Orlando is the clear favorite to win the championship

[Brazil]

LMAO at this thread. Reading thru this made me realize/remember how dumb most of SD's posts/threads are. Pretty bad, almost Killbillpana bad.

SD>>>>>>>>>> KBP

[Laker-fan-in-SanAnto]

I would say the Magic are the favorites to win the championship. They're not my favorite team in the league, but I'd pick them over the Lakers...I would have picked Denver or Orlando over the Lakers in the Finals, but not Cleveland. With Cleveland out, the Lakers are in trouble. The Lakers think they can just sit back and cakewalk through everything but they are really going to have to do some work in this series. They can't depend on the refs bailing them out if they don't play close enough (see 2004 and 2008 Finals). They played Houston and Denver close enough to where the David Stern whistles got them to the line and helped them win. I just don't take this team seriously. Kobe Bryant, but then who? Pau Gasol? Lamar Odom? Andrew Bynum? Trevor Ariza? This team is simply not championship-caliber. They have been unimpressive in the Houston and Denver series. They only won against Houston because Yao was out, they only won against Denver because Denver missed a couple of buckets. Stern got the Lakers into the Finals, the ratings will be there, but at the end of the series Kobe is going home without a championship.

[TheManFromAcme]

I would say the Magic are the favorites to win the championship. They're not my favorite team in the league, but I'd pick them over the Lakers...I would have picked Denver or Orlando over the Lakers in the Finals, but not Cleveland. With Cleveland out, the Lakers are in trouble. The Lakers think they can just sit back and cakewalk through everything but they are really going to have to do some work in this series. They can't depend on the refs bailing them out if they don't play close enough (see 2004 and 2008 Finals). They played Houston and Denver close enough to where the David Stern whistles got them to the line and helped them win. I just don't take this team seriously. Kobe Bryant, but then who? Pau Gasol? Lamar Odom? Andrew Bynum? Trevor Ariza? This team is simply not championship-caliber. [B]They have been unimpressive in the [/B]Houston and Denver series. They only won against Houston because Yao was out, they only won against Denver because Denver missed a couple of buckets. Stern got the Lakers into the Finals, the ratings will be there, but at the end of the series Kobe is going home without a championship.

I sense the underlying biased-hatred you have for the Lakers but I actually see an analysis here that may just have some merit. Aside from the Denver series where I think the Lakers played much better, the Houston series shines a negative light that may come back to haunt them. What happened in that series (Houston) is troublesome and has been swept under the rug. I hope it was a series to work out their "quirks" because like I mentioned, they played better in the Denver series especially game 6. I am inclined to say that most of the Lakers troubles, aside from some coaching snafu's, are all mental. If they bring in a lazy and complacent at ude with this young, hungry and very talented Magic team there is a possibility that it will be very long series or worst yet, shorter than expected with the Lakers on the losing end. This is were Kobe will have to take the George S. Patton approach and show us what he's really made of.

[jacobdrj]

It is not clear by any stretch of the imagination. Lakers actually have the pieces to match up with them, should Phil decide to use them.

[TheManFromAcme]

It is not clear by any stretch of the imagination. Lakers actually have the pieces to match up with them, should Phil decide to use them.

Exactly. Much of this series, as far as the Lakers go, fringes on what Phil does. You would think that if the Lakers see limited or no play from Jameer that his coaching just got easier but if Houston taught us anything, that isn't the case. Phil will earn his pay this series.

[Laker-fan-in-SanAnto]

JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!

[resistanze]

Lakers only need to do 3 things to win the le:

1) Don't double-team Howard (defend the 3)
2) Have Bynum not get in ridiculous foul trouble in the first quarter defending Howard
3) Have Kobe show up in the series.

If they can't do these things, they don't deserve to win.

[KSeal]

Lakers only need to do 3 things to win the le:

1) Don't double-team Howard (defend the 3)
2) Have Bynum not get in ridiculous foul trouble in the first quarter defending Howard
3) Have Kobe show up in the series.

If they can't do these things, they don't deserve to win.

Part 2 is a sure lock not to happen, he pulls that foul bull every game. For Part 3, if there is any year and any oppenent for Kobe to show up against it's now. So we'll just have to see, it Thursday yet..

[resistanze]

Part 2 is a sure lock not to happen, he pulls that foul bull every game. For Part 3, if there is any year and any oppenent for Kobe to show up against it's now. So we'll just have to see, it Thursday yet..

I expect Bynum to have his troubles with Howard, but he can't get himself subbed out in like, the first 4 minutes of the game. He'll mess up the entire bench rotation and they'll like have to bring Odom in early, I guess leaving Gasol to guard Howard (unless they wanna play Mbenga...). I can see Phil panicking and beginning to double Howard if this happens.

I agree on part 3. Kobe has gone up against stellar defenses in his last two appearances (BOS and DET). ORL's D doesn't compare, so he really has to bring it.