San Antonio, TX (Betting Express) - It doesn't get any better than this, as the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers square off in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal set today at the SBC Center.

This is a best-of-seven series, with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday at the SBC Center.

The last five NBA championships have been won by these two teams, as the third-seeded Spurs captured the title in 1999 and 2003, while the No. 2 Lakers won the championship three straight years from 2000-02.

The teams are meeting for the fourth straight year in the postseason. Last season, San Antonio eliminated the Lakers, 4-2, in the conference semifinals. However, the Lakers knocked off the Spurs 4-1 in the 2002 semis, and swept San Antonio in the 2001 West finals.

The Spurs and Lakers also faced each other in the playoffs in 1982, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1995 and 1999. In 1986 and 1988, the Lakers swept the Spurs out of the first round in three games. In 1982 and 1983, LA eliminated San Antonio in the conference finals.

San Antonio defeated the Lakers in 1995 and 1999 in the conference semifinals. In 1995 the Spurs beat LA in six games and in 1999 San Antonio swept the Lakers in four straight.

Even though the Lakers, who won the Pacific Division, are a higher seed than the Spurs, the home-court advantage in this best-of-seven series belongs to San Antonio because it had a better record during the regular season.

San Antonio comes into this series having won 15 in a row dating back to the regular season. The sizzling Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies, who were making their first postseason appearance in franchise history, out of the playoffs in the first round. San Antonio dominated the first two games at the SBC Center, winning Game 1 by 24 points and Game 2 by 17.

In Games 3 and 4, which were played at The Pyramid, San Antonio took home a two-point win and wrapped up the series with a convincing 13-point victory in the final contest.

All-Star forward Tim Duncan, who has recorded 16 double-doubles in his last 18 playoff games, had a strong series for the Spurs against Memphis, averaging team-highs in points (24.3 ppg) and rebounds (10 rpg). He also dished out three assists per game and blocked 2.5 shots.

Point guard Tony Parker was the perfect complement for Duncan against the Grizzlies. He netted 21 points per game and handed out a team-high 8.5 assists per game.

Former Laker Robert Horry, who won three championship rings with LA and has five total on his resume, took his game to the next level against Memphis. The 33-year-old Horry, who has played in 169 games in the postseason over his 12- year career, averaged 11 points and 8.3 boards which was much more productive than 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game during the regular season.

The Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets in five games in the first round. LA won Games 1,2 and 5 at home and split Games 3 and 4 with the Rockets at the Toyota Center.

Los Angeles improved to 29-0 all-time when leading a best-of-seven series 3-1. The Lakers, who are 29-2 all-time in first-round matchups, have won 18 of their last 22 games dating back to the regular season.

All-Star guard Kobe Bryant had a strong first round for the Lakers, as he led the team in scoring (24.4 ppg) and assists (6.2 apg). Fellow All-Star Shaquille O'Neal averaged 16.2 points and a team-high 11.2 rebounds against the Rockets.

O'Neal has been bothered by a sore knee, which could be a problem against the Spurs.

Forty-year-old forward Karl Malone came up huge for LA in the first round. He averaged 18 points and 10.4 boards. In Game 4 against the Rockets, Malone scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Lakers to a 92-88 overtime victory.

In the regular season, the Lakers won three of the four contests with the Spurs. LA defeated San Antonio twice at the SBC Center, while the squads split a pair of games at the Staples Center.