Mattie T’s Preview of the 2009 NBA Finals: Orlando Magic vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Written by The Go-To-Man Mattie T. on June 4, 2009
This will be an NBA record 30th Finals appearance for Phil Jackson’s Los Angeles Lakers, who are seeking their 15th championship win.
This will be just the 2nd Finals appearance for Stan Van Gundy’s Orlando Magic, who are seeking their 1st championship win in franchise history.
Van Gundy could become the 2nd coach in the last 2 years to win a NBA championship on his 1st attempt.
Boston’s Doc Rivers accomplished the feat last season when his Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in 6 games.
Orlando’s Dwight Howard will try to become the 3rd different Defensive Player of the Year winner in the last 5 seasons to win a championship, as he would join former Piston Ben Wallace & Boston’s Kevin Garnett in accomplishing this feat.
Point Guard:
Orlando’s Rafer Alston (12.7 points per game on 38% shooting & 35.1% from three-point range during playoffs) against Los Angeles’ Derek Fisher (7.1 points game on 35.6% shooting & 23.5% from three-point range during playoffs).
Edge: Orlando.
Shooting Guard:
Orlando’s Courtney Lee (8.4 points per game on 45% shooting & 40.4% from three-point range during playoffs) against Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant (29.6 points per game on 47% shooting & 89.5% from free-throw line during playoffs).
Edge: Los Angeles.
Center:
Orlando’s Dwight Howard (20.6 points per game, 13.8 rebounds per game & 2.9 blocks per game during playoffs) against Los Angeles’ Andrew Bynum (6.3 points per game on 48.9% shooting during playoffs).
Edge: Orlando.
Power Forward:
Orlando’s Hedo Turkoglu (16.8 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game & 4.9 assists per game on 41.3% shooting during playoffs) against Los Angeles’ Pau Gasol (18.2 points per game & 11.3 rebounds per game on 57.4% shooting during playoffs).
Edge: Los Angeles.
Small Forward:
Orlando’s Rashard Lewis (19.4 points per game & 6.1 rebounds per game on 46% shooting during playoffs) against Los Angeles’ Trevor Ariza (11.4 points per game on 56% shooting & 50% from three-point range.)
Edge: Orlando.
Mattie T’s Analysis:
These two teams are very evenly matched, so i’m expecting a tightly-contested series. However, i have not been too impressed with the Lakers’ inconsistent defense & bench play so far throughout the playoffs.
Outside of their Game 6 rout over Denver in the Conference Finals & their Game 5 win over Houston during the Semifinals, Los Angeles hasn’t really blown anyone away as expected during the postseason.
Lamar Odom will be the X-factor for the NBA Finals. If he plays like he did near the end of the Western Conference Finals (19.5 points per game in 2 games on 51.8% shooting & 2 fouls), then the Lakers will have the edge.
But if Odom plays like he did in the regular season against Orlando (10.5 points per game on 38.5% shooting & 4 fouls), then Los Angeles will be in trouble.
Orlando on the other hand has been tested several times & has survived after being the victim to buzzer beating shots from Glen Davis & LeBron James.
I’m sure that Kobe Bryant will provide some late-game heroics during the Finals, but it surely won’t break a Magic team that’s not even expected to be here.
Whatever minutes Jameer Nelson is able to provide during the Finals should truely spark Orlando, as he has been a leader for them on & off the court all season long.
The Magic remind me a lot of the 2004 Detroit Pistons. They didn’t have the required playoff experience, but they had a lot of confidence & wound up stunning a Laker team that featured 4 future Hall of Famers to win the NBA Championship.
I know the big storyline is about Kobe trying to win his 4th championship & first without Shaq, but do not underestimate Orlando. They have proved all season long that they can play with the big-time heavyweights & come away successful.
Mattie T’s 2009 NBA Finals Prediction: Magic in 6.
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