The Finals are set. Everyone wanted a Lakers-Cavs final (including myself) but after thinking about it for a bit, I find this match up much more intriguing from a basketball standpoint. It’s obvious that the NBA wanted Kobe v. LeBron in a battle for not only the title, but who is better individually. Lakers-Cavs would have been very similar to the Cavs-Magic series that just ended. The Cav’s would have had the same matchup problems, and LeBron would be going 1-on-5 because he’s the only one that can create his own shot, and shots for others. Good thing that kind of series happened in the Eastern Finals rather than in the NBA Finals. Lakers-Magic poses a bunch of interesting matchups, and should be a lot of great basketball. There are a few things to look out for during the series.
Who will guard Kobe? – It’s a simple question, yet very hard to answer. It’s the finals, Kobe will be shifting into 6th gear, ready to just explode and get his hands on that title that he craves. He is going to be difficult to stop. There will be no stopping Kobe in the finals, but you can still make him work for his points. Pietrus did a decent job on James in the last round, but Kobe is a completely different player. Kobe is smart, and crafty with and without the ball. Great defenders such as Battier and Bruce Bowen know where Kobe is going. They can match wits with him. Since the Magic don’t have that kind of defender, then their best bet could be Rashard Lewis. His height and size could keep Kobe under wraps somehow, and keep him from getting into the lane. If Lewis guards Kobe, then Kobe would abuse Lewis on the perimeter, running him off screens, and pick and rolls. Also, the Magic don’t want Lewis wasting the energy when he has to be a creator on the offensive end. The best bet for the Magic on Kobe is to constantly be changing what they do to him. Double him on the catch, or the dribble, force him to drive, wall up and force him to shoot over defenders, funnel him baseline, funnel him towards Howard, and put different defenders on him all game. The Magic can’t let Kobe beat them. The Magic need to do what the Celtics did last year with Kobe. This is the most interesting aspects to the finals to me. Did the Lakers learn from last year against the Celtics? Can Kobe’s supporting cast toughen up and make plays when the magic shut Kobe down? I guess we will wait and see.
Odom v. Lewis – This matchup could be great, but then it could just as easily be terrible. Both players have the physical tools and bodies to be premiere players, but something is missing from each of them mentally. They would rather settle for 20 footers than get into the lane. If Lewis keeps playing the same way that he has all playoffs, and Odom plays the way that he can, then we’re in for something that we have never seen before. Never have we seen two 6’10’’ guys guard each other and play as if they are 6’2’’ guards flying towards the rim. Lewis could break out here in the Finals in a big way. He is proving that he is a clutch go to player late in games.
Home court won’t matter – The home court advantage won’t matter to the Lakers. The Laker’s home crowd in terrible. They can easily be taken out of a game. It’s as if games in L.A. are a neutral court with how quite it can be there. The Magic have also proven that they are road warriors. They closed out Philly in Philly without Howard. They won a game 7 in Boston, and they beat Cleveland (The best home team in the NBA) in game 1, and if not for LeBron’s heroics in game 2, the Magic would have won that game. They also beat LA at LA during the regular season. I will love to see if the Magic can steal one of the first two games in LA and make this series interesting
Can the Magic Stay on Fire – The Magic can’t seem to miss from the 3-point line. They are shooting nearly 50 percent, during the last 2 games against the Celtics, and the series with the Cavs. The old saying “You live by the 3 and die by the 3” doesn’t apply to them. They are living and feasting on the 3. It will be fun to see if they can stay on fire. If they do, this will be a great series.
LA’s defense – Phil Jackson doesn’t double team. I expect him to single cover Howard on the block and stay home on the shooters. He will force Howard to beat him, which is a good strategy considering that Howards has one move. The Lakers bigs are athletic enough to keep Howard from going around him, and force him to make a move. However, Howard is becoming a superduperstar right now. His tears after winning against Cleveland really show how much he cares about winning. I expect to see a hungry Dwight Howard. This could possibly force Jackson to double team.
The Prediction – So who will win? I have absolutely no idea. I’m about ready to draw from a hat, use a dart board, or ask the draft lottery for advice. So I will guess… The Lakers. They have the best player in the series, and Gasol, the Lakers 2nd best player, is better than Orlando’s second best player in Turkoglu.
