Who Will be the NBA Champs this Season?

[DiRtBaG]

alryt then...you have a point!!! but wat im trying to say is..Indiana is still young!!! they dont deserve to win...they deserve to learn!!!

Im telling you man, another western team would emerge as champions!!!

Hey, Ironman...Spurs just beat the lakers..!!!bad news!!!hehehe..

[vince]

aight! im feelin' ya! we'll just have to wait and see then!

[GeRsAm]

i think it would be LA Lakers. im not a fan but i think they are the strongest team to beat...[glow=red,2,300]

[Ironman]

DiRtBaG said:

alryt then...you have a point!!! but wat im trying to say is..Indiana is still young!!! they dont deserve to win...they deserve to learn!!!

Im telling you man, another western team would emerge as champions!!!

Hey, Ironman...Spurs just beat the lakers..!!!bad news!!!hehehe..

hey dirtface.. i mean dirtbag the lakers just sent the spurs home.... good news...

[Ironman]

"my blood is tainted with purple and gold".... mmmmm. sounds familiar...

[DiRtBaG]

hey ironman or shall i say the man with the iron mask!! hehehe!!!

do u know y lakers won?? its becoz of Phil!! he opted not to use the triangle offense and it did came out good!!!

man, im conceding!! it gonna be lakers!!!

[Ironman]

hmmmmmm..... i have some bad news to non lakers fans... the lakers are in the finals!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DiRtBaG]

1. Pistons vs. Lakers, Round Three

When the ball goes up for tipoff at 9 p.m ET on Sunday, June 6, it will be the third time the Pistons and Lakers have met in The Finals. They first met in 1988 when the Lakers beat the Pistons in a classic seven-game series. That series is most remembered for Isiah Thomas' Finals-record 25-point third quarter in Game 6. The Pistons would lose that game by one and dropped Game 7 by three.
The Pistons washed the bitter taste of defeat out of their mouths when they met the Lakers again in 1989. Detroit showed no mercy on a Lakers squad with a hobbled Magic Johnson and James Worthy, sweeping the Lakers out of The Finals.

The Pistons will be going for the franchise's third title in six Finals appearances, while the Lakers franchise is making its record 28th Finals appearance and a run at its 15th NBA title. The Los Angeles Lakers have made 22 Finals appearances and have won nine titles in Tinseltown.


2. Phil Jackson Goes for No. 10

Phil Jackson has 10 fingers, but only nine NBA championship rings -- six with the Chicago Bulls and three with the Lakers. What to do about that naked digit? If his Lakers win the title, Jackson will become the most successful championship coach in NBA history, surpassing the legendary Celtics coach, Red Auerbach.
While Jackson has all the rings, Larry Brown is often praised as the best coach in the league. Brown gets his second chance at a title and again it comes against the L.A. Lakers. Jackson's Lakers defeated Brown's Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals. Will he get his ring with the Pistons?





3. If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

The search for the elusive first NBA title isn't limited to the Pistons bench. Future Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton headed to Hollywood in the offseason for another chance at a ring. Right now, Malone and Payton seemed to make a wise choice in teams as they both try erase memories of losing to the Chicago Bulls in The Finals. Payton's Sonics lost to Chicago in 1996, while Malone's Jazz fell to the Bulls in 1997 and 1998.
Ironically, Malone and Payton will be playing for the coach of the Bulls teams that denied their dreams in the '90s.


4. Rasheed Gets Another Shot at the Lakers

In three of his last four seasons as a Portland Trail Blazer, Rasheed Wallace's season ended at the Lakers' hands. Before being swept by the Lakers in the first round in 2001 and 2002, the most famous of these playoffs losses came in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, when Wallace's Blazers blew a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead to the Lakers, who would then go on to win the 2000 NBA title.
Now with the Pistons, Wallace has his best chance since that fateful Game 7 to get one over on the Lakers.
5. The Wallaces vs. Shaq

Rasheed Wallace will have plenty of help when it comes to his quest to stop the Lakers. Wallace and his frontcourt counterpart and two-time defensive player of the year Ben Wallace will be a formidable test for three-time Finals MVP, Shaquille O'Neal.
While Ben Wallace will probably start out guarding Shaq, don't be surprised to see Rasheed rotate to help or take Shaq for a few plays. With both Wallaces, Mehmet Okur and Elden Campbell, the Pistons have 24 fouls to give against O'Neal. The key is for the Wallaces to use their more judiciously.


6. The Thrill of the Chase

Scientists should start researching Richard Hamilton as a possible alternative energy source. While averaging 44 minutes a game in the Eastern Conference Finals, Hamilton seemed to be a perpetual motion machine, running the haggard Reggie Miller through screens from sideline to sideline.
Kobe Bryant will draw the assignment of trying to stay with Hamilton, who averaged 23.6 points in the East finals. The question is: Can Bryant maintain intensity on both ends of the floor? Will he be able to attack the basket with his usual fervor after chasing Hamilton around? At times this season, for whatever reason, Bryant has passed up shots he would usually take. The Lakers can't afford to have a passive or overly tired Bryant in this series.


7. Send in the Subs

Until Kareem Rush's 18-point performance in Game 6 of the West Finals, and with the exception of the always dependable Derek Fisher, the Lakers' bench has been nothing to brag about in the playoffs. The Pistons meanwhile, have reliable reserves at both the power forward (Corliss Williamson) and center (Okur and Campbell) positions.
In what promises to be a physical series, the teams' respective benches will need to provide more than just adequate relief in spelling the starters. They'll need to be exceptional.


8. Three's Exclusive Company

This could be a very good year for Pistons owner Bill Davidson. No, make that a very, very, very good year. In addition to owning the Pistons, Davidson also owns the WNBA champion Detroit Shock and the NHL Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning.
And while Lakers and Sparks owner Dr. Jerry Buss had both the NBA and WNBA titles in his possession in 2001 and 2002, there has never been someone with three titles.

Speaking of titles, Detroit Shock power forward Cheryl Ford is the daughter of Los Angeles Lakers' power forward Karl Malone. Ford earned her first ring as the Shock topped the Sparks in 2003. Malone could get his ring if L.A. tops Detroit.


9. Are You Experienced?

Jimi Hendrix asked this question and the Lakers can rightfully answer, "Yes, we are." From L.A.'s 22 appearances in The Finals to Jackson's nine titles to Shaq and Kobe's back-to-back-to-back rings, the Lakers have the huge edge when it comes to championship series experience.
Meanwhile, Pistons coach Larry Brown has been to the Finals once and only one Detroit player has ever been to the NBA Finals. That would be reserve guard Lindsey Hunter, who won a ring in 2002 with the Lakers, naturally.


10. Bye, Bye, Bryant?

Not to scare Lakers fans, but could this be Kobe Bryant's last time in a Lakers uniform? He has the option to opt out of his contract when this season concludes. He has also publicly gone on the record to say that he'd like to test the free-agent market. Then again, Bryant said this in June of 2003, so Lakers fans have had a year to gird themselves regarding Bryant leaving.
But because of his tenuous off-court situation, Bryant has been a question mark for the Lakers all season long and he's played well despite of it all. The big question is, though: Will he make this Finals series one to remember?

[shaula]

basta [glow=yellow,2,300]L[/glow][glow=purple,2,300]A[/glow][glow=yellow,2,300]K[/glow][glow=purple,2,300]E[/glow][glow=yellow,2,300]R[/glow][glow=purple,2,300]S[/glow] will be this season's champ!

ila lng gipadugay, aron thrilling sad ba. mas maayo kung maabot game 7 kay aron mas modako pa ang kita sa NBA (matod pa sa latest chika).

[Ironman]

pistons!!!! champion ang pistons!!!!!

at leat the MY TEAm made it to the finals!!!

[SoulEdge]

yes, nigula nga mananaog ang akong bet....

i really like underdawgs......

im one of themmm......



shut up dilangalen!!!