It’s late. Very late. I should be fired up. Instead I’m pensive… forward thinking. About three months forward to be exact. But more on that in a moment.
Monday evening I watched as the Lakers have just put on a dominating second half performance against the Orlando Magic, spanking them like they were one of the eighth graders from Dazed and Confused.
With their recent surge the Lakers are suddenly back in vogue as the favorite (albeit not a predominate one) to win a third straight NBA title. And while it is perhaps presumptuous and short-sighted to assume that they’ll even make it past the Spurs (who still have a far better record) to the Finals, I am nothing if not impertinently bold. Besides, what’s the fun of being a sports blogger if you can’t engage in rampant speculation?
Now, surely every Lakers fan has a different take on who they want to see the purple and gold matched up with in the finals. But is there a correct preference? Is one opinion more valid than another? In short, I say yes.
I know a lot of Lakers fans who would like nothing more than to get another shot at the Celtics. A rubber match with the big three edition of Boston would surely be a satisfying way to finish out the season. And with franchise championship number 17 on the line (tying the Celtics no less) a victory against them would be all the sweeter.
Then there’s the lot who want to beat the Heat. Overnight LeBron James has managed to become the most hated player in the league and if the Lakers were to meet up with him in the Finals they might actually play the role of the good guys.
Of course there are also some who might just hope for the worst team possible and most sure chance the Lakers would prevail in a seven game series. This would probably be Orlando.
But for my money there is one team above all others that I want to see the Lakers play in the 2011 NBA finals. One team that would not only provide the most competitive games but also the most compelling story lines. And that team, as you might have guessed, is the Chicago Bulls.
Now here’s why.
Next: About The Narrative