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Bench
Both teams have a few players that can change the game.
For Orlando, it is Pietrus, Marcin Gortat, and Anthony Johnson with Pietrus as the only bench player contributing offensively and getting meaningful minutes (25.3 a game).
The Magic have shortened their bench in the playoffs, unless there is foul trouble, we may not see Tony Battie.
Gortat has been a nice surprise and has stepped up when Howard gets in foul trouble. In the game Howard was suspended, Gortat played 40 minutes, grabbed 15 boards, and had 11 points. Jameer Nelson could be a nice spark—he has been a Laker killer this season—or he could also mess up the chemistry the team has found in the playoffs.
The Lakers are deeper than the Magic and typically run with Luke Walton, Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmer, and Sasha Vujacic. They also have Josh Powell and DJ Mbenga to bang with Howard and give up their 12 fouls.
Odom should start, so Bynum will come off the bench and add height, skill, and muscle as the best defender against Howard.
Brown has jumped over Farmar as the first guard off the bench and provides a spark off the bench. Brown is a much better than he was in college, but still has the hops to throw it down. He is also shooting 44 percent from the floor and 48 percent from behind the arc.
Jackson has always relied on his bench, we saw it in Chicago and he continues to rely on them in crucial moments in the game.
Advantage: Lakers—too much talent.
Coaching: Phil Jackson, Lakers v. Stan Van Gundy, Magic
Not sure how you can argue against Jackson, so I will not—there is not much argument. Van Gundy is underrated, but not that underrated. Jackson has nine rings.
Advantage: Lakers—He needs one more ring to cover all his fingers.
Result: Magic in six.
This series will be a battle, and it always comes down to matchups. The key matchup is Odom v. Lewis. Both are will be tough guards for the other, but Odom has been unreliable.
The Lakers should win, but the Magic have lived on proving all the critics wrong.
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