As if BallinEurope would miss a chance to make a fearless prediction … especially in what is probably the biggest club championship in the world, i.e. the NBA Finals.
But first, allow BiE to consult with others before dropping my easily predictable predication out there.
David Hein, hard-working sportswriter with heinnews and several other sources (hint: He’s already having to shift focus to a certain game played with the feet), was emphatic with his prediction: “Lakers win in six,” proclaimed he, and furthermore “Kobe kills the demons of two years ago.”
In direct opposition was my main Lithuanian man Y. (You may remember him from the barrage of odd news pieces surrounding Vladimir Romanov during the LKL finals.) When asked point blank, for his take, Y. responded: “Celtics in six or seven. They’re playing too well in the playoffs, even for the Lakers, [as they] handled two out of three best other teams in the league. I believe Bynum not being 100 percent will probably be the decisive factor, as that would be the other place (other than Kobe) where the Lakers could get the edge. Celtics have a huge advantage in Rondo, since Fisher (or Vujacic) is far from being able to stop him. If they use Brown on him, or even Kobe (even though I don’t believe the last bit), they would lose out on offense (it’s Brown, there’s no PG on offense; if it’s Kobe, it will be tiring for him). It will be a long series, but I still see the Celts prevailing.”
Finally, there’s my friend Steve, great torchbearer for Chicago sports here in Budapest: “Celtics is six,” he emphatically proclaimed. When BiE responded that he was busting my, um, heart, and, like, why, man, are you giving the Lakers no chance at all, he wittily retorted, “I hate the Lakers.”
Then thinking for about 0.68 seconds, my friend Steve added, “But i hate the Celtics, too.”
Of course he does: He’s a Bulls fan.
BiE’s fearless prediction, then? All right, i’m going Lakers in seven, but i have to admit the imperfect Andrew Bynum has me concerned. Also: Even if Los Angeles takes this thing, i’m thinking Rajon Rondo, to whom perhaps only God might have an answer right now, will be the true MVP of the championship series.
In any case, let’s hope Bill Simmons gets *his* prediction correct and that this series is indeed an instant classic.
