58-24 (Home: 35-6; Road: 23-18) 7. Lakers 45-37 (Home: 29-12; Road: 16-25) Season series: San Antonio, 2-1. Key stat: Kobe Bryant will play zero games in the series after tearing his left Achilles' tendon April 12, taking his averages of 27.3 points and 6.0 assists off the board. His presence may be even more irreplaceable. Outlook: The Lakers unveiled a template for beating San Antonio in their most recent meeting, playing lockdown defense to disrupt the Spurs' precision passing game while holding them to 37.1% shooting in a 91-86 victory.

Writers from around the Tribune Co. pick which NBA team in each conference is the most likely to pull a first-round upset. Feel free to add your picks in the comments section. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times Golden State could beat Denver in the West. The young, athletic Warriors match up reasonably well with the young, athletic Nuggets. All it's going to take is for Golden State's Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to stay crazy hot throughout the series and for the Warriors to win a game at the Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets have an NBA-best 38-3 record.

Tracy McGrady has never won an NBA playoff series, despite leading the league in scoring twice during a pro career that started back in 1997. But even though he's been out of the league completely this season, McGrady will get another chance to pursue that elusive second-round postseason appearance. San Antonio has signed the 33-year-old forward to add depth and experience for what they hope will be a deep playoff run. The Spurs will finish second in the Western Conference and are 58-23 heading into Wednesday's regular-season finale against Minnesota.

Kobe Bryant was right about his guarantee. The Lakers made the playoffs. He didn't need to be present to see it happen on the last day of the regular season. Then the Lakers one-upped him, turning their good start to Wednesday evening into a better one, the equivalent of improving their hand in Texas hold 'em. The Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in overtime, 99-95, earned a first-round playoff series against San Antonio and managed to avoid top-seeded Oklahoma City, a horrible matchup for almost every Western Conference team, especially them.

The Lakers (43-37) host the San Antonio Spurs (58-21) on Sunday at Staples Center.  Jodie Meeks will get the start for the injured Kobe Bryant.  Steve Blake will go for the almost-ready-but-not-quite Steve Nash. With the Utah Jazz (42-38) one game behind in the standings, a single Lakers' loss could drop the team out of the playoffs unless Utah loses one of its final two. The Lakers will need to carry on without Bryant, who underwent surgery on Saturday to repair a torn Achilles' tendon.  Nash is still bothered by hip and hamstring soreness.

Everybody ready for the Lakers' starting backcourt of Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks? Which means Steve Nash will not play Sunday against San Antonio. The Lakers don't have many other options for their starting guards. Kobe Bryant will miss his first game since sustaining a torn left Achilles' tendon and Nash will be sidelined a seventh game because of a strained hamstring. "He feels a little bit better today, not good enough to go [tonight]," Lakers Coach Mike D'Antoni said of Nash.