This year's NBA playoffs have been the most exciting I've seen in a long time. Every conference finalist you can make a good argument for winning it all this season and that means exciting playoff basketball.
The whole world, with the exception of Denver and Orlando fans, wants to see the Lakers meet the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Instead of the Lakers versus the Cavaliers, let's just call it Kobe versus LeBron.
No one could be hoping for it more than the NBA itself. Ratings would spike for the NBA Finals to watch the arguably the two best basketball players the world has seen since Michael Jordan himself. It would be a great matchup to see them two go at it, but I'm not so sure it would be a great team matchup.
We've already seen that the Cavaliers are vulnerable past LeBron. The Magic slowly crept their way back to win Game 1 thanks to a balanced scoring attack that LeBron doesn't have. It didn't matter in the first two rounds against Atlanta and Detroit. LeBron could simply beat those teams all alone. The Cavaliers finally have a real test and they flunk the first one in a big way.
We all know the Cavaliers are great at home, but now that home-court has swung to the Magic's advantage.
There's just way too many matchup problems for the Cavaliers in this series. Zydrunas Ilgauskas can't stop Dwight Howard, or any other player on the Magic's roster. They're just too fast for him. LeBron can't cover them all. He's a remarkable player, but he's still human.
When LeBron scores 49 points and you still end up losing at home, then there's something seriously wrong. I'm not ready to count the Cavaliers completely out, but I knew that eventually LeBron would need some help. Until he gets some help from perimeter players like Mo Williams and Delonte West, then the Magic could take this series realistically in six games.
As for the Western Conference Finals, this is a seven-game series in the making. However, the Nuggets could easily be up 2-0 going to Denver if not for the collapse in the Game 1.
The Lakers have figure out a way to contain Carmelo Anthony. That means keeping him under 30 points, which they have failed to do for the first two games. These teams are so identical it's almost scary.
I think the Lakers will end up taking Game 7 at home on the back of Kobe Bryant. Bryant has done it so many times in his career, and there's nothing telling me he won't do that again. Either way, it's not going to be easy for either team.
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