Faint whimpers can still be heard coming from the office of David Stern, the commissioner of the NBA.  They are no doubt from the commissioner and the head of the network TV as they console each other after losing a potential marketing goldmine with a LeBron v. Kobe NBA Finals.

However, just like the great Dave Chapelle reminded us of the awesome power of a President Clinton to make stars out of those who gave him oral sex, we should be reminded of the awesome power of a Dwight Howard, who by allowing someone to dunk over him can make a star out of even the smallest of players.

Even though LeBron v. Kobe was definitely the first option, Superman v. Kobe has to be at least “Option 1A”.  And the front office should count their blessings because at least the finals aren’t hosting the Piston teams of the early nineties.

With the tip-off of the Finals just around the corner let’s see who has the upper hand in each position and ultimately who will be holding the trophy at the end of the day.

POINT GUARDS

This category was no doubt a wash with the late season injury to Jameer Nelson.  However, with the potential of an 80-percent-healthy Nelson coming back for the finals, ala Willis Reed – OK, I know it is no where close to Willis Reed, but I am just getting you ready for the overused comparison that will no doubt follow – the clear edge goes to the Magic with the Skip-to-my-Lou/Nelson tandem over Derek Fisher and fill-in-the-blank.

Advantage:  Magic

SHOOTING GUARDS

Uh, Kobe.  This is a no brainer.  The key for the Magic is to not allow Kobe to go off for 40 each night.  Stan Van Gundy would be more than content with keeping Kobe in the 30s and the rest of the supporting cast for the Lakers tied up and watching the Kobe-Show, especially if it produces four Ws.  Courtney Lee needs to make Kobe work for every point and not give him anything easy, although Kobe seems to make everything look easy.  He must rely on his teammate’s ability to shut down the other Lakers just like he did against LeBron the previous series.  I think he, and everyone else in the known universe, realize that there is no stopping the best player in the league or even containing him.

Advantage:  Lakers

SMALL FORWARDS

Phil Jackson must decide if he is going to go big against Orlando or if he is going to matchup against them.  I believe he has to start Trevor Ariza here to guard Rashard Lewis so that Lamar Odom can play the power forward position and matchup against Hedo Turkoglu.  This will send Andrew Bynum to the bench and Pao Gasol to center (insert sound of Dwight Howard licking his chops).

Nonetheless, I would say the advantage goes to the Magic for Lewis over Ariza, but it is only a slight advantage, less than most would be willing to admit.  Lewis must step up and hit his threes to give Howard room to roam.

Advantage:  Magic

POWER FORWARDS

There is no legit power forwards involved in this game which means there should be a more up-and-down pace to the game.  Translation:  Exciting basketball!  Hedo Turkoglu should square off against Lamar Odom and just on paper the edge would go to the Lakers and Odom.  However, with Odom you never know who is going to show up.  He is a 7-footer with the skills of a point guard and yet he consistently underachieves and has questionable work habits.  But this is the NBA Finals and when you are in the finals, you show up … every minute of every game.  If Hedo wasn’t also a head case there would be the possibility for the Magic to steal this category, but no such luck.

Advantage:  Lakers

CENTER

I have said it time and time again; the Lakers’ centers are soft.  Gasol and Andrew Bynum will be manhandled by the half man-child, half superhero from the Magic.  Howard is quickly making Magic fans forget about the other center that played for them in the 1995 Finals.  Howard is legit and a handful, and if he makes his free throws he is virtually unstoppable.

If Howard, unlike Kobe, scores in the 30s then the series is over.  A scoring Howard means the Magic are at the free throw line more and earlier, they have more offensive rebounds, and he has forced the double team so their 3-point bombers are free to setup for the kick out and the variety of open looks.   This doesn’t even take into account the havoc Howard wreaks on the defensive end of the court.

Bynum better grow up quickly and Gasol better just grow a pair, because this matchup is the key to a Magic championship.

Advantage:  Magic

BENCH

The Magic bench is thin.  The Lakers bench is annoying.  I believe the annoying wins over the thin.  Mickael Pietrus is the only hope for the Magic’s bench because J.J. Redick is, well, J.J. Redick.  The Lakers sport Luke Walton, which almost demands that I pick the Magic bench, Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic and Bynum which gives them a solid, productive bench.  Plus, you add six additional fouls with Didier Ilunga-Mbenga (I just like saying his name).

Advantage:  Lakers

FINAL PREDICITON

After all is said and done, I am going to pick the Lakers in six.   Do I think they will actually win?  No.  But as a sports writer, I will hedge my bets after predicting the Celtics and Lakers would not win the championship after their Christmas Day game.  At least I know one of my predictions will be right.

But my only question is, “Could this Magic team be one of destiny that played their best basketball at the right time like that of the 2006 Miami Heat who won the championship?”  It quite possibly could be, but the one thing I do know is that this is going to be a great conclusion to a great NBA playoffs.

Advantage:  Lakers in six games.

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J.David has never won an award for his writing, but he is a former collegiate athlete for a small college where everyone makes the team. Currently, he is a grad student at the University of Southern California studying the archaic form called, Print Journalism. J.David points to the Bad Boys of the Pistons’ Dynasty as the birth of his love for NBA basketball, and the Bad Boys of the Pistons’ Dynasty as the death of genuine basketball.

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