Finals: Lakers VS Magic

[Force9024]

Magic fan here.. Just wandered over here for the 1st time, to wish you guys good luck.. I can't wait to see this series, because Game 1 will really show how this series is gonna go.. With Pau playing probably his best basketball of his career and Kobe being Kobe, the X Factors are Odom and Bynum if those 2 step up big along with the rest of the core Orlando will have it's hands full.. But in the same sense if Orlando starts getting hot and Dwight dominates like he did in Game 6, it could be a handful for LA..

Either way, I have always respected Los Angeles as I am a big fan of Kobe and regardless how bad Shaq shafted Orlando when he bolted for LA, I always found myself rooting for him when he played for the Lakers..

Either way I'm excited... It should be an amazing series if both teams come ready to play.. Might not be the hyped up series like Lebron/Kobe but.. Kobe/Dwight is intriguing for many..

Congratulations on your West Conference Championship 2 years in a row..

[Warhammer3025]

The biggest keys to the game is can Bynum hold his ground vs DHo 1v1 in the post. The magic seem to be more comfortable feeding him in the post now which is usually a bad thing since inside out offense is sooooo much better, but does DHo have enough of a post game to really make it a staple of their offense? I mean, we dont have an immobile Big Z or a vastly undersized Varajao trying to man up vs DHo. Bynum is semi mobile but is he burly enough to hold his ground if DHo is trying to bullrush in rather than making any semblance of a move (see Varajao play straight up defense and getting plowed over by DHo). Gasol is at least tall and has more mass than Varajao to slow down DHo a bit more while the double comes to help and MBenga if he sees court is strong as hell and has 6 fouls to hack with.

If we can nullify their post game with a single player then they're just stuck jacking contested 3s and pick and pops. Also like so many teams out there once they feel like their inside game isnt going they just start ignoring it for large stretches of time (see LAL guards).

Also who can take advantage of the mismatch faster. Gasol in the post vs Shard or Shard at the perimeter vs Gasol. Now Gasol will straight up abuse Shard down low and draw some fouls if Shard contests too much, but is Gasol quick enough to bother Shard's outside shot and recover if Shards tries to drive? And who will pick up fouls faster in that mismatch? If we can knock out Shard early that's a HUGE potent piece of their offensive attack out. All they got on the bench is Gortat and Battie, neither of which is really known for their offense and who knows if they even remember how to shoot the ball since SVG never lets them try ever. Cut out one of their shooters and that allows us to pack paint more helping nullify DHo and baically whatever advantage they have on us.

How will the refs call the games? Will we get similar home cooking the Celts got last year.... one can only hope.

[Laker at Heart]

My prediction:

Game 1: Lakers win, close.
Game 2: Lakers win, close.
Game 3: Magic win, blowout.
Game 4: Lakers win, close.
Game 5: Magic win, close.
Game 6: Lakers win, blowout.

Game 3 and 5 might be switched around (third one close, fifth one blowout) but that's how I picture it.

Don't quote it, don't book it, don't sig it. Just my opinion.

[butter17]

We have to let Dewight howard get his and shut everybody else down. we have the bigs to do it. We can't make the same mistake cleveland did by double teaming Howard.

[iamworthy]

Is it me or did Jameer Nelson become wayyyyy overrated in the past 3 days?

[hermes]

My prediction:

Game 1: Lakers win, close.
Game 2: Lakers win, close.
Game 3: Magic win, blowout.
Game 4: Lakers win, close.
Game 5: Magic win, close.
Game 6: Lakers win, blowout.

Game 3 and 5 might be switched around (third one close, fifth one blowout) but that's how I picture it.

Don't quote it, don't book it, don't sig it. Just my opinion.

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