NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs Orlando Magic

[alfdogg]

Game 1, June 4: LA Lakers 100, Orlando 75
Game 2, June 7: LA Lakers 101, Orlando 96, OT, LA Lakers lead 2-0
Game 3, June 9: @ Orlando, 9:00
Game 4, June 11: @ Orlando, 9:00
*Game 5, June 14: @ Orlando, 8:00
*Game 6, June 16, @ LA Lakers, 9:00
*Game 7, June 18, @ LA Lakers, 9:00

All games on ABC.

 

[MFer]

I'll go with the stock answer and say Lakers in 6.

For the record, Barkley picked the Magic in 7.

 

[Smues]

First four games are 6/4, 6/7, 6/9, and 6/11. So the extra day off is on the non travel day. I guess they just don't like having big games on Saturdays?

 

[still fly]

In the old preseason thread at TOTSM, I picked the Lakers to win in six. I'll stick to that.

 

[Psycho Penguin]

I'll go with the stock answer and say Lakers in 6.

For the record, Barkley picked the Magic in 7.

Barkley is a smart man.

You all already know what I'm picking.

 

[Smues]

I'll say Lakers in 5. I'll hope for Magic in any number.

 

[MFer]

I'll go with the stock answer and say Lakers in 6.

For the record, Barkley picked the Magic in 7.

Barkley is a smart man.

You all already know what I'm picking.

Magic in 9?

 

[Psycho Penguin]

Magic in 16.

 

[Star Ocean 2]

I'll need to wear a Magic jersey around town just to see how long it takes for me to get killed. Then I'll report the results in the afterlife.

 

[Golgo]

Magic in 7. I like most of the team, don't believe the Lakers will be able to stop Howard, and being the only ones left that can prevent Kobe, Walton and Vujacic from getting their rings, I want them to win.

 

[wnyxmcneal]

Come on Magic. Win it for Ewing!

 

[Rendclaw]

I'll go with the Magic in 7. While yes, the Magic can at times fall in love with the three, the Lakers are way too up and down a team, and its going to bite them hard this time.

 

[KOAB]

Magic in 6.

 

[Cuban Linx]

Lakers in 7.

 

[OG]

Lakers in 6.

When they turn on the 'on' switch, they are the better team. They have the 3 point shooters to match Orlando, the big bodies to get Howard in foul trouble and Kobe. The question is if they can keep that 'on' swtich turned on more than one game at a time. I say yes.

 

[CanadianChris]

Lakers in 6. If they can consistently get it inside and get Howard in foul trouble, it'll be even shorter.

Throw out the regular season results, because I highly doubt Rafer Alston is picking up Jameer Nelson's 28/5/7.

 

[KOAB]

I don't get this talk of Gasol and Bynum being able to deal with Howard. Bynum doesn't have the mental toughness and will be constantly racking up the fouls, and I don't think the refs will allow Gasol's old tactics of jumping on top of more powerful players go unnoticed.

Kobe/Lewis is a matchup that will be fun to watch as I see them going with Ariza on Turkeyglue. Alston should do well, Lakers always have problems with quick points. I like Pietrus and I remember seeing him go up against the Clippers while with the Warriors and thinking to myself that if he could just find a consistent perimeter game that he was going to become a great player in the league. I was shocked to see that apparently all he does on the offensive end for the Magic is jack up 3s, and he's damn near 40% behind the the arc this postseason.

I know we always talk about the Lakers being scary and when they're on, they're the best team in the league... but they do not match up well the Magic. The key for the Lakers is Phil and Kobe. Phil will be able to beat Van Gundy... but if there's any point in the series where Kobe gets frustrated and starts making some mistakes, the Lakers are toast.

Magic in 6.

 

[KOAB]

But I could also see the Lakers win in 5... a team that lives and dies by the 3 is a team I generally have a hard time rooting for. Van Gundy isn't the coach Phil is, and overall, the Lakers bench is better than the Magic's bench. There's only two other guys I would put in the same status as Kobe Bryant when it comes to guys I want with the ball in their hands in the final seconds of a game down by two or three. If Odom and Gasol show up in the same game... I don't even wanna think about that. Bill Walton is convinced that Trevor Ariza will step up and become the next great Laker, and this series might just be the beginning of that... I'd be happy to see it, I like the way he plays. Kobe will have to score 35+ a game and I can see him easily doing that.

This is really going to be an enjoyable series, that's for sure.

 

[tonyjaymz03]

Not the match-up I wanted to see(I really wanted Nuggets vs. Cavs) but I'll take the Magic in 7.

 

[Matt Young]

As I said in the other thread, Lakers in 6.

 

[Kinetic]

I'll say LA in 6, but I'm pulling hard for Orlando.

 

[special k]

Magic in 6. At least that's what I'm rooting for.
The Magic have looked incredibly good the last couple series. They've just straight worn teams out.

 

[zio]

When a team needs to flip on the "on" switch to win in convincing fashion, it's never really a safe pick. That being said, I think the Magic are more consistent and will eventually pull out the series in 6 or 7. The Magic don't need to flip on the "on" switch, making them the safer pick.

 

[Smues]

Fun finals fact: Either Adam Morrison or JJ Redick is going to get a ring. NCAA class of 2006 running wild!

 

[naiwf]

If Morrison gets it he will join Darko Milicic in the mix for the "least deserving lottery pick with a ring".

 

[Vitamin X]

Magic in 5. I know they've had a thing for getting into long, tough series all postseason long, but the different format of the final round (2-3-2 as opposed to 2-2-1-1-1) I think will be to their advantage. Steal one in L.A., finish off the Finals at home.

Although honestly, this was the best Finals matchup I could've asked for after the Blazers were eliminated, maybe even after the Rockets were as well. I had a feeling all along Denver wasn't THAT good, and the Cavs hadn't changed all that much from their last trip to the ECF. As I pointed out in the last thread, every single team that has won a postseason series this year also won their regular season series or, in only three cases, tied. The Magic went 2-0 against the Lakers this year, and they possess a lot more team chemistry from what I've seen, making this kind of a similar pick to the 2004 Lakers-Pistons Finals. That series went 5 games as well. Everyone who's picked the Magic has already pointed out why they'll probably win, so I won't repeat that. Although honestly, I'd be totally okay with the Lakers winning as well.

 

[909]

Magic don't have Nelson and they lack anything resembling a productive bench. We win in 6.

 

[zio]

Snippy.

 

[J]

Thought this was an interesting article to pop up right after Orlando wins...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4219606

 

[Brooklyn Zoo]

Magic don't have Nelson and they lack anything resembling a productive bench. We win in 6.

Except Pietrus, Gortat, and Johnson.