NBA Finals Preview

The 2009 NBA Finals are now set. It's the Orlando Magic against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Orlando Magic were able to make it into the finals mostly be creating horrible matchup problems with the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers only had two guys big enough who could actually step out and defend one of their 6'10" three point shooters, and those were LeBron James and Joe Smith. Smith did not get a lot of playing time and James was only one man. With the Lakers it looks like it could be a similar number, only that this time you have two guys who are on the floor an awful lot in Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza. The Magic still present a matchup problem for the Lakers, but the problem is not nearly as bad as it was for Cleveland.

There will be two major x-factors for the finals this season. The first is their three point shooting for the Magic. When they're making their three point shots, they generally win their games. When they aren't hitting them, they don't usually win their games. The next x-factor for this series is, of all people, Andrew Bynum. The young center is going to have a lot on his plate going up against Dwight Howard. If he gets into foul trouble early on in games, then it could be curtains for the Lakers. The Lakers without Bynum were as soft as they came last year in the finals against Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett. Nothing against Garnett, but it's more the versatility of his offense that makes him a threat. Now it's Dwight Howard down there, and if the Lakers put the same two guys up against him as they did last year to Perkins and Garnett, then the Lakers could seriously be in trouble. If the Magic are not hitting their three point shots, this is one thing that could keep them alive, as they could put Marcin Gortat on the floor with Howard, which has been proven to be a strong duo when they're looking to gain an advantage down low. Gasol and Odom will be way too soft to stop them.

Another major issue in this series, but not necessarily an x-factor is going to be Kobe Bryant. Last year in the finals Kobe did not have his best series. He had a couple of good games, but as a whole did not shoot the ball well and did not involve his teammates like he really could have. If the Lakers are going to win this series, then Kobe is going to have to step his game up a notch from last year. There is no doubt that Kobe has the ability to do it, and all things point at him being able to do it, but it actually being done is the important thing.

This is a very difficult series to predict. The Magic do present a lot of problems for the Lakers as far as matchups go, and if one x-factor isn't working, they at least can have another x-factor go their way and can still manage to have an advantage. However, there is a good chance that neither x-factor can go their way, and in that case they are in serious trouble. The Lakers are in the finals for a very good reason. They didn't steamroll over the west like predicted, but they were the best team in the west, easily. The Magic, on the other hand were arguably the best team in the east, but you could just as easily say that they made it to the finals based on matchup problems. However, these matchup problems still exist for the Lakers, so it isn't this is going to be a completely different beast for them.

The final prediction here is the Lakers in 7, although with all the different factors for each of these teams, it could be the Magic in 5 or the Lakers even in 4, it's just too hard to say for sure, but the advantage here is going to go to the Lakers.

(note, I hope I'm wrong)