[Izulde]

Poor Houston. Not only do they draw the incredibly tough Timberwolves in the second round, but Yao Ming is gone for the rest of the year with a broken finger. Their starting C for the rest of the playoffs? None other than Utah Sixer and former Austin Mammoth B.J. Whitehead. Small world, though I think B.J.'s insertion in the starting lineup will translate into a Minnesota victory.

As for us, we get the fun, if you can call it that, of playing the top-seeded Lakers. This is like last season in reverse!

Usual preview article snippet.

"Last year, the Nuggets faced the Lakers, then the Mavericks in the first two rounds, beating Los Angeles in six and sweeping Dallas. This season, Denver went up against Dallas in the first round and needed the full distance to send the Mavericks home and they draw the Lakers in Round Two.

It won't be easy, as the Lakers were easily the best team in the league in the regular season.

Point Guard
Paulinho Buboltz vs. Jordan Farmar
Buboltz recovered beautiful from the 10 turnover gaffe in Game One in the opening round and is averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 assists in the playoffs, tops in assists and second in scoring for the Nuggets. More importantly, he's averaging 2.6 steals and has been a real disruptive force on defense.

Farmar is a solid all-around player, but although he averaged 14.8 points in the first round, he looked surprisingly out of sync running the offense, averaging 3 turnovers a game and under 5 assists. He also averaged four fouls. All told, that's a dangerous combination for the 27 year-old against the 19 year old Buboltz.

Advantage: Nuggets

Shooting Guard
Ben Gordon vs. Kobe Bryant
29.6 points a game in the playoffs is something you'd expect out of Bryant or last year's playoff SG, Allen Iverson, but this year, it's Gordon who holds that august statistic. If Denver wants to have a chance in this series, they'll need that kind of lights-out shooting from him again.

Kobe may "only" be averaging 24.8 points, but he's also averaging four and a half rebounds and assists and, most importantly for the Lakers, he brings to bear the kind of awesome defense that's going to be needed to limit Gordon and turn this into a short series.

Advantage: Lakers

Small Forward
Caron Butler vs. Lamar Odom
Despite all the expectations of a great series against the Mavericks, Butler just didn't produce, averaging only 11 points a game with just shy of 6 rebounds. He'll need to boost his scoring numbers to give Denver a shot.

Odom may have averaged 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in the opening round, but he made up for one of the worst showings of his career with 2.8 steals a game. No longer the scoring threat he once was, his greatest value now comes in his ability to play all 5 positions, giving Phil Jackson the versatility needed to create matchup problems.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Mehmet Okur vs. Derrick Robinson
Okur was bothered by a strained hamstring for most of the opening round, which explains why he averaged just 8 points. He did take down 7.4 rebounds a game though and his great shooting and hard-nosed rebounding prowess will be a key factor in this series, especially if he's fully recovered in time for the first game.

The fourth-year Robinson is averaging 11.6 points and 5 rebounds in the playoffs, along with an impressive 2.6 blocks. He may be supbar defensively and still have some ways to go in his development at 23, but his shotblocking skills and good shooting and rebounding talents will make the Okur/Robinson matchup a fun one to watch.

Advantage: Draw

Center
Joakim Noah vs. Andrew Bynum
Noah just doesn't have the size, rebounding ability or inside shot to be an effective starting C and he was absolutely abused in the first round by Jonte Jones. Did we mention he's also foul-prone, averaging 4.8 against the Mavericks?

Bynum is the best inside shooter in the league, a great scorer with very good rebounding, defense and shotblocking ability. He's averaging 21 points and 11.8 rebounds so far in the playoffs and he's going to have a field day feasting on Noah.

Advantage: Lakers

Bench
Chauncey Billups is the man, averaging 9 points in 14 minutes in the first round. Leroy Wright looked much improved than in the regular season, averaging 5.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks off the bench.

Thabo Sefolosha plays terrific defense and is averaging a little over 8 points a game, both in the regular season and playoffs. At 37, Rasheed Wallace may not have much left in the tank, but it's still good enough to average 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds with respectable defense.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
On paper, there's a lot to say that these teams are pretty evenly matched, but when one team has Bryant and Bynum and the other has Gordon, the overwhelming advantage goes to the B&B team. This one has all the makings of a sweep.
Prediction: Lakers in 4

Dismissed again. Not that I don't agree in this case, of course. The Lakers really are that good this year.

Game One
Kobe Bryant eviscerates us for 27 points, Derrick Robinson adds to the fire with 26 points and Andrew Bynum rips us apart for 18 points and 15 rebounds. Best part of Kobe's night? Limiting Ben Gordon to 8 points on 4 for 15 shooting, but everyone sucked tonight. We shot 38.8% from the floor, compared to 51.3% for the Lakers. Paulinho Buboltz got 13 points and 10 assists and Leroy Wright scored 8 with 10 rebounds off the bench. Yeah, it was that ugly.
Denver 91 Los Angeles 112

Game Two
The good news: Ben Gordon scores 21 and makes the game a lot closer. The bad news: Andrew Byunum has 25 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks, Kobe Bryant 19 points and 10 assists[/b] and Thabo Sefolosha finishes off with 11 bench points. Down 2-0 and we're looking every bit the inferior team.
Denver 93 Los Angeles 105

Game Three
We need to get a win here in Denver, preferably tonight. Ben Gordon scores 25 and Paulinho Buboltz has 15 points and 10 assists to go along wiht Leroy Wright's 11 reserve points. But the Lakers counter with 30 points from Kobe Bryant and 18 points, 17 rebounds from Andrew Bynum to push us to the brink of elimination. The cliff looms large beneath us.
Los Angeles 108 Denver 101

Game Four
No miracle comeback this year. Paulinho Buboltz gets 11 points and 12 assists and Chauncey Billups puts up a heroic 19 points off the bench in what is likely his final game as a Nugget, but it can't trump 36 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks from Andrew Bynum.
Los Angeles 109 Denver 84

Another bitter sweep to end a pretty successful year. I'm getting a little tired of these, to tell you the truth. What is absolutely clear is that under no circumstances can Joakim Noah be the starting C next year and if that means I have to trade him, then by Jove, I'll do it. My boy or no, he really cost us this season.

At least we weren't the only sweep. Charlotte knocked out Paul Pierce's Pistons in four as well and the other two remaining series look like they'll end in five.

They do, with Toronto dismissing Boston and Houston showing no discomfort at losing Yao in dropping the Timberwolves.

Raptors/Bobcats and Lakers/Ming-less Rockets. Have to go with the Raptors and Lakers in this one, even though Charlotte has been scrappy and underrated all throughout this universe, with two East Conference championships and deep playoff runs, including this one, to show for it.

The defending champions sweep the Bobcats and the Lakers win in five over the Rockets, who really missed Yao in that series.

NBA Finals

The Lakers are back among NBA royalty, but the Raptors have the chance to become the first repeat champions since I entered the NBA.

Point Guard
T.J. Ford vs. Jordan Farmar
Ford has really turned it on in the playoffs, averaging 15.2 points and 10.2 assists. An absolutely sensational pass-first PG with some very nice shooting to go with it.

Farmar has improved slightly in the passing department since playing us, but he's still only averaging 6 assists and 14.2 points. He's clearly outmatched against Ford.

Advantage: Raptors

Shooting Guard
Larry Hughes vs. Kobe Bryant
Hughes has, believe it or not, been Toronto's leading scorer in the playoffs at just shy of 20 points a game. He's not going to do that against Bryant, but that's okay. His biggest job will be limiting Kobe's effectiveness.

25.6 points a game, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals. Yep, Kobe's still the man even at 33. He'll of course remove Hughes as a legitimate offensive force, but that's just fine with the Raptors, who have that awesome front line. The key to this series will be limiting the Lakers' franchise players.

Advantage: Lakers

Small Forward
Andrea Bargnani vs. Lamar Odom
Bargnani might be limited by a sprained wrist, but he's still averaging 17.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks as the first part of the Unholy Toronto Trio.

Odom has the same injury and much less glitzy numbers with 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds, though he holds an edge in averaged playoff steals with 1.9. Still, this one is a major advantage to the Raptors.

Advantage: Raptors

Power Forward
Chris Bosh vs. Derrick Robinson
Don't let the 10.1 points and 5.5 playoff rebounds fool you. Bosh has been limited to 19 minutes a game in this postseason because of a calf injury. He's now back to full health and it couldn't have come at a better possible time for Toronto or a worse time for the Lakers. He is going to be an absolute terror this series.

Robinson's 12.8 points, 6 rebounds, steal and 2.4 blocks might throw some pause into some other opponents. When you're up against Demon #2 of the Toronto Trio, though, you're pretty much done.

Advantage: Raptors

Center
Greg Oden vs. Andrew Bynum
17.6 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in the playoffs, along with the well-deserved reputation of being one of the top defensive centers in the game. Oden will provide a titanic matchup and a thrilling opponent for fans against the Lakers.

Bynum is averaging 23.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He's the better scorer by far, Oden the better defender by far and they cancel each other out in the rebounding department.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
Forget the benches, this is all about the superstar battle of Bryant and Bynum versus the Raptors' heralded frontcourt. This is where the Lakers' run ends and this is where Toronto becomes the first repeat champion since my NBA entry.
Prediction: Raptors in 5

Game One
[b]Kobe Bryant]/b] scores 28 points and a whole lot of 4: 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Andrew Bynum scores 23, Thabo Sefolosha 11 to beat Chrish Bosh's 26 points, 10 rebounds, Greg Oden's 11 points, 19 rebounds and Mike Patterson's 13 reserve points.
Toronto 97 Los Angeles 106

Game Two
Jordan Farmar is the surprising lead scorer for all teams with 20 points. Andrew Bynum adds 13 points and 12 rebounds, Thabo Sefolosha 13 points as one of the league's most clutch 6th men. Most noteworthy stat for the Raptors? 10 bench points from Quincy Douby. Horrible night by Greg Oden: 3 for 18 for 8 points, even with 21 rebounds. Toronto's lead scorer was T.J. Ford with 16 points.
Toronto 71 Los Angeles 94

Game Three
You didn't really think it was going to end here, did you? Greg Oden goes bezerk for 25 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals as Andrew Bynum played just 15 minutes and fouled out with 0 points. Thabo Sefolosha continues to be hot off the bench with 12 points. I gleefully note his contract is up and make plans to steal him in free agency to be our top reserve guard. The victory's not all good for Toronto, however, as they win by just 9 points in spite of Bynum's goose-egg.
Los Angeles 91 Toronto 100

Game Four
Andrew Bynum gets revenge in a big way with 22 points and 21 rebounds and Kobe Bryant puts on the finishing freeze with 32 points. Rasheed Wallace adds insult to injury with 10 bench points. The best the Raptors can do is 17 points and 14 rebounds from Greg Oden as they hover on elimination's edge.
Los Angeles 109 Toronto 84

Game Five
Toronto will not go down without a fight. Andrea Bargnani puts up 30 points and 13 rebounds, Chris Bosh 22 points as a reserve, again limited by injuries, Mike Patterson starting at SF with 15 points and 14 rebounds and T.J. Ford the finisher with 13 points and 17 assists. Lamar Odom and Derrick Robinson provide the very weak opposition with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 15 points, 11 rebounds respectively.
Los Angeles 82 Toronto 98

Game Six
Oh what a beautiful game it was! Both teams pouring it out and giving their all on the court. Greg Oden had 19 points, 22 rebounds and 4 blocks. Andrea Bargnani scored 24. T.J. Ford was magnificient with 22 points and 13 rebounds. But Lamar Odom scored 21, Thabo Sefolosha 13 and Jordan Farmar led his team with 23 points. One point. One point was all the difference and Thabo Sefolosha was that difference-maker, calmly sinking a bucket as time expired after Farmar fouled out, taking with him Toronto's dynastic dreams and the world's hopes for an even more dramatic Game 7.
Toronto 91 Los Angeles 92