#1 Los Angeles Lakers (WEST) Vs #3 Orlando Magic (EAST)
So it's set! The Disney Finals! Boy, do I miss the Disney afternoon...
Anyway... let's talk about the NBA Finals and look at this very, uh, unbiased preview!
Let's get dangerous.
THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS. Last year, they got their ass kicked in the Finals by the Boston Celtics. It's already amazing astounding that they made the Finals after a couple of first round failures in the previous two years. So they set out on a mission to get rougher, tougher, and meaner to get back to the big stage.
And they did in the first fifth of the season. They rolled through the competition with crisp offense and effective (if not, frantic) defense. Along the way, Andrew Bynum got hurt yet again... but they got him back in time for the Playoffs.
Somewhere along the line, they got bored. They would get up for the big games against Boston or Cleveland... but then they would play lazy against teams like Indiana or Charlotte. Still, they finished with the best record in the West with a 65-17 record.
They dispatched of Utah rather quickly in the first round... but then the LAZY Lakers came out against Houston. Houston pushed them to seven games before L.A. finally decided that enough was enough. They then went through a rough-and-tumble series against Denver before they saved their best play in the last two games of the series. It was a lot of head-scratching, hair-pulling, angst, and wall-punching because of these up-and-down Lakers... but they're back and they seem to be focusing and peaking at the right time. A lot of people said that they don't deserve to win the title... but what matters is that they GOT to the Finals.
THE ORLANDO MAGIC. For a lot of the year, we always thought they were one step or one piece away from the championship. We all thought that Boston and Cleveland were simply too strong to take on.
But they did show that they belonged. Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis were all-stars, yes... but Jameer Nelson became one, too, after playing out of his mind and showing leadership that kept the Magic focused on the prize. When Nelson was lost for the year, they swung a trade to get Rafer Alston to solidify the point guard position. They finished third again in the Eastern Conference... but improved by seven wins from the previous season.
A lot of people certainly didn't take the Magic seriously after they struggled to put away the Philadelphia 76ers. But it was the series against Boston (without Kevin Garnett) that took them to another level. They finished off Boston in seven (at their house) and this was after surviving a Big Baby game-winner in Game 4.
And then they went against the Cleveland Cavaliers (crowned by the media and fans as champions 403 times in the playoffs). Cleveland came into the series on fire (8-0 in the playoffs). But Orlando stole Game 1 from them. The LeBron James game-winner from Game 2 didn't bother Orlando too much as they won Games 3 and 4. Orlando went on to "shock" Cleveland in six games as they prevented a Kobe Vs LeBron match-up in the Finals. Orlando grew up in the postseason right in front of our eyes. Dwight Howard punctuated the Cleveland series with a career-high 40 points... and both sides of the floor seem to be clicking for them Magicians. We expect Dwight to be MORE of a beast in this series.
Now... the main storyline right now is that Jameer Nelson may play in the Finals. I don't think it changes the gameplan much for the Lakers but I think they do get a more consistent jumpshooter in Jameer. However, he hasn't played in four months so he may not even play that much. Basically, if Jameer plays, the Lakers just have to watch out even more from the perimeter. And we all know L.A.'s trouble on defending the outside.
All right. Both teams don't lack star power. L.A. has Kobe, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. Orlando has Dwight, Rashard, and Hedo Turkoglu. The other starters are obviously going to be important. On L.A.'s side, Derek Fisher hasn't played good ball since he came off his suspension... although Trevor Ariza has been tearin' it up from downtown. Andrew Bynum has the unenviable task to guard D12... but I think it's more of a confidence issue for him. As for Orlando? Rafer is as hit or miss as they come. As for Courtney Lee? She sounds hot.
(The picture above? She LOOKS like a Courtney Lee.)
But for real, though, this will be a huge test for Lee.
Their benches? Well, Odom will come off the bench with Bynum starting... and Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, and Sasha Vujacic have played better... but not consistently. Orlando's Mickael Pietrus played great against Cleveland and I assume that he'll be the hellish, athletic defender and 3-point shooter. Kinda like the Lakers' Ariza. Orlando can also rely on Anthony Johnson, Marcin Gortat (POLISH HAMMA!), and J.J. Redick for some steady play... but the Magic's bench has obviously been Pietrus.
Laker fans feared this match-up. Magic has shooters all over the place (including their 6'10" forwards) and the worst part of the Lakers game has been their perimeter defense (especially when lazy). But I don't think the Lakers will be lazy since the stakes are high once again. They have to be like the Gummi Bears. Bouncing here and there and everywhere...
Plus they are longer than Cleveland. The Lakers aren't dwarves at all.
I don't think the Magic will have as many open looks (assuming they don't play lazy perimeter D) as they did against the Cavs. Dwight Howard will eat up the middle so the Lakers will try to use all 18 fouls on him (expect our favorite, DJ Mbenga, to get some burn). But the whole Lakers frontline can score, too, and they will certainly make Turkoglu and Lewis work. That's what doomed Cleveland in the first place.
As much as Orlando has grown up, they are in a whole new world.
The Lakers know what they're in for now. When focused, I don't think ANY team can beat them. We also know that L.A. has this dude named Kobe Bryant, who is as chill as they come at the end of games. And he'll be the difference-maker in every game that they play.
REY'S PREDICTION: Lakers in 6.
PETER: Orlando in 6.*
JIMMY: Lakers in 6.
NICK: Lakers in 6.
DAVE: Lakers in 7.* (is really hoping for Orlando in 6.)
TONY: Coming soon.
*They hate the Lakers.
I also got predictions from the Lady Ballers.
COLLEEN: Orlando in 7.
ALEXIS: Orlando in 6.
JESSICA: Orlando in 6.
CHERYL: Orlando in 6.
ELIZABETH: Orlando in 6.
LISA: Orlando in 5.
But then I forgot that they're ALL from Orlando! Ha ha ha ha.
Get'cha head in the game!
Time to watch some Lion King.
Follow me on Twitter. I am on there as @TheNoLookPass. I am READY for the NBA Finals.
