ESPN Predicts The Lakers Will Win The Championship This Season

[187Proof]

Is it L.A.'s turn again?

Yes, it is, according to about half of our panel of 25 ESPN writers, editors and contributors.

Just as they have been throughout most of NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers are a force again -- and now the preseason favorites to win NBA title No. 15.

Of course, that means 13 members of our panel predicted the Lakers will not win the 2008-09 NBA championship, and the top challenger in our voting will surprise some: the up-and-coming New Orleans Hornets, not the Boston Celtics.

And, don't forget, the Lakers were also favored going into the Finals in June, and we all saw how the Celtics fed on the skepticism about their chances.

But the difficulty of repeating, especially with an older lineup, is reflected in the voting results below: Only 16 percent of our panel sees the C's going back-to-back.

The Lakers might not win the 2008-09 NBA title if ...

• Kobe gets too weary during the next nine months after the Lakers' deep playoff run and his Olympic commitment. Also, if his finger forces him to miss time, that will mean trouble in Lakerland.

• The frontcourt gets too crowded. After Pau Gasol was acquired midseason, he performed well in the frontcourt with Lamar Odom. How will Bynum fit in?

• Derek Fisher shows signs of aging and Jordan Farmar isn't ready to fill the void.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=NBAChamps-080911

[OG Hack Wilson]

espn picked the PAtriots vs the Eagles in the SB too

[OG Hack Wilson]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=HollingerForecastIndex0708


hate to shoot ya dream down but see what they were predicting in 07-08

[Man On The Moon]

Fuck ESPN....but they're right.

[187Proof]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=HollingerForecastIndex0708


hate to shoot ya dream down but see what they were predicting in 07-08

Not shooting my dreams down at all bro. Bulls are my team. 

And ESPN picking them to be # 1 in the East last year wasn't a big surprise or anything. EVERYONE picked them to be right around there. Was a VERY disapointing year.

[OG Hack Wilson]

the CEltics sure took over with the 29-3 start

how were the Lakers "favorites" in the Finals again?? 

[Bch]

^ they had the bitchassness factor - pau gasol's flopping

[Chamillitary Click]

is Bynum going to start with Gasol?

[OG Hack Wilson]

is Bynum going to start with Gasol?

itd be the smart thing to doi

[Don Jacob]

C- Bynum
PF-Pau
SF- LO
SG- Kobe
pg- Fish

[S P I C E]

I think the Hornets are just as good.
Don't count out the Rockets either

[wcsoldier]

 the Lakers were already better than the Hornets last year .... maybe you consider than Posey impact on the team will be more important than Bynum and Ariza ones then ....

[S P I C E]

the Lakers were already better than the Hornets last year .... maybe you consider than Posey impact on the team will be more important than Bynum and Ariza ones then ....

^^Well    Posey>>>>Ariza   X10

And who knows what type of player Bynum will become

Kobe is the best player in the league but Paul and West are better than any duo the Lakers have hands down.  Odom is terrible, the Finals proved that, I have never seen a NBA starter be as bad in the 4th quarter as Odom is,  he is horrible in the clutch, he is a decent player but thats it,  Gasol is a great player for 3 quarters but in the clutch he is weak also, he plays with no heart and he is soooo soft, and Paul is basically on Kobe's level so yeah The Hornets are just as good if not better.   

[wcsoldier]

the Lakers were already better than the Hornets last year .... maybe you consider than Posey impact on the team will be more important than Bynum and Ariza ones then ....

^^Well    Posey>>>>Ariza   X10

And who knows what type of player Bynum will become

Kobe is the best player in the league but Paul and West are better than any duo the Lakers have hands down.  Odom is terrible, the Finals proved that, I have never seen a NBA starter be as bad in the 4th quarter as Odom is,  he is horrible in the clutch, he is a decent player but thats it,  Gasol is a great player for 3 quarters but in the clutch he is weak also, he plays with no heart and he is soooo soft, and Paul is basically on Kobe's level so yeah The Hornets are just as good if not better.   

Cocaine is a helluva drug

[Low Key]

ESPN predicts a lot of things. It's too bad they don't have an unbias writer on staff.