Lakers-Celtics Finals-Who's Going To Win?

[Mitchell]

With the NBA Finals about to start this week, I thought I'd post a poll about which team forum members think will win the NBA Finals, and in how many games.

My call: Lakers in Six. As people who follow the NBA know, Boston beat the Lakers in the Finals two years ago, and absolutely humilated them in Game Six in Boston, which was the title clinching game for the Celtics in that series. L.A. coach Phil Jackson remembers that, and his team does as well. Plus, the Lakers have home court advantage in this series, which they did not have in 2008. Although, I can think of two times in recent years when teams had the home court advantage, and lost the Finals anyway. The Lakers in 2004, and the Dallas Mavericks in 2006. Although, in all fairness, the Lakers were not playing with everyone healthy on their all star like team in 2004, during the Finals, which greatly helped the Detroit Pistons.

So, because of the motivation to get revenge on Boston for 2008, and the home court advantage, that is why I think the Lakers will win this series in six games.

Other predictions?

Mitch

 

[FlockOfSeagulls]

I will go Celtics in Six . Right now Boston is playing better basketball and has a deeper bench. Plus , Rondo should dominate his matchup against Fisher

 

[Cy/MiG]

Who's going to win?

'Die hard' fans of the NBA.

Who's going to lose?

Anybody who's tired of the same old song and dance.

 

[kurchatovium]

Lakers in 7. The Celtics are very good. It will be a close series but I think this is an important win for Jackson and for the Laker Team so I think they willn pull out all the stops.

 

[luvgirlsfeet]

Celtics in 5

 

[maniactickler]

I had a bet on the Celts to win the title from the beginning of the year, so i need to root for them.

 

[Jerry67911]

I'm biased, but I think the Celtics have a better starting 5, deeper bench, are tougher, and are playing their best ball all year. Celtics in 6.

 

[Angel_2]

Celtics in 6

The Celtics just can't be stopped right now, they are the hotter team right now

 

[primetime]

Lakers in 6. Right now, the Lakers are psychologially the underdogs. They have been waiting two years for a chance to redeem themselves for the 2008 Game 6 debacle. For a Laker fan like myself, the image of Doc Rivers getting dunked with Gatorade with about 3 minutels left in the game has been burned into my mind. Payback is a bitch.

People have to realize the Celtics are nothing but bullies. But once you hit the bully back, their true colors are exposed. For example, The Celtics should have swept Orlando. But the Celtics got knocked around for two games, exposing their age. The Celtics also have this tendency to let lead slips too. Their defense is really good, but in this series against the Lakers, they are playing a very motivated team. "Paulina" Pierce will face Ron Artest. No once can stop the TRUE best player in the game, Kobe Bryant.

This is going to be a very emotional series. Two years ago, the Lakers weren't ready. I think they are now. Man, this is going to be good.

 

[vladtickleman22]

Lakers in 6. Right now, the Lakers are psychologially the underdogs. They have been waiting two years for a chance to redeem themselves for the 2008 Game 6 debacle. For a Laker fan like myself, the image of Doc Rivers getting dunked with Gatorade with about 3 minutels left in the game has been burned into my mind. Payback is a bitch.

People have to realize the Celtics are nothing but bullies. But once you hit the bully back, their true colors are exposed. For example, The Celtics should have swept Orlando. But the Celtics got knocked around for two games, exposing their age. The Celtics also have this tendency to let lead slips too. Their defense is really good, but in this series against the Lakers, they are playing a very motivated team. "Paulina" Pierce will face Ron Artest. No once can stop the TRUE best player in the game, Kobe Bryant.

This is going to be a very emotional series. Two years ago, the Lakers weren't ready. I think they are now. Man, this is going to be good.

Remind me who has the most titles in NBA history... oh never mind... THE CELTICS DO. If Kobe wasn't with the lakers he wouldn't have any titles. He's a semi decent player at best. An arrogant ass in reality though.

You're the first person i've seen that has said the Celtics should have swept Orlando. Everyone else said they never should have gotten past Cleaveland let alone Orlando.

Celtics in 4.

 

[Angel_2]

lets look at it player by player

Rondo vs Fisher- Edge Celtics

Allen vs Kobe- Edge Lakers

Pierce vs Artest- Edge Celtics

Kevin Garnett vs. Pao Gasol- Edge Celtics

Kendrick Perkins vs. Andrew Bynum- Edge Lakers

I also believe the fact Boston has a deeper bench is going to play a huge factor with Wallace, Nate and Davis.

 

[Tickle Fiend]

Their defense is really good, but in this series against the Lakers, they are playing a very motivated team. "Paulina" Pierce will face Ron Artest. No once can stop the TRUE best player in the game, Kobe Bryant.

This is going to be a very emotional series. Two years ago, the Lakers weren't ready. I think they are now. Man, this is going to be good.

Is this the same motivated team that just gave up an average of 109-points per-game to the Suns? Why wouldn't the C's be motivated when people wrote them off a long time ago?

 

[FlockOfSeagulls]

Lakers in 6. Right now, the Lakers are psychologially the underdogs. They have been waiting two years for a chance to redeem themselves for the 2008 Game 6 debacle. For a Laker fan like myself, the image of Doc Rivers getting dunked with Gatorade with about 3 minutels left in the game has been burned into my mind. Payback is a bitch.

People have to realize the Celtics are nothing but bullies. But once you hit the bully back, their true colors are exposed. For example, The Celtics should have swept Orlando. But the Celtics got knocked around for two games, exposing their age. The Celtics also have this tendency to let lead slips too. Their defense is really good, but in this series against the Lakers, they are playing a very motivated team. "Paulina" Pierce will face Ron Artest. No once can stop the TRUE best player in the game, Kobe Bryant.

This is going to be a very emotional series. Two years ago, the Lakers weren't ready. I think they are now. Man, this is going to be good.

You are predictable Prime , I give you that

A very mediocre Suns team gave the Lakers all they could handle. And isn`t one Ron Artest the King of the bullies ?

This should be one really good series when all is said and done

 

[primetime]

Yes, Boston should have swept Orlando. Up 3-0 and game 4 is at your house? AND you demolished them in Game 3? That should have been a sweep. But, it simply proved a point. Orlando is a "softer" team than the Lakers. Outside of Howard, how else is any good in the frontcourt? Exactly.

I knew Boston was going to the Finals before the playoffs started. Why? I hate to keep telling people this, but Lebron James is NOT the best plaer in basketball. His supporting cast was very OVERRATED. Mo Williams is a joke in the playoffs. Varejao? I can't stop laughing. Jamison? What the hell was he really supposed to do? Shaq? Shaq is 38, not 28. I saw Boston beating them, that was no shock to me.

Beating Orlando was feasible because Orlando has one guy in their front court. Dwight Howard. They don't have a true PF in Orlando. It's Howard and the 3 point shooters. Plus, Orlando had a real easy road to the ECF. Charlotte? Get real. Atlanta? Man, have you EVER seen a team lay down like the Atlanta Hawks? They didn't even try....

This is no surprise Boston is in the Finals.

Angel, most of your matchups are correct except one thing. The Lakers have the edge with Artest vs Pierce. Paul Pierce is a legend in his own mind. He had his way with the Lakers two years ago because he was bigger and more physical. He pushed Kobe around and Trevor Ariza. He won't do that with Artest. People forget the job Artest did on Kevin Durant this year in the playoffs. "Paulina" will not go off like he did two years ago.

Rondo will kill the Lakers, but name a point guard who hasn't? Westbrook, Williams and Nash all had good games.

There is no one on the Celtics who will stop Kobe. Period.

The true matchup is the front court. If Andrew Bynum plays effectively, the Lakers can win the frontcourt matchup. If he doesn't, then Boston will run roughshod again in the paint.

Laker haters also have to remember, the Celtics punked the Lakers in game 6. The Celtics pretty much have challenged the Lakers manhood at this point. The Lakers are the psychological underdogs in this series. They have to prove they can beat the Celtics, not the other way around. Since 2008, in the 4 regular season matchups, the Lakers won 3, and could have won 4 if Kobe played that night. The Celtics are bullies. You punch that bully in the mouth, they will fold.

As for the "motivated" Lakers against the Suns, it was the Suns for crying out loud. When we went up 2-0, the Lakers (Bynum in particular) was already talking about the Celtics. We napped on them. They won't nap against the Celtics. This is more about their manhood than it is about a championship. Just like 1985.....

This is going to be a fun series.... Lakers in 6.

And yes, Artest is a bully. Which is exactly why we got him. Hey Flock, what else am I supposed to say? The Lakers will lose? You must be sick in the head if you ever see me predicting that in a NBA Finals with the Lakers involved. You're just as predictable. You keep hating on the Lakers...

 

[FlockOfSeagulls]

Yes, Boston should have swept Orlando. Up 3-0 and game 4 is at your house? AND you demolished them in Game 3? That should have been a sweep. But, it simply proved a point. Orlando is a "softer" team than the Lakers. Outside of Howard, how else is any good in the frontcourt? Exactly.

I knew Boston was going to the Finals before the playoffs started. Why? I hate to keep telling people this, but Lebron James is NOT the best plaer in basketball. His supporting cast was very OVERRATED. Mo Williams is a joke in the playoffs. Varejao? I can't stop laughing. Jamison? What the hell was he really supposed to do? Shaq? Shaq is 38, not 28. I saw Boston beating them, that was no shock to me.

Beating Orlando was feasible because Orlando has one guy in their front court. Dwight Howard. They don't have a true PF in Orlando. It's Howard and the 3 point shooters. Plus, Orlando had a real easy road to the ECF. Charlotte? Get real. Atlanta? Man, have you EVER seen a team lay down like the Atlanta Hawks? They didn't even try....

This is no surprise Boston is in the Finals.

Angel, most of your matchups are correct except one thing. The Lakers have the edge with Artest vs Pierce. Paul Pierce is a legend in his own mind. He had his way with the Lakers two years ago because he was bigger and more physical. He pushed Kobe around and Trevor Ariza. He won't do that with Artest. People forget the job Artest did on Kevin Durant this year in the playoffs. "Paulina" will not go off like he did two years ago.

Rondo will kill the Lakers, but name a point guard who hasn't? Westbrook, Williams and Nash all had good games.

There is no one on the Celtics who will stop Kobe. Period.

The true matchup is the front court. If Andrew Bynum plays effectively, the Lakers can win the frontcourt matchup. If he doesn't, then Boston will run roughshod again in the paint.

Laker haters also have to remember, the Celtics punked the Lakers in game 6. The Celtics pretty much have challenged the Lakers manhood at this point. The Lakers are the psychological underdogs in this series. They have to prove they can beat the Celtics, not the other way around. Since 2008, in the 4 regular season matchups, the Lakers won 3, and could have won 4 if Kobe played that night. The Celtics are bullies. You punch that bully in the mouth, they will fold.

As for the "motivated" Lakers against the Suns, it was the Suns for crying out loud. When we went up 2-0, the Lakers (Bynum in particular) was already talking about the Celtics. We napped on them. They won't nap against the Celtics. This is more about their manhood than it is about a championship. Just like 1985.....

This is going to be a fun series.... Lakers in 6.

And yes, Artest is a bully. Which is exactly why we got him. Hey Flock, what else am I supposed to say? The Lakers will lose? You must be sick in the head if you ever see me predicting that in a NBA Finals with the Lakers involved. You're just as predictable. You keep hating on the Lakers...

If you are counting on Bynum to be the difference maker then your Lakers may be in BIG trouble. Bynum has already proved he has makimgs of the next Bill Walton = ALWAYS HURT!!!!!!!! He has a torn menicus in his knee. Bynum will be out of the league in a few years .

And the napping bit? are you pulling that stink again? That is a COMPLETE INSULT to Phil Jackson if you think for one second he would let any of his players " nap" in the playoffs.


And as far as the Celts being bullies . well the Lakers go and get the king of Bullies in Ron Artest . I bet the Celts are flattered the Lakers can to go out and get a player to play Celtics '' bullyball ''

 

[primetime]

Bynum needs to be effective in this next series. Boston has the frontcourt advantage with Garnett and Perkins. If Bynum plays effectively, not necessarily dominating, but effectively, the Celtics front court advantage lessens. I'm already expecting Rondo to have a good series. Any decent point guard hurts the Lakers. But we need to be strong in the front court. We balance that, the Celtics are in trouble.

Paulina Pierce is not that great. He's just a good player. He is a legend in his own mind. Artest will neutralize him. Pierce may get some points, but Artest is a lot hungrier than Paulina, so I'm not concerned about Pierce.

Yes, the Lakers were napping. Do you even follow the Lakers? Phil Jackson is THE best coach in the NBA, but guess what the Lakers did most of the year. Nap. You shouldn't be surprised the Lakers did it again during the playoffs. Just like they took a few naps last year against Houston. Why are you shocked?

Oh, by the way, Artest is not the king of bullies. That belongs to Kevin Garnett. Remember the Miami series? But once you get back in Garnett's face, notice he seems to disappear. When you can have Lamar Odom get in KG's face and say "What the fuck are you going to do?" then KG disappears the rest of the game, you can say KG is a big mouth that relies on intimidation to get by. He is no longer the same KG that was in Minnesota.

This series is about the Lakers finding their "man card" against the Celtics. For 2 years, they had to live with the stigma of the Celtics punked them in the 2008 Finals. The Lakers know they have to "man up" in this series. I believe they will.

 

[FlockOfSeagulls]

Bynum needs to be effective in this next series. Boston has the frontcourt advantage with Garnett and Perkins. If Bynum plays effectively, not necessarily dominating, but effectively, the Celtics front court advantage lessens. I'm already expecting Rondo to have a good series. Any decent point guard hurts the Lakers. But we need to be strong in the front court. We balance that, the Celtics are in trouble.

Paulina Pierce is not that great. He's just a good player. He is a legend in his own mind. Artest will neutralize him. Pierce may get some points, but Artest is a lot hungrier than Paulina, so I'm not concerned about Pierce.

Yes, the Lakers were napping. Do you even follow the Lakers? Phil Jackson is THE best coach in the NBA, but guess what the Lakers did most of the year. Nap. You shouldn't be surprised the Lakers did it again during the playoffs. Just like they took a few naps last year against Houston. Why are you shocked?

Oh, by the way, Artest is not the king of bullies. That belongs to Kevin Garnett. Remember the Miami series? But once you get back in Garnett's face, notice he seems to disappear. When you can have Lamar Odom get in KG's face and say "What the fuck are you going to do?" then KG disappears the rest of the game, you can say KG is a big mouth that relies on intimidation to get by. He is no longer the same KG that was in Minnesota.

This series is about the Lakers finding their "man card" against the Celtics. For 2 years, they had to live with the stigma of the Celtics punked them in the 2008 Finals. The Lakers know they have to "man up" in this series. I believe they will.

Again, Walton I mean Bynum has a torn meniscus. Evidently you have never had any knee major problems. I on the other hand have. I blew out my ACL and had a torn meniscus . My surgeon told me after knee surgery that it would take about as long to recover from the meniscus tear as the ACL reconstruction . Yes , I tore my ACL completely in half and had a patella graft to make a new one. And Bynum is a pro athelete, so you figure that out .

You keep saying over and over you aren`t worried about Pierce. I think you feeling the need to mention that several times means overwise.

And the reguards to the Celtics '' punking '' of the Lakers in 2008. Well the truth of the matter is the Celtics were plain and simple the better team .


That being said, this has the makings of a great series and either team can definately win .

Whats really kinda funny is that if the Lakers don`t win bringing in Artest was a really bold yet ill advised move.

 

[Cy/MiG]

Whats really kinda funny is that if the Lakers don`t win bringing in Artest was a really bold yet ill advised move.

Well he did help win the pivotal game which propelled them into the finals, so...

Not really.

 

[Mitchell]

Vlad, I think Celtics in 4 is a bit of an unrealistic prediction, my friend. Both of these teams are very talented. I will be shocked if either team sweeps this series. Also, there hasn't been a sweep in the NBA Finals since Houston swept Orlando in 1995. Not even any of Jordan's six title teams ever won in a sweep.

Mitch

 

[primetime]

I finid it hilarious people think bringing in Ron Artest was a bad move. Can someone tell me what Artest has done to make it a bad move? The Lakers are in the NBA Finals again....What changed?

The Celtics are going to be formidable, but here in LA, believe me, we remember Game 6 of the 2008 Finals. The Celtics utterly humiliated us. Gatordade baths, Eddie House beating his chest like he was a good player, KG snarling. For me, this is about getting our manhood back. He need to prove we can beat Boston. Plus, the "Black Mamba" is gearing up for this. If the Lakers pull this off, Kobe Bryant (and D-Fish) will have 5 rings. Gotta beat those Celtcis!!!

And as another reminder, because I love doing so, until "Prince" James wins a ring, or even have the resume of Kobe Bryant, fans need to stop calling him the best player in the NBA. If you want to call Lebron the best player, then call him the best player of the regular season. Kobe is the "king" when it comes to playoffs compared to every other current NBA player..

 

[Cy/MiG]

Kobe is the "king" when it comes to playoffs compared to every other current NBA player..

Shaq says hello.

 

[primetime]

Did he take the Krispy Kreme out of his mouth to say that?

Kobe is in his 7th NBA Finals. Shaq has been to 6. Like I said, Kobe is the King when it comes to playoffs compared to every other current NBA player. Only D-Fisher can match that amount of appearances. Lebron who?

 

[Cy/MiG]

Did he take the Krispy Kreme out of his mouth to say that?

Kobe is in his 7th NBA Finals. Shaq has been to 6. Like I said, Kobe is the King when it comes to playoffs compared to every other current NBA player. Only D-Fisher can match that amount of appearances. Lebron who?

The only active player who rode Shaq's coat tails more than Kobe is one Derek Fisher.

Derek Fisher is the Steve Kerr of the Lakers.

 

[FlockOfSeagulls]

I finid it hilarious people think bringing in Ron Artest was a bad move. Can someone tell me what Artest has done to make it a bad move? The Lakers are in the NBA Finals again....What changed?

The Celtics are going to be formidable, but here in LA, believe me, we remember Game 6 of the 2008 Finals. The Celtics utterly humiliated us. Gatordade baths, Eddie House beating his chest like he was a good player, KG snarling. For me, this is about getting our manhood back. He need to prove we can beat Boston. Plus, the "Black Mamba" is gearing up for this. If the Lakers pull this off, Kobe Bryant (and D-Fish) will have 5 rings. Gotta beat those Celtcis!!!

And as another reminder, because I love doing so, until "Prince" James wins a ring, or even have the resume of Kobe Bryant, fans need to stop calling him the best player in the NBA. If you want to call Lebron the best player, then call him the best player of the regular season. Kobe is the "king" when it comes to playoffs compared to every other current NBA player..

As usual , you haven`t done your homework...


You say Kobe is the '' King '' of the playoffs and is the most '' clutch ''
, '' cold blooded'' player currently in the NBA

Kobe has won four NBA Championships which is an amazing feat. Gotta give credit where credit is due . However, Tim Duncan has also won four NBA Championships as well .

Kobe has been to six NBA finals, now he is going to a seventh . He has LOST two times already .

Tim Duncan has been to the NBA Finals four times. HE HAS WON EVERYONE HE HAS PLAYED IN . THAT MAKES HIM 4 FOR 4 .

TIM DUNCAN is the ultimate current '' closer'' in the NBA . When Tim goes to the NBA Finals , Tim and the Spurs WIN the NBA Finals . The same can`t be said for Kobe. He has ALREADY lost two and possibly three .

one more thing..

Kobe is a 1 time NBA Finals MVP. Shaq was MVP the other 3 times. Tim Duncan is a 3time NBA Finals MVP

No doubt about it; Duncan is the most ''clutch'' guy currently in the NBA win it comes to Championships .

The Big fundamental is Money when it comes to winning titles

 

[The Fallen Angel]

I think the Celtics are going to out physical the Lakers and the Celtics take the series in 6 games