Howard is not polished enough offensively to completely abuse the Laker bigs like Garnett did last year and he is so foul prone, he could become a non factor.

 

The Magic took out the defending champs who, btw, played without their best player.

 

Phil Jackson is 43-0 in playoff series when his team wins Game 1. The Magic are winning game 1 and they don't have the mettle to be the first team to reverse the Phil Jackson trend.

 

And yes, they will be very nervous. The NBA Finals is a whole different animal than even the Conference Finals. Even LeBron knows that as the Cavs got a lesson in Finals basketball two years ago courtesy of the Spurs. I see that same kind of situation.

 

You know what? I said the same thing last series. I was wrong. I'm going to give Howard the benefit of the doubt until he proves me right:thumb: Offensively he is raw, but somehow he gets it done. He gets in foul trouble, but he will be fine if the game is close at the end. He gets a lot of fouls and I don't think the refs will let him foul out of a close game in the finals.

 

Celts didn't have Garnett, but IMO they would have made a series out of any match up in the league. Pierce, Rondo, Allen are good enough to get them around 2 games vs. Anyone.

 

LeBron's lesson was that he was playing against a great team while his teammates resembled the people on my rec-league team.

 

Nerves will play a part for the first 2 minutes. How nervous were the Celtics last year? The Big 3 had never played in the finals yet they did great.

 

All I'm saying is I wouldn't be surprised if the Magic somehow pulled it off. The Lakers should win, but I wouldn't be ordering championship T-shirts yet.

All I'm saying is I wouldn't be surprised if the Magic somehow pulled it off. The Lakers should win, but I wouldn't be ordering championship T-shirts yet.

 

So either way you get to say you were right? Pretty smart move.

So either way you get to say you were right? Pretty smart move.

 

No I'm picking the Lakers. I just won't be totally shocked if the Magic win. I don't think it will be an easy series for either team.

No I'm picking the Lakers. I just won't be totally shocked if the Magic win. I don't think it will be an easy series for either team.

 

I agree, I'm just messing with you.

I see Howard as being a huge problem for the Magic. The Lakers are soft inside. If they thought Chuck Hayes, Scola and Landry were bad wait until they get ahold of Dwight Howard. Rashard Lewis will be a tough cover for Gasol, Odom will probably get more minutes to guard him. I think it wil come down to the bench play. I think the Big 3 for Orlando and Kobe/Gasol will pretty much cancel each other out when it's said and done. I expect Bynum to really be exposed. I think he has great potential, I just don't think he's there yet. I think that Kobe and DHoward will have great series.

 

If we are voting on who we are rooting for I have to go Magic. I would have been for the Lakers but a buddy of mine called me after the Cavs lost the other night and that changed my mind. I can take my team losing, but this was the same guy who last year would't pick up the phone for a week after the Celtics beat the Lakers.

 

I suppose I should clarify what I mean by the Magic not posing any significant problems for LA...I meant as far as style of play. I don't think Orlando plays a style that makes LA uncomfortable, hence not a problem. The Lakers seem to struggle more with teams that play a certain way rather than struggling because of a certain player.

 

Howard is a bad matchup for anyone. He'll have a big series. I'm not expecting much of anything from Bynum because I expect Howard to keep him on the bench with foul trouble for most of the series.

 

I'd expect to see the lineup of Fisher, Kobe, Ariza, Odom and Gasol, get the most minutes for LA.

 

A few keys, IMO...

 

Gasol vs. Howard (when LA has the ball) - Gasol isn't going to stop Howard, but if Howard can dominate that matchup on both ends, it's a huge problem for LA.

 

Lamar Odom - I like his potential matchups in this series, but I have to wonder whether he'll play like he did in the last two games, or the first four games of the Denver series.

 

Kobe Bryant vs. Courtney Lee/Mickael Pietrus - Pietrus, I thought, did a solid job guarding Lebron. How will he fare against Kobe? Kobe isn't going to attack the rim like Lebron, so Pietrus may be able to defend more aggressively on the perimeter, knowing Kobe probably won't get Howard in foul trouble like Lebron did. Additionally, what does Kobe do when Lee is in the game? He often plays lazy and unfocused on the defensive end when he's guarding someone he doesn't respect. He won't respect Lee...at least not initially. If he can knock down some open threes, Orlando has a chance to get some freebies from that matchup, IMO. I think the Lakers play better defense as a team when Kobe is spearheading that by locking his man down, not by roaming around and leaving someone wide open.

I suppose I should clarify what I mean by the Magic not posing any significant problems for LA...I meant as far as style of play. I don't think Orlando plays a style that makes LA uncomfortable, hence not a problem. The Lakers seem to struggle more with teams that play a certain way rather than struggling because of a certain player.

 

Howard is a bad matchup for anyone. He'll have a big series. I'm not expecting much of anything from Bynum because I expect Howard to keep him on the bench with foul trouble for most of the series.

 

I'd expect to see the lineup of Fisher, Kobe, Ariza, Odom and Gasol, get the most minutes for LA.

 

A few keys, IMO...

 

Gasol vs. Howard (when LA has the ball) - Gasol isn't going to stop Howard, but if Howard can dominate that matchup on both ends, it's a huge problem for LA.

 

Lamar Odom - I like his potential matchups in this series, but I have to wonder whether he'll play like he did in the last two games, or the first four games of the Denver series.

 

Kobe Bryant vs. Courtney Lee/Mickael Pietrus - Pietrus, I thought, did a solid job guarding Lebron. How will he fare against Kobe? Kobe isn't going to attack the rim like Lebron, so Pietrus may be able to defend more aggressively on the perimeter, knowing Kobe probably won't get Howard in foul trouble like Lebron did. Additionally, what does Kobe do when Lee is in the game? He often plays lazy and unfocused on the defensive end when he's guarding someone he doesn't respect. He won't respect Lee...at least not initially. If he can knock down some open threes, Orlando has a chance to get some freebies from that matchup, IMO. I think the Lakers play better defense as a team when Kobe is spearheading that by locking his man down, not by roaming around and leaving someone wide open.

 

I thought that might have been what you meant.

 

I agree about Kobe on Lee. If he plays lazy the Magic will get in rhythm. Lee isn't a great 3 point shooter, but he is adequate and has a great mid-range game.

You know what? I said the same thing last series. I was wrong. I'm going to give Howard the benefit of the doubt until he proves me right:thumb: Offensively he is raw, but somehow he gets it done. He gets in foul trouble, but he will be fine if the game is close at the end. He gets a lot of fouls and I don't think the refs will let him foul out of a close game in the finals.

 

Celts didn't have Garnett, but IMO they would have made a series out of any match up in the league. Pierce, Rondo, Allen are good enough to get them around 2 games vs. Anyone.

 

LeBron's lesson was that he was playing against a great team while his teammates resembled the people on my rec-league team.

 

Nerves will play a part for the first 2 minutes. How nervous were the Celtics last year? The Big 3 had never played in the finals yet they did great.

 

All I'm saying is I wouldn't be surprised if the Magic somehow pulled it off. The Lakers should win, but I wouldn't be ordering championship T-shirts yet.

 

 

 

Put me in the camp that believes if a healthy Garnett plays, they beat orlando and played Cleveland.

 

The Big 3 were seasoned, hungry veterans. Big difference from a team that has to play the "lack of respect" angle for motivation.

 

I expect the Lakers to win this series. I feel the Magic have no chance. Even if Nelson comes back to play the role of the quick pg that LA has problems with. Honestly, I am not that worried.

Put me in the camp that believes if a healthy Garnett plays, they beat orlando and played Cleveland.

 

The Big 3 were seasoned, hungry veterans. Big difference from a team that has to play the "lack of respect" angle for motivation.

 

I expect the Lakers to win this series. I feel the Magic have no chance. Even if Nelson comes back to play the role of the quick pg that LA has problems with. Honestly, I am not that worried.

 

After watching the playoffs unfold, I'm beginning to think the C's might have repeated had Garnett stayed healthy. I definitely think they'd have beat Orlando...

 

Before the playoffs started, I didn't think they'd get back to the finals even with Garnett. I'm not so sure about that now.

Put me in the camp that believes if a healthy Garnett plays, they beat orlando and played Cleveland.

 

The Big 3 were seasoned, hungry veterans. Big difference from a team that has to play the "lack of respect" angle for motivation.

I expect the Lakers to win this series. I feel the Magic have no chance. Even if Nelson comes back to play the role of the quick pg that LA has problems with. Honestly, I am not that worried.

 

I think the Celtics would have beat the Magic as well. I also think that it's possible that Cleveland would have beaten them. Cleveland is built more to handle a traditional team like Boston than Orlando. But, the Celtics would have definitely been a likely choice as champion.

 

As for the bolded, I thought the same thing about 2 weeks ago, and I was wrong. The Magic don't look like a team that should be capable of winning titles, but they can they are such a tough match up for most teams. I do think Odom and Ariza will negate alot of what gave the Cavs trouble but we'll just have to wait and see.

Lakers in 7.

I really like the Magic's chances, they are very tough to defend!

I think it'll probably go 7 games but I like the Magic winning it. They can win on the road and are really good at home. They have overcame big deficits throughout the Cavs series and are not afraid of Kobe.

 

The only thing that worries me is the way they live by the 3 or die by the 3.

Lakers in 6.

I think it'll probably go 7 games but I like the Magic winning it. They can win on the road and are really good at home. They have overcame big deficits throughout the Cavs series and are not afraid of Kobe.

The only thing that worries me is the way they live by the 3 or die by the 3.

 

They should be scared of the fact that Kobe has a better supporting cast than Bron Bron.

Jameer Nelson is going to play in the Finals.