NBA FINALS GAME 7 PREVIEW

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As a basketball player, lover and historian, I consider myself blessed today. This series may have started off sloppy, but it has turned out to be one of the best Lakers-Celtics series ever. Finals match-ups of the Post-Jordan Era have been pretty one sided and boring. In this era the NBA champion is usually decided in the Western Conference bracket (2002 Kings-Lakers, 2009 Lakers-Nuggets, 2003 Spurs-Mavericks, 2007 Spurs-Suns, 2000 Lakers-Blazers).  For just the third time in the last two decades we get to see a seven game Finals series. The fact that it is between basketball's most storied franchises makes it all the more exciting.

Game 1: Los Angeles 102-89

Game 2: Boston 103-94

Game 3: Los Angeles 91-84

Game 4: Boston 89-96

Game 5: Boston 86-92

Game 6: Los Angeles 89-67

Finals MVP Candidates

Boston

Primary Candidate: Paul Pierce (18ppg 4.5rpg 3.2apg)

Secondary Candidate: Rajon Rondo (13.5pgg 6rpg 7.2apg 1.7spg)

Los Angeles

Primary Candidate: Kobe Bryant (29.5ppg, 6.8rpg 4.2apg)

Secondary Candidate: Pau Gasol (18.5ppg 10.5rpg 2.7bpg)

What's at stake (other than the title, obviously)

Los Angeles 

For the Los Angeles Lakers, there are three legacies on the line.

• Phil Jackson's perfect record of 47-0 when winning game 1 may be tarnished. Phil Jackson may be under much scrutiny for losing his first ever Finals game 7.  An L.A. loss supports the argument (which I disagree with) that Phil Jackson's success is mostly contingent on having the players.

• Kobe Bryant is on the path of becoming the greatest Laker ever. The only obstacle is a victory over Boston. Kobe Bryant will go down as the best player to wear the purple and gold if he is able to lead his team to the title tonight.

• The Lakers' prospective dynasty is in question. Many put an asterisk next to their 2009 title crediting KG's knee injury for the L.A.'s 15th championship. This game may prove or disprove that theory.

Boston

• Doc River's decision to leave or stay will likely be affected by the outcome of this game.

• With old age and Ray Allen's impending free agency (Pierce isn't going anywhere) this is likely the Boston 3 Party's  last shot at a title.

• If Big 4 Celtics win two championships in 3 years, they could rank as one of the greatest teams of all time.

A Boston victory without Perkins is still very possible. The options of Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis makes Perkins is the most expendable player of Boston's starting five. Glen Davis goes 100% all game and is great for hustle points, but his stature is a liability against the length of the Laker bigs. Rasheed Wallace is probably the best option because he is a seasoned veteran and is the only player on the court that has started in a Finals game 7 (although he lost). He is long enough match up with Gasol or Bynum, and is an exceptional defender. The only problem with 'Sheed is his inconsistency. Still, Boston has to somewhat like the idea of starting lineup that includes 5 NBA champions who have each been selected to an all-star team.

Even with Perkins, you had to like L.A.'s chances after their game 6 performance. The bench got confident and finally starting outplaying Boston's, the triangle offense was executed flawlessly, and Ron Artest was shooting like the all-star caliber player we saw back in Indiana (minus the melee). L.A. looks to be the better team, but if these play-offs have told us anything its that you can never underestimate the resolve of Boson. You all know who I am picking for game 7, so I'll spare you the redundant prediction.