2009 NBA Finals

I guess the first thing I would point out about how we all did last round is that not a single person had both conference final series correct. So while all three other possible NBA Finals scenarios were all predicted one way or another (Lakers-Cavs was, quite obviously, the most popular pick, predicted by 12 of the 18 experts listed below), it ends up being Orlando against La-La Land and nobody scored better than one-for-two, bringing everybody to these totals:

David Thorpe, ESPN: 12-2 (3)
Ball Don't Lie, Yahoo!: 12-2 (3)
Jalen Rose, ESPN: 12-2 (3)
Chris Sheridan, ESPN: 11-3 (7)

John Hollinger, ESPN: 11-3 (4)

Ken Berger, CBS Sports: 11-3 (3)
Nunzio Ingrassia, CBS Sports: 11-3 (3)
J.A. Adande, ESPN: 11-3 (2)
Sergio Gonzalez, CBS Sports: 11-3 (2)
Kenny Smith, Yahoo!: 11-3 (2)
Chris Broussard, ESPN: 10-4 (5)
Chad Ford, ESPN: 10-4 (5)
Henry Abbott, ESPN: 10-4 (4)
Lyle Crouse, CBS Sports: 10-4 (3)
Jamey Eisenberg, CBS Sports: 10-4 (3)
Marc Stein, ESPN: 10-4 (3)
Tim Legler, ESPN: 9-5 (4)
YOURS TRULY: 8-6 (4)

Yeah, those numbers suck for a variety of reasons—and it's not just the knowing that Jalen fucking Rose, of all people is tied for the best marks, although that does make it sting a little more than I want to admit.

But what really kind of irks me is Yahoo! didn't bother putting up picks for two of their supposed "experts" from previous rounds, so the guy that was softening the cellar for me a little bit had to be excluded from these standings, seeing as I had no idea what he picked. Who knows, maybe he was the guy that actually had the vision to call a Magic-Lakers Finals, but I really doubt it.

Guess we'll never know, but let's just get this out of the way and see if I manage to catch Tim Legler (!) or if I finish one measly game over .500 for the entire playoffs:

Orlando Magic over Los Angeles Lakers in six games

Oh sure, I know what you're thinking (read: B. Doggy), and if you think I'm only making this prediction because this is more what I want than what I genuinely think will happen, well, I guess I would just point out that if my pick was what I wanted, then I would have had the Magic in four games.

And I was even tempted by the idea of thinking Orlando could concievably use the Games Three/Four/Five all at home argument to suggest that a split in L.A. could just be the springboard to three successive wins in Florida to win the thing there, kind of like, oh, I don't know, um ... oh yeah! Five years ago. Yeah, like that.

But, really, my forecast goes like this: split in L.A. and Orlando takes two of three at home before emphatically taking the Lakers down in Game Six. Dwight Howard will be your MVP.

And I won't have to hear about Kobe Bryant for at least four months.