That's right, there's something I have to admit. It's been bugging me for the past couple months, and I think that it is finally time to come out and say it.

Some of you may be very surprised to hear this. I hope nobody goes into shock.

But, I am now "coming out of the closet" and admitting something I have never said to anyone ever before.

You probably know my favorite team in the NBA is the Orlando Magic. Yeah, they are my favorite, but with them comes another team, my other favorite.

I, Mike J. Greenspire, have been a closet Los Angeles Lakers fan for the past couple years, and this is the first time I have actually come out and said anything about it.

I hope nobody views me differently due to my “preferences”.

All I can ask is that you try to work with me, and try to still be my friend.

All the while, the Lakers are whoopin’ ####!

GO LAKERS!

-Mike Greenspire

E-mail: greenspire.mike@gmail.com

... a playmaker came through...

... or a trio lived to fight another day...

... a star was born...

... or veterans paved the way...

... crafty players with much expierence...

... or a newfound contender in the wings...

... the crew of explosive young talent...

... or a team looking for more rings...

6 teams remain, all with the same hope

As they say, "there can only be one"

The rest, with the losses they will have to cope.

Until next year

When a new team emerges

But who it is, is still unclear

Yet, me? I think I know who,

The team down in the State of Oranges

-Mike Greenspire

Jameer Nelson's gurantee o####ame 5 victory may be the key to the Magic's season being over.

I doubt that we (Orlando) can win a game in Detroit with or without Chauncey the way they handled us in the 4th on Saturday.

Well, if we are goign to win, the key will be exposing the open inside shot. Our 3-poitners are terrific, but when we get into the 4th quarter, they collapse. So, we need to feed the ball inside and take advantage of a mismatch. Hopefully, we'll cath them out of transition, and expose a Dwight vs. Prince matchup that we could use to our advantage.

The main point is don't waste time, and use the fast break, always look for a better and more open shot. If we can do that, and stay fresh with our bench and keep the Pistons to the outside, forcing them to take bad 3's, then we could put ourselves in good position come 5:00 left in the 4th.

The guy we have to expose on the Pistons is a wobbly Billups. I doubt he will be the Billups we have seen for years, so if he is indeed back, then that will be the guy Hedo Turkoglu can figuratively toss around and drain 3's all over.

Dwight, take it to the rim
Hedo, fake-out Chauncey
Jameer, say nothing
Lewis, Arroyo, and Dooling, keep doing what you're doing: being playmakers.

GO MAGIC!!!

-Mike Greenspire

That's it?! According to the Vegas oddsmakers, the Orlando Magic only have a 50-1 shot at winnign the NBA Title, meaning if the playoffs, from Round 2 to the NBA Title were played 50 times, the Magic would only win it once.

Now, if you ask me, that's total bullcrap.

Apparently people haven't watched us enough to know what we are truly capable of. I think you could at least give us some credit for what we have accomplished this year, and put us above Utah, who are 15-1 favorites.

Whatever, just watch tonight as the Pistons get their butts handed to them, and we tie up the series. Maybe, just maybe, come next Wednesday, when we win the series 4-2 over Detroit, we can get some much-earned respect.

-Mike Greenspire

The All-NBA First Teams is:

Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Chris Paul
Kevin Garnett

And…