The NBA's Final Four

[Da Boss DJ Jo Corleone]

The NBA’s final four table is set and basketball fans are ready to eat. In the west we have the top seeded Los Angeles Lakers preparing to do battle with the #2 team, the red hot Denver Nuggets. And in the east the #1 Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing to do battle with thee #3 Orlando Magic.
Yesterday the Lakers made an attempt to quiet all doubters by blowing out the Houston Rockets in game 7. With the loss of Yao Ming L.A. was heavily favored to win the series, but their inconsistent play had many experts second-guessing them.

The Lakers knew all along they were going to win the series, when others doubted them. The problem is they attempted to turn it off and on and it nearly cost them. The Houston series was a good test, and it probably woke them up, and it’s doubtful they will make that same mistake against the Nuggets.

The Western Conference finals will test their toughness. Last year the Boston beat the Lakers because they were mentally and physically tougher, and they flat out wanted it more. This year’s Lakers are even more talented than last year’s version, and with the addition of Andrew Bynum, who really stepped up in game 7 versus the Rockets, they maybe a little tougher too.

Kobe Bryant’s toughness isn’t and never has been in question, nor has Derek Fisher’s. The rest of the team however is still a question mark. That Lakers frontcourt is going to have to match the physicality of Denver’s 3-headed monster. The combination of Kenyon Martin, Chris Anderson, and Nene have played remarkably in their last two series, in which they were tested early on taking on two all stars.

David West of the Hornets was powerless against them, and even though Dirk Nowitzki put up good numbers the rest of the Mavericks were neutralized. Expect Denver’s trio of terror to try and out muscle Pau Gasol and Bynum to throw them off their game.

In the Eastern Conference finals the Cavaliers, who have lost 2 out of 3 games to the Magic will also be in for a dogfight. Both of these teams have already shown their toughness and hunger. This series will be all about matchups.

The advantage that Orlando had over Boston was the matchups. Without KG the Celtics couldn’t match up man for man against Orlando. They were too small and slightly less athletic compared to the Magic’s frontcourt. Cleveland however matches up a little bit better.

Lebron James will match up against Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkoglu. Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be a bigger defender than Kendrick Perkins was for Dwight Howard. The rotation of Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao will also cause problems for the Magic offense.

Where the Magic has the advantage is their bench. With the return of rookie Courtney Lee, and the play of the ageless Anthony Johnson, and Mickael Pietrus Orlando’s bench is a force to be reckoned with.

This maybe the only kink in the Cavs armor but they still have a major advantage, Lebron James. Let’s not forget it was James who single handedly outscored the Detroit Pistons two years ago scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter to advance his team to the finals. He is and will be the X Factor. And you have to believe that when the game is on the line he will put his team on his back and lead a charge similar to the one he had against Detroit in 2006.