Finals Predictions

By: Robert Kivell

Game 1

The Magic won't know what to expect, and the Lakers will.  I see the Lakers storming out of the gate in this one to take a double digit lead.  The Lakers will be able to maintain that lead throughout the game and win game 1 in a blowout.

Prediction: Lakers by 12 (Lakers lead 1-0)

Game 2

The Magic are going to come out firing three's to take a early double-digit lead, much like the Lakers in game 1.  However this time the trailing team won't fade away.  Lead by Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom, the Lakers will storm back to win in a close one.

Prediction: Lakers by 5 (Lakers lead 2-0)

Game 3

For the first time in the series the score is within ten at halftime.  The Magic are up a little despite shooting poorly from 3-pt range.  In a do or die situation in the second half, Dwight Howard takes over.  Superman is able to stay out of foul trouble and records a double-double in the third quarter alone.  Magic win by big, very big.

Prediction: Magic by 17 (Lakers lead 2-1)

Game 4

A tight one throughout.  Kobe Bryant cannot be stopped, but neither can the Magic's three point shooters.  Bryant matches Turkaglu, Lewis, and Alston shot for shot, and the Lakers win in a close one.

Prediction: Lakers by 3 (Lakers lead 3-1)

Game 5

Jameer Nelson returns to provide the Magic with a much needed lift.  Nelson scores 20 off the bench to propel the Magic to a road victory.  Meanwhile, Pietrus and Turkaglu hold Kobe to 30% shooting from the field.

Prediction: Magic by 7 (Lakers lead 3-2)

Game 6

Stan Van Gundy decides to reward Nelson for his outstanding game five performance by starting him over Rafer Alston.  Nelson has another gutty performance, but is overshadowed by Dwight Howard's dominance of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.  D-Howard puts up 40 and 20, forcing a game 7 in LA.

Prediction: Magic by 8 (Series tied 3-3)

Game 7

 The Magic get out to an early double digit lead, but the Laker deficit is trimmed to just a point at halftime.  

Stan Van Gundy throws and kicks multiple objects in the locker room to show his disgust to his team.  Stan the Man gives his boys one of the greatest pep talks of all time to get them ready for the second half.  Meanwhile, Phil Jackson is listening to music in his office while Kobe is getting his team ready for the second half.  Halftime result: Van Gundy over Kobe. 

 The Magic come out fired up and score three 3's to start the third.  The game goes back in forth for the rest of the quarter, but the Magic remain on top by double digits heading into the fourth.  Nicholson is starting to pull out his hair (or whatever of it is remaining), Shaq, who is in attendance, is smiling and thinking to himself (Hey Kobe, this is how my a** tastes), Lebron is smiling at home because if Kobe loses he can still say he is the best in the league, and Phil  Jackson has fallen asleep on the bench.  

Time for the fourth quarter, time for JJ Redick.  Two three's to start the fourth, and the Magic are up by 16.  It's over, right?  Wrong! The Lakers have Kobe Bryant.  They come all the way back to trail by 5 with 20 seconds left.  After hitting one of two free throws, the Magic lead by 6 with 17 seconds left.  Kobe dribbles the ball across half court, 14 seconds, puts a move on Pietrus, passes the ball to Shannon Brown?  Brown, as surprised as all of the fans throws up a three and drains it.  Magic by 3 with 8 seconds left.  Lewis is set to inbound the ball, but throws it right to Lamar Odom.  Odom has two options, go for the wide-open dunk with 6 seconds left to be down by one (DO IT!!!) or dribble out behind the three-point line and hope to get lucky.  On a sugar high from all of his candy he has eaten, Odom decides to do the smart thing, he puts up a layup.  Lakers down by one with 5 seconds left.

Magic inbound the ball to Lewis, who gets fouled by Gasol with 3 seconds left.  Gasol fouls out.  Lewis drains both foul shots, and runs back to his bench after the Lakers call time out.  Phil Jackson draws up the mastermind play that has worked every time he has called it over his career and made him the best coach in basketball (some would say).  Give the ball to Michael, I mean Kobe, and everyone clear out.

Fisher takes the ball out of bounds and gives it to Kobe.  3...2...1...he puts it up.  ITS GOOD.  WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME. GREATEST COMEBACK OF ALL-TIME.  But wait why is Pietrus screaming at the ref and pointing at the three point line?  He is saying Kobe's foot was on the line.  The refs look into the monitor.  Pietrus was right.  Kobe's foot was on the line.  It is only a two. Orlando wins by one.  MAGIC WIN. MAGIC WIN.