I have read some great previews on this site, excellent job by all. I won't try to improve on their work here, I just want to ask the questions that come to my mind when thinking about the series and answer them as best I can.

1. Are the Lakers really that different of a team than the one the Celtics pimp slapped during the regular season? Hoffman has a good point pointing out that nearly an entire regular season has gone by since the last whipping the Celtics put on the Lakers.  And we Laker fans are definately clinging to the 'that was before Gasol' argument. In both regular season victories Boston grabbed the game at the very begining and the Lakers rolled over and exposed their belly. The comebacks against San Antonio indicate that the Lakers now have a new level of fight/confidence in them. We shall see.

2. Which Ray Allen will show up during this series? If it is the Ray Allen from the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, the Lakers are in good shape. However, Allen found his legs and his shot against the Pistons. He despises Kobe and has traditionally played very well against him. Kobe loves to gamble, roam and go for steals. This is a recipe for disaster against Allen. If Allen gets off early, look for Sasha and/or Ariza to get significant time on him.

3. How will the Lakers deal with Pierce? This is the biggest mismatch in the Celtics favor. Pierce will light up either Radmonovich or Walton. Will this end up being a Kobe v Pierce matchup for most of the series? If it is, remember how Pierce stepped up to the challenge against Lebron. If Radmonovich just stays in front of him and he starts cold from the outside, the Lakers may be able to survive with that matchup. If not, the Lakers will have to play great offense to compete.

4. Is Lamar ready? Lamar Odom used to be the Laker that frustrated me the most. Missed layups, inexplicable bricks from the outside, bad fouls and frequent turnovers would come in bunches at the most inopportune moments. It seemed like every time the Lakers said Lamar now is when we need you to step up, he would simply implode. But this season he started having those 14 point 18 rebound 6 assist games, and he put a string of them together. He would get the ball in the 4th quarter of the close game and not fumble it out of bounds. While having the occaisional bad game in the playoffs (game 3 v San Antonio) he has played the best overall basketball of his Laker career. If Lamar plays to his potential, the Lakers should be solid favorites.

5. Ariza- Right now this man is a questionmark. He was brought it to provide defense against the Manu's and Pierce's of the world (in fact he was the guy trying to guard Lebron in the McDonald's game a few years back).  He had just worked his way into the line up and was performing way beyond expectations when he sustained a foot injury that grounded him for the rest of the season. He has been activated for these playoffs and could be the answer for the problems presented by Pierce and Allen. And even if he can go physically, provide the capable defense the Lakers need, how bad will he hurt them on offense?

6. Stage Fright- Who is going to shine in these playoffs? And who is going to wilt under the bright lights? Farmar showed us both sides against Utah and San Antonio respectively. Perkins had huge games and complete nightmares. Will Leon Powe have a coming out party? Or, will it be Rony Turiaf swatting away a KG fall away? Stars and Goats are made on the big stage, who will step front and center in this series?

Well, that is what I am wondering going in, any of you have the answers?

Oh yeah, Lakers in 6, Buck Foston!

Let me start by saying is that the Spurs do not need a whole lot of fixing. They came into game one of the Laker series with an extreme disadvantage due to the schedule and the air plane situation. They led by 20 in 3 of the 5 games, if the ref had not swallowed the whistle at the end of game 4, we were looking at a new series with the pressure on the Lakers. I fully expect them to compete for the title for the next 2-3 years.

But I do think the Spurs definately need a tune up. They need an infusion of youth, energy and offense. Luckily enough, the type of players they need are available in the free agent market. Many of these are restricted free agents, but a good sized offer can often be enough to convince a luxury tax paying owner to let go of their 8th man.

First things first, out with the old. Of the group of Berry, Stoudemire, Horry, Thomas, Finley and Vaughn I would only keep two players. I would go with Berry and Thomas but I could also see them choosing to keep Horry and/or Finley. By releasing/trading 4 of these guys it frees up space for a couple of free agent signings.

A general manager can go a long way toward tilting a given matchup in their favor by poaching a key role player from their rival. I have two players in mind that fit this particular bill.

Jannero Pargo- Pargo did a wonderful job of spelling CP3 in the playoffs. He is quick, a decent distributor, has a nice 3 point shot and would be a painful loss for the Hornets who are the Spurs chief division rival next season. Pargo would provide energy, offense, and speed which were all lacking from the Spurs bench. He is listed as having a player option for unrestricted free agency.  A call to the agent suggesting a good raise would most likely get him to excersise that option.  New Orleons is small market and trying to figure out how they are going to pay Paul, West and Chandler. I don't believe they would match a strong offer for Pargo.

Rony Turiaf- The Spurs are slow to the ball, Rony is quick to the ball. The Spurs have trouble defending big men with quick feet, Rony specializes in that. Rony also brings hustle, enthusiasm, defense and a sweet 18 foot jumper to the table. If he can stay healthy, I think he could be an upgrade over Oberto at the center position. Even if he is not up to that task, he would provide 20 minutes of what the Spurs need. The Lakers have no clue how they are going to pay Odom, Bryant, Gasol and Bynum. They are going deep into the luxury tax already. If San Antonio offers say 6 million, it will mean 9 million to Buss. There is no way the Lakers match that, unless they plan to unload Odom. As a Laker fan, I would hate to see Odom go, so that means Turiaf almost has to, if anyone is smart enough to pay him.

That is where I would start as the Spurs GM. Other free agents that I think could help the Spurs are:

Leone Powe: I think this guy is going to be a good player in this league. He needs to figure out that he is a 4 and embrace the banging. Rasheed has shown that a 4 can still get live from outside. But instant youth and energy, and should come in for under 5 million.

Ben Gordon- this is not a perfect fit because he is not known as capable of playing the type fo defense Pop demands. But Finley did not fit that bill either, and Gordon would be a younger replacement for him. Think of him in a Vinnie 'the Microwave' Johnson kind of role. Instant offense off the bench.

Sasha Vujacic- God I would hate to lose Sasha at this point, we put up with all of his horrible play and now he is a restricted free agent when he is finally contributing. But the Lakers could lose him for the same reason we may lose Turiaf. Could you imagine the flopping that would be going on when Kobe drove the lane between him and Ginobli?

Ryan Hollins- A live body that would fit in similarly to Turiaf. A little longer, but less offense and not as tough.

Tyron Lue- if you cannot pry Pargo out of New Orleons, Lue can do some of the same things for you.

Daniel Gibson- This is another potential up and comer, but may be hard to get from the Cavs. If I was Lebron I would not let management give up this guy.

Paul Milsap- This might be wish list material. I know Utah wants to keep him, but what if you told him he could start at PF and Duncan moves to center? Starting for a team that is contending for a title is a powerful motivator, and Utah does not have a starting spot to give him.

There may be other good options as well, these are just what came to mind. So for those who are touting the Spurs deth knell,  I think you definately speaking too soon. I expect to see these guys ready for their odd year run next season.

or the damn Bill Envall show.

Remember when you used to be happy when a game was on TNT? You know, Kenny, EJ, Chuckles and all that?

Now I prefer the milquetoast analysis of Jamal Mashburn. Because that means that Kyra Sedgewick or some generic family sitcom crew will not take up 25 percent of my screen every time the action shifts from left to right. It is beyond irritating. Stern should do something, TNT now officially blows goats.

So far so good, 9-3 in picking series in these playoffs, would of really helped build my credibility if NO had come through but oh well. Spurs are great and NO will be back. I am going to forgoe the usual breakdown. I have seen a number of good ones done already.  So this time I am going just lay out a few things I have not seen people focus on.

Bruce Bowen has slipped a peg. Chris Paul exposed that Bowens foot speed is not what it once was. Kobe should be able to take him to the basket. If the refs allow an excessive amount of clutching, grabbing, poking etc., then Bowen may be able to do a credible job. But I don't see the calls going that way in 4 out of 7 games.

Pau Gasol is a winner. The oft repeated line I saw about Gasol entering these playoffs was 0 for ever in wins. But lets take a look at international play. Gasol led his team to a world championship in a pressure packed environment. What's more he has played great basketball in these playoffs and he knows how to play against Duncan. Pau suffers against really physical strong big men. The Spurs front line is savvy and skilled, but not overpowering.

The Spurs are worn down. They are the oldest team in the league and have had the toughest road through these playoffs. Big contributions from their bench and clutch performances from their stars enabled them to make it this far. I am not sure that the Spurs can summon that type of energy for this round.

The Lakers will not fold under the pressure. They have 24 years of experience and 6 championships in the back court. They will not succumb to game 7 pressure the way the Hornets did. They also proved they could win on the road by taking it to Utah and surviving that amazing rain of 3's in game 6. So even if they lose one of the first 2, I think they can get one back in San Antonio.

Lamar Odom can take any of the Spurs defenders to the basket at will. I just hope he does it. LO is the x factor of this series, if he continues his great play in these playoffs I think the Lakers are a solid pick.

Trevor Ariza is back! The Lakers have two weaknesses. They are soft on the boards and they are vulnerable to dribble penetration. A solid 15 minutes from Ariza on Manu and maybe even against Parker in some situations will go a long way to helping the Lakers take this series.

I have a hard time being objective about the Lakers because my fondest sports memories are of watching the Showtime Lakers compete for titles for a decade. But I can tell you this. This is the best Laker team since the Showtime Era. If Bynum comes back next year I think they can challenge the Bulls for best record of all time.

I have tremendous respect for the Spurs, they are currently the team of the Decade. The 3 stars all appear healthy and motivated, the veteran bench have seemingly risen from the dead, and Udoka has been a revelation (they have their next Bowen). I certianly think they are capable of winning this series and the title.

 I just think this Laker team has the answers for them. Heres to a great series. Lakers in 6.

Detroit looked shaky in round 1. The Celtics have looked beatable throughout.  Despite this, we are left with the matchup that was considered to be an all but foregone conclusion at the start of these playoffs. Lets proceed to the matchups.

Point Guard- In Chauncey Billups and his backup Rodney Stuckey, the Pistons have the best PG and back up this side of CP3 and Pargo.  Billups hamstring remains a minor questionmark, but the rest from taking out Orlando early should have him close to full speed. Rondo was the star of game 5, and has a ton of talent. But consistency is not yet there. Sam can make some shots, but he can also mess up the offense. Edge Pistons

Shooting Guard- Before the playoffs started you would be tempted to give the nod to Ray Allen over Rip Hamilton. But after the debacle at the end of game 6 against the Hawks, Allen has looked like a defeated player. Can he get his mojo back in time to help his team to the finals? That is the biggest questionmark of this series. Rip Hamilton offers hard work, solid shooting, and is an experienced winner. Edge Pistons

Small Forward- Tayshaun Prince v Paul Pierce is a wonderful matchup. Both players were key to their teams advancing to this round. Both play both ends of the floor, with Tayshaun more of a defender and Pierce a go to scorer. I look for these two to cancel eachother out to a certain degree. Edge Even

Power Forward- Another fascinating matchup. You have one of the hardest working and talented players in the league in KG facing one of the most enigmatic and talented players in the league. If there is one guy in the league that has the ability to counter everything KG does for the Celtics, it is Wallace. But who knows how he is going to play? If Wallace is at his best the Celtics will fall. But when was the last time Wallace played his best for a full series (2004 finals)? If he does it again this Pistons team will cease to be a one hit wonder. Edge Celtics

Center- Kendrick Perkins and Antonio McDyess both fulfill similar rolls on their teams, Defense and rebounding mainly. Give the edge in physicallity and experience to Antonio, while giving credit for Perkins energy and quickness. This is a classic push, though you have to figure that Perkins will do a better job guarding Wallace than AD will do on KG. Edge Even

Bench- I love the Pistons bench, Maxiel, Stucky and Afflalo bring toughness, defense, energy and scoring, Ratliff can provide a few solid minutes in the post. The Celtics counter with their own excellent bench. James Posey has been the unsung hero of the Celtics during this playoff run. His defense and clutch 3 pointers have kept the Celtics afloat. Leone Powe is an absolute beast with a sweet shot, he represents the player on the Celtics with the greatest upside next to Rondo. Cassell and Brown provide capable veteran minutes while Davis gives them an energy guy they can throw in to bang with Maxiel. Edge Celtics

Coach- I will come right out early and say, I have not been impressed with Doc Rivers. The fact that the Celtics are 0-6 on the road should firmly rest in his lap. The fact that Ray Allen has completely disappeared from the Celtics offense without the coach finding a way to reignite him also reflects poorly on the head man. Flip Saunders will continue to be the much maligned Flip Saunders unless he wins it all. I thought he had turned the corner when he started using that wonderful bench Dumars built for him, but he seems to completely forget about them during the playoffs. If it was not for Billups injury, the general public would still not know a thing about Rodney Stuckey. Similarly, the injury to McDyess forced him to use Maxiel. Edge Even.

Intangibles- What the hell is going on with Ray Allen? I mean really, this guy has one of the sweetest strokes in NBA history and he is either hurt and not telling us or the playoffs have turned him into Rick Ankiel on the mound. Pierce, KG, Rondo and Posey have all stepped up at different times to get it done, so they may be able to survive another no show from Allen. What is going to happen with Rasheed? Is he going to be fired up and match Garnett's energy? If he does the Pistons should walk away in this series, but it somehow seems unlikely, so no easy answer there. Celtics have home court, it has gotten them this far. The Pistons have won a title, they will not shrink due to the pressure of the stage. They have been known to pack it in when the other team brings full energy. Can the Celtics use their defense and energy to take the will out of the Pistons? Or will the Celtics finally crumble under the pressure? That is the question we are faced with.

Prediction: I keep coming back to the Ray Allen thing, Detroit in 6.