Who will play the Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals? The Professor analyzes

[ball junkie 277]

He bacisally says the Lakers are a notch above the rest in the West:

 

quote:

In the East, it will be much more of a dogfight. Boston won the title in 2008 and can't be counted out for next season. Even with multiple key injuries, the Celtics took Orlando to seven tough games in the second round of the playoffs.

 

Cleveland, of course, has to be taken seriously as a threat with reigning MVP LeBron James, along with a frontcourt that likely will be overhauled during the summer. The Cavs won a league-best 66 games and, like L.A., are among the few teams willing to pay the luxury tax to stay at a championship level.

 

And nobody will be surprised if the Cavs and Magic meet in the conference finals for several seasons to come. Orlando still has a young six-man nucleus -- Dwight Howard and Courtney Lee are 23, Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus are 27, Rashard Lewis is 29 and Turkoglu is 30. So if the Magic can keep Turkoglu, a free agent, and hang on to enough other veteran talent to cobble together a halfway decent bench (though they may need to dump some salary to keep Turkoglu and stay under the tax, with Rafer Alston a prime candidate), they may rebound from their Finals defeat much as the Lakers did this season.

 

But regardless of who survives in the East, there's a good chance that team will play the defending-champion Lakers in the Finals. And if the Lakers can prevail despite everything that went wrong for them this season, you have to like their chances of hoisting a second Larry O'Brien trophy 12 months from now, too.

 

Your turn...who will represent the Eastern Conference next June???

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba...&page=PERDiem-090615

[ball junkie 277]

He bacisally says the Lakers are a notch above the rest in the West:

 

quote:

In the East, it will be much more of a dogfight. Boston won the title in 2008 and can't be counted out for next season. Even with multiple key injuries, the Celtics took Orlando to seven tough games in the second round of the playoffs.

 

Cleveland, of course, has to be taken seriously as a threat with reigning MVP LeBron James, along with a frontcourt that likely will be overhauled during the summer. The Cavs won a league-best 66 games and, like L.A., are among the few teams willing to pay the luxury tax to stay at a championship level.

 

And nobody will be surprised if the Cavs and Magic meet in the conference finals for several seasons to come. Orlando still has a young six-man nucleus -- Dwight Howard and Courtney Lee are 23, Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus are 27, Rashard Lewis is 29 and Turkoglu is 30. So if the Magic can keep Turkoglu, a free agent, and hang on to enough other veteran talent to cobble together a halfway decent bench (though they may need to dump some salary to keep Turkoglu and stay under the tax, with Rafer Alston a prime candidate), they may rebound from their Finals defeat much as the Lakers did this season.

 

But regardless of who survives in the East, there's a good chance that team will play the defending-champion Lakers in the Finals. And if the Lakers can prevail despite everything that went wrong for them this season, you have to like their chances of hoisting a second Larry O'Brien trophy 12 months from now, too.

 

Your turn...who will represent the Eastern Conference next June???

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba...&page=PERDiem-090615

[Jareth Cutestory 678]

The Knicks.

[TreyTime 3]

Changed my mind 5 secs later:

 

Denver Nuggets vs Orlando Magic

 

This time Anti LeBron/Kobe happens.

[NBAMagic47 0]

Regardless of what anybody says (including Kenny "The Jerk" Smith) the Orlando Magic is the team to beat.

[Mac Man 0]

No question it will be Orlando cause the match-up will just kill teams in the east regarless if Hedo is not there.

 

 

In the West its a toss up between Lakers, Rockets, and Denver. With a Healthy Rocket team and a star like Mcgrady man Next year will be Interesting. Oh yeah Portland is a well balance team.

[bhnole 153]

Way too early to predict until FA is done. All the teams have a lot of rosters questions to answer this summer. Whoever does the best job of addressing them would be my favorite.

[ball junkie 277]

Hollinger doesn't consider J.J. part of the core...

 

Trade bait maybe???

[Kevin Durantuala35 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Mac Man:

No question it will be Orlando cause the match-up will just kill teams in the east regarless if Hedo is not there.

 

 

In the West its a toss up between Lakers, Rockets, and Denver. With a Healthy Rocket team and a star like Mcgrady man Next year will be Interesting. Oh yeah Portland is a well balance team.

 

I think T-mac is gone. They were able to go 7 games against the champs. They might look to dump Mac's salary and get another athletic siwngman.

[chosen12 75]

quote:

Originally posted by Jareth Cutestory:

The Knicks.

 

 

And I always thought of you as a non-SMOKER!!! lol

[Osprey 199]

Heat.

 

Imagine what that team will do once Wade gets a LITTLE help. He's already carried a team to one title.

[iChef 0]

I don't think that the Lakers will be in the Finals next year. I think that Denver or Houston will represent the West. Just my 2 cents.