Lakers Win

After all those previous posts about the conference finals, I suppose I am obliged to put in my NBA Finals prediction. Which is fine, as my pick has been in place since the Lakers won Game 6 against the Spurs. But how am I going to justify it?

Kobe Bryant is the best basketball player in the world. That seems simple enough. I do think this is the key to the series. If the Celtics are to have any chance, they will have to contain Bryant. How do they do this? Can Pierce stay with him? He did a pretty good job against LeBron James, but Bryant will present a different challenge. Frankly, a more challenging challenge. Bryant is better at creating shots for himself than James, and beyond that, he is better at creating shots for his teammates (who are, in turn, much better at making those shots than LeBron’s Cavs).

Some have suggested that Tony Allen and James Posey could be major factors defensively coming off the bench. I’m not going to completely disregard this, but Bryant is not going to be phased by these two. The only defense to Bryant will be to contain him, and contest the open shots that his teammates are sure to find.

Boston’s defense does present a formidable opponent for the Lakers. But I think the Lakers are much better equipped for this series than the Pistons were for the previous series. While the Pistons have a number of legitimate scorers, they had nobody who could come inside and challenge the big guys of Boston. While the Pistons were forced to rely on the streaky shooting of Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess, L.A. will be able to work the ball inside with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Maybe the Celtics can out-physical L.A., but Gasol and Odom possess amazing length and range.

L.A. will probably win at least one game in Boston. I can’t imagine Boston taking anything on the road, not under the Hollywood lights. This could go five games just as easily as it could go seven. Either way, I’m going Lakers.