Lakers Vs Celtics an easy matchup & prediction?

[ericb]

QUESTION PREFACE:
The prognosticators seem to favor L.A. over Boston for the Finals, particularly listening to some ESPN reports. Should be a great matchup irregardless but not a sweep by either team. That said, should not the pundits assume Lakers have this in the proverbial bag?

QUESTIONS:

1. How do these two teams match up? ~ opinions?

2. Obvious Laker Advantage: the Lakers have the ace in the proverbial bag because NO one on the Celtics resemble Kobe in the waning seconds. ~ opinions?

3. Laker Advantage: The Triangle Vs. Boston's man2man Defense. Not even Los Suns could establish ANY lead in their dead series with their '2-3 Zone'. ARE NOT THE CELTICS A SIMPLE MANO-A-MANO TEAM? ~ opinions?

4. Obvious Laker Advantage: Zen Guru~Grandmaster: Phil Jackson. 'nuff said. We all know that Phil will "will" his team to win Game 1, and then the stats, history, and Guru-ness will fall into proverbial place. ~ opinions?

5. Laker Advantage: Boston will sit on their proverbial laurels thinking this will be a repeat of 2008. Assumptions will kill Boston and the Lakers will win in 5 or 6? ~ opinions?

6. Laker Advantage: NEW ROSTER (versus their old '08 roster). The Celtics will not have the length Vs. Lakers NEW ROSTER. ~ opinions?

7. Laker Advantage: YOUTH. Boston IS old and will show their age by games 2 and 3? ~ opinions?

8. Laker Advantage: Rondo is injured (back). Seems reports are stating Rajon tweaked his back in Gm 6 Vs. Magic. Rondo ineffective due to injury? ~ opinions?

9. Laker Advantage: better bench. Boston's bench does not match up. ~ opinions?

Last but not least =
10. Laker Advantage: L.A. plays better injured? *it seems like despite all their starters' injuries, these guy have really peaked at the right time BECAUSE of the injuries? ~ opinions?

Summary:
• It just does NOT seem like Boston can win this year's finals. Granted the Celts win MAYBE 2 games tops. Either way this could be a great way for Kobe to earn his 5th ring and at the same time, the Celtics will have gained a smidge of respect after their horrific regular-season. eh?
fyi: I'm unbiased; not a fan of either team. Bulls fan myself, more along the line of Jordan-era Bulls.

 

[DivineAries]

Celtics will win

 

[IWannaPlayaGame]

Short answer:
LAKERS IN 5 or 6.

 

[Snagglepuss]

Well, i'm not answering all those questions but both teams are playing really well. People have picked against the Celtics when they played the cavs (61 wins) and the magic (59). So, i wouldn't take too much out of what espn has to say. But i think it'll be a terrific series and i do think the lakers are a better team than the magic or cavs despite having a worse record. The celtics play great defense and match up well with the laker bigs and the lakers match up well against boston. Kobe on allen, artest on pierce (huge cause he wasn't on the 08 team) and great size underneath. Both play very cohesive games and look smooth offensively but in a different way. Jackson's triangle vs Rondo's traditional point. The lakers do have Kobe but i think the Celtics have four very good offensive players to offset that. I'd give the celtics a 55 to 45 chance of winning. Defensively, they have just been magnificent in the playoffs and they just have SO many weapons. But we'll see. I'm a bulls fan so i'm unbiased.