With the NBA Finals rapidly approaching, everyone’s making predictions.
The NBA experts over at Yahoo Sports have unanimously picked the Lakers to win the 2010 NBA Championship.
Adrian Wojnarowski acknowledges Boston’s talent, but says home-court advantage is the key to the series.
"The 2-3-2 format is such an advantage to the home team. Just don't see a way Kobe [Bryant] doesn't close out in a Game 6 or 7 at Staples. Chance for epic series between these two teams full of great players and great winners," he said on the site.
Marc J. Spears, who covered the Celtics for The Boston Globe from 2007-09, says that Bryant is the difference-maker, despite the recent dominance from the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo.
"The Lakers have no one to slow down Rajon Rondo, but Kobe Bryant is playing on a higher level offensively than anyone in the postseason," Spears said
NBA editor Johnny Ludden said he thinks Bryant’s talent, with a better supporting cast than two years ago, gives L.A. the edge.
"For all the injuries he's dealt with, Kobe looks remarkably fresh. He'll need to trust his teammates more than he did in '08, but they'll also give him more of a reason to do so," he said.
Now, if history has taught us anything, it’s that expert picks aren’t always right
In 2008, nine out of 10 NBA experts at ESPN predicted a Lakers victory. Former NBA player Tim Legler was the only one to pick the Celtics, and as it turned out, he was right. (Though, he picked them to win in seven, when they finished the Lakers off in six games.)
While nobody knows for sure what will happen, it’s sure to be a great series.
The 2010 NBA Finals start June 3.
