Who Will Win The NBA Championship in 2009-2010?

[Mitchell]

With the NBA season about to start in a few hours, I thought it timely to post a thread and a poll asking forum members which team they think is going to win the 2009-2010 NBA Championship.

 

[Mitchell]

My choice for this question is the Cavs. Cleveland won 66 regular season games in 2008-2009, and has now added Shaq O'Neal, winner of four NBA Championships with the Lakers and the Heat. Additionally, with Cavs superstar Lebron James set to be a free agent next summer, and the uncertainity of whether he will remain in Cleveland, I think that both James and the Cavs will be super motivated to win a championship.

Mitch

 

[FlockOfSeagulls]

I think it will be Spurs vs. Celtics in the finals. Celtics will win it all .It will be really interesting to see if Artest will be on his best behavior or rock the boat. Artest has the keys to the Lakers hopes; if he is content then they have a great shot at repeating. He also has capability to drag that team down with him.

 

[natural tickler]

Much as I would hate to admit it to blow up Primetime's ego, but the Lakers will repeat...they were missing that lock-down defender, and they got it in Artest....

 

[maniactickler]

My Celtics of course!

 

[MrMacphisto]

It's a bit early, but I'll go with the Lakers.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

Your World Champions will be Your New York Knicks.

 

[AmishTickler]

I'm not a huge NBA fan anymore, but I think it has to be one of the 5 teams you listed in your poll. If it isn't one of those 5 teams, I'd be shocked. That being said, I'm going to go with probably the least likely of those 5, the San Antonio Spurs. I just have a hunch with them. With the additions of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess and Manu Ginobili being healthy, I think they have a great shot at winning it all this season. Gregg Popovich is also probably the most under-rated coach in the league.

 

[Angel_2]

New York Knicks of course

 

[primetime]

Thanks Natural!!! My ego won't get any bigger.. lol..

C'mon folks, we all know the Lakers will repeat!!! What are you thinking? (this statement was just to rile people up ).

Seriously, the Lakers have the best shot and not because I'm an obvious homer. Let's take a look at the teams....

By adding Ron Artest, the Lakers have that "bully" to defend the other "bullies" they face. Guys like Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James will have a tougher time against Artest than they would against Kobe or Trevor Ariza, if he was still with the team, can do. People talk about Artest's propensity to blow up, but can you please point out a time where he was a major distraction in Houston? He wasn't, plus, he doesn't have to carry this team. Artest is like the 4th option and he will see WIDE OPEN shots a lot. Artest WANTED to be a Laker. He will be fine...

The Lakers have severe matchup problems for teams. To me, the key is Bynum. If Bynum is producing, there is no way teams can double on the Lakers. You can't double Bynum, Gasol, Artest and Kobe at the same time. One of them will be in single coverage and that's not good. Plus, with Odom coming off the bench and quick backup guards like Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar, we present nightmare matchups. There is only ONE team that can get close to matching up with the Lakers and that team is.....





The Boston Celtics. This team is the best team in the East by far. They present matchup problems as well. Garnett, Allen, Pierce and when they bring in Rasheed Wallace (hey, now THIS is a guy who can be a distraction...), they present nightmare matchups. I really believe it will be Lakers vs Celtics in the Finals.

As for the other teams. Cleveland will falter again. Shaq is not the Shaq of 10 years ago. He's 37 and he looks slow. He's getting away with points because the man is freakin huge. But, I'm telling you, Shaq is not going to get the Cavs over the hump. Too many deep teams that can mess with him. Shaq no longer commands a double team. Kendrick Perkins and Dwight Howard can defend him better now because he's 37. That leaves everyone else to defend James. The rest of the Cavs are well....... TERRIBLE.... If Shaq was 27, the Cavs win the title... But he isn't.

Orlando is also very good, and will be the ones to challenge the Celtics. But, if they live by the 3, they will die by the 3.

The Spurs lost their identity, which is defense. Richard Jefferson is not a defender. The Spurs will be a challenge because they're the Spurs, but they won't get past the Lakers.

Denver and Portland are the true contenders. They have the athleticism to cause problems for the Lakers. These are the teams in the West that concern me.

But really, barring injury, the Lakers will repeat as champions. Just like celebrities dies in threes, Phil Jackson wins in threes.... The only team that can beat the Lakers are.....the Lakers.

 

[biggen7934]

the celtics are just too good at every position...every one on there starting 5 is an arguable all star and they can all shoot (even rondo found him a mid range jumper, kinda lol) and they can all get to the rim and score and draw fouls. There defense is relentless as the cavaliers found out on opening night. Definitely best team in the league and they win 70 games

 

[Coup de Grace]

I'd say we'll see the Lakers and Celtics in the finals as a rematch from 2 years ago providing both teams stay healthy. Gasol going down with that hamstring tear is a HUGE issue for the Lake show.

The Cavs didn't address the issue that got them booted from the playoffs last season: defending the perimeter. Those mini guards had fits trying to defend Orlando's big guards and forwards. Shaq clogs the middle, but he's a step slower and a year older.