How can the Magic possibly win the NBA title against 9-time champion coach Phil Jackson, and 3-time champion Kobe Bryant?
Position comparisons:
PG
Magic - Rafer Alston
Lakers - Derek Fisher
Alston is quicker down the court and off the dribble. His shooting percentage from 2-pt and 3-pt range is better in the playoffs. Fisher has championship experience and is very good at drawing offensive fouls.
Advantage: MAGIC
SG
Magic - Courtney Lee
Lakers - Kobe Bryant
You kidding?
Advantage: LAKERS
SF
Magic - Hedo Turkoglu
Lakers - Trevor Ariza
Ariza is valuable for his defense and his occasional burst of offensive genius. Ariza is that fourth or fifth guy on the floor that teams overlook at their own peril. But Hedo's offensive firepower has been the Magic's secret weapon all through the playoffs. They're key for different reasons, but the slight edge goes to...
Advantage: MAGIC
PF
Magic - Rashard Lewis
Lakers - Paul Gasol
Lewis's outside shooting can cause trouble for Gasol, but on the other end of the floor, Gasol has shown to be unguardable when he's within ten feet of the basket. (Well, he hasn't faced Howard yet, but...)
Advantage: LAKERS
C
Magic - Dwight Howard
Lakers - Andrew Bynum
You kidding?
Advantage: MAGIC
6TH MAN
Magic - Mickael Pietrus
Lakers - Lamar Odom
Pietrus does a little of everything, but Odom does a little bit more of everything.
Advantage: LAKERS
REST OF BENCH
Magic - Redick, Johnson, Gortat, maybe Nelson?
Lakers - Brown, Walton, Farmar, Vujacic
If Jameer Nelson can come back and be effective, it changes everything. But to be injured that long, I would think it would take a few games to adjust, and the Magic don't have a few games. Redick's 3-point shooting has been, with Lewis and Pietrus, great to this point. But really, Brown has been the difference on a couple victories. Consistency is the key to judging second units, and unless Nelson's return to be less effective than Brown...
Advantage: MAGIC
COACH
Magic - Stan Van Gundy
Lakers - Phil Jackson
At a recent press conference it was refreshing to hear SVG address what so many basketball fans have been feeling for years. He's tired of press conferences being used by coaches to jockey for favor with the referees at the next game. Meanwhile Phil is the master of that, and between that and his nine rings...
Advantage: LAKERS
This should be a really good series. The Lakers have home court, but in the 2-3-2 playoff format, that's rarely proven to be an advantage. I think the Lakers will win, but I'll be rooting for the Magic.
8 of the last 10 championship teams have had Shaq or Duncan. Now it'll be 8 out of the last 11.
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