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Kobe and the Lakers landed back in the finals just as it was predicted at the beginning of the season. However, the east doesn’t have Lebron or the Boston Three Party representing it in the finals. Instead the beast of the east is led by a superman (Dwight Howard). The Magic defeated both the defending champs(Boston Celtics) and the team with the NBA’s best record(Cleveland Cavaliers) in route to the finals. For the Lakers, it is their 3oth finals appearance(6th in this decade). For the Magic, it is their 2nd. The Lakers have 14 championships(most recently in 2002) while the Magic have none. However, the Magic defeated the Lakers in the 2 times that they played them this year. They are also the only team the Lakers did not beat in the regular season besides the Bobcats. Let’s break down the starters.

PG Rafer Alston (Orlando), Derek Fisher (Lakers)

VS.    The Edge=

I give the edge here to Alston. Fisher has been off from behind the arc and he hasn’t been able to stop the PGs in any series. Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz, Aaron Brooks of the Houston Rockets, and Chaucey Billlups of the Denver Nuggets all lit him up and the Lakers couldn’t stop any of them. They also have trouble defending the pick and roll. Alston has been producing more points and shooting better.

SG Courtney Lee (Orlando) Kobe Bryant (Lakers)

 VS.  The Edge=

Kobe gets the edge obviously. I have nothing more to add.

SF Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando) Trevor Ariza (Lakers)

 VS.  The Edge=WASH

Although these men have different styles of play both are very similiar because of what they mean to their teams. When you need them, they will come up big. Turkoglu with a late-game shot or Ariza with a late-game steal. Turkoglu does a lot on the offensive end while Ariza is the Lakers’ best defensive player(but Ariza is playing excellent offense shooting 50% from beyond the arc and slamming some high-flying dunks). It’s a wash.

PF Rashard Lewis (Orlando) Pau Gasol (Lakers)

 VS.  The Edge= WASH

Another wash here. Lewis will cause serious mattchup problems for the Lakers because he could extend the defense to the three-point line. Gasol has been playing great in the playoffs averaging a double-double with about 18 points and 11 rebounds a game. Lewis(about 19 points a game in the playoffs) has not put up the same rebounding numbers but the Magic do have a beast down low to collect the boards. 

C Dwight  Howard (Orlando) Andrew Bynum(Lakers)

 VS.  The Edge=

The Lakers cannot stop Howard. They could only hope to contain him. Bynum will have to step up and Lakers have to look to help.

The Bench

The Edge=

Lamar Odom, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic. These five players could be explosive at times and take over a game for a short period of time for the Lakers. The only threats off the Magic bench are Mickael Pietrus(who averaged almost 14 points a game against Cleveland) and Jameer Nelson. Nelson has been injured but has practiced with the team and now it seems that he will play in the playoffs. In the regular season against the Lakers he played great basketball. However, he hasn’t played in months and will probably have limited minutes on the floor.

X Factors Rafer Alston/Jameer Nelson(Orlando) Lamar Odom (Lakers)

If Alston could cause problems for the Lakers at the point guard position the Magic could torch the Lakers defense. All thoughout the playoffs when the Lakers have not contained the point guard they have been blown out. The same goes for Nelson. He had two great games against the Lakers in the regular season and the Magic won both games.

When Lamar Odom plays well the Lakers dominate. We saw this in the last two games of the Denver series. Kobe and Gasol will do their thing but Odom must step up.

We know that Kobe and Howard will play like superstars  but the question is who will step up to help them? The Lakers have been on a mission since the beginning of the season to finish what they started last year. The Lakers’ experience in the finals last year is huge especially because the Magic are inexperienced. However, the Magic are battle tested after coming back from a 3-2 series deficit against the defending champion Boston Celtics and beating them in game 7 at the Garden. Also, they defeated the Cavs who had also been to the finals in the past.

In the end the Lakers have more talent and experience. Did I mention that they have the greatest closer in the game?

The Pick=  
Lakers in 6