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.