I love writing online. It gives me an outlet to vent my feelings about all things sports to an anonymous forum that might enjoy my opinion or really hate it. The best part is, if someone doesn’t like it, they don’t have to read it. I especially like it because I tend to drive people around me crazy. Instead of spewing sports related opinions at them 24 hours a day and taking the risk of being punched in the face, I have this forum to say anything and everything I’m feeling and it’s their choice whether or not to read it. Like it? Great, keep reading. Don’t like it? Go ahead and click to another site. One down side, when I’m wrong, it’s posted for the world to see. I have to man up and admit it.

So here we go.

I was completely wrong about the Cavs/Magic series. I didn’t give the Magic any shot of winning and disrespected them for the majority of this post-season. I still think the series with Boston would’ve been different if KG wasn’t injured, but we could play the would’ve/could’ve game all day long. KG wasn’t in the series and Orlando was the better team. Period.

The Magic matched up against Cleveland so well and the series wasn’t nearly as close as the six game series would indicate. In reality the Cavs were one lucky shot away from being swept. Even in games that Cleveland won, they routinely blew large leads and the made the games closer than they should’ve been. I guess we’ll chalk this one up as Cleveland being Cleveland. Being an avid Buffalo fan, I know what it’s like.

Meanwhile out West, something happened to the Lakers. All post-season long they have been a very off and on team. One game they would look dominant, the next they would look beatable. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense and people were starting to doubt if they were championship material. Then something happened in games five and six. Something clicked with the Lakers and they completely blew away Denver. I’m chalking this one up to killer instinct of the Black Mamba.

When I had the debate with Scott several months ago about the best player in the NBA, I defended Kobe in what seemed like a surefire losing battle. I feel somewhat vindicated today. Besides age, what is the one glaring difference between Kobe and Lebron? Killer instinct. Lebron might completely get it one day, but he doesn’t quite have it yet. The Nuggets were slowly slipping away and Kobe took over. He seized the moment and choked the life out of Denver. The Magic were beatable. And while Lebron might not have as much help as Kobe, Kobe brings it out of people. Lebron’s supporting cast just stood around and watched as the Magic finished them off.

This year was supposed to be different. Lebron was older and his team was better. Players like Ben Wallace were going to actually contribute and Mo Williams was going to fill the role of Scottie Pippen on this year’s team. Instead Wallace was rarely heard from as people finally realized that he isn’t the same Ben Wallace that helped Detroit win a title. Williams on the other hand was good at running his mouth, but not much more. When his team needed him most, he disappeared.

I haven’t even touched the topic of the refs. I was disgusted after the game in Orlando was nearly settled by horrible officiating. You know, the game where Lebron literally steamrolled his way through the lane praying for a foul to be called because he had no other chance to tie the game. The same game that saw Dwight Howard get yanked down at the buzzer and no foul was called. Or maybe we should talk about how players get technicals for “taunting” (only to be taken back) but players don’t get one for throwing the ball at someone. Since I’ve read a ton of articles about the horrible officiating so far, I’ll cut it short to save space. I guess the stars just get treatment in all sports and I need to accept that. Kind of like how Evgeni Malkin somehow managed to avoid a suspension after his play in game two. Sometimes the rules always have an out clause when a star is involved.

But enough about the Conference Finals. It’s championship time. Will Orlando win their first ever title? Can Kobe finally win a title on his own? Will Phil Jackson finally get his tenth ring? Will Dwight Howard cement himself in Florida basketball history? Will Hedu Turkolu continue to frighten me in HD? Will Kobe get to rap to Shaq about how his ass tastes? I can hardly wait.

I’m hardly a Lakers fan but it’s no secret I’m pulling for them in this series. For someone who hates bandwagon fans as much as I do, you’d think I would be against the Lakers. I guess it doesn’t bother me so much when I’m 3,000 miles away from them. Maybe having someone like Jack Nicholson courtside for every game cancels that out. Having Kobe helps as well. Maybe it’s true what people say about me. I like everything that people don’t and can’t stand things that are overly popular. Whatever.

As someone who is rooting for LA, this series has me slightly concerned. After doubting Orlando for the past two series, they legitimately have me worried going into the Finals. No matter what the circumstance, Orlando seems to find ways to win. Just when you think they are finished, they hit a huge three point shot and climb their way back in it. Just when you piss Dwight Howard off, he takes over the game and dominates in the paint. I’ve been trying to figure out how LA is going to contain Howard and I still haven’t come up with anything solid. I’m leaning towards the strategy of containing him and just shutting everyone else down, but I’m not quite sure that will work. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a coach.

Then again, if the Lakers show up the way they did in the last six quarters of the Conference Finals, it might not matter what Dwight Howard does. Kobe knows his time is now and I think the Lakers are finally realizing it. After each Conference Finals victory, we saw two different scenes. The Lakers had a very business-like approach as if they still weren’t finished. Orlando celebrated until the sun came up the next day. Call me crazy, but I pay attention to things like that.

(Kind of like how Sidney Crosby defied the hockey gods and touched the conference championship trophy)

If the Lakers lose two Finals in a row, it won’t be a pretty scene. I guess we’ll find out if Kobe really has the killer instinct to completely finish the job. If he doesn’t win the title this year, he might not have another chance. It will have his hoards of haters rambling about how he can’t win a title without Shaq…among other things.

(If he doesn’t, I’m sure he’ll at least have the decency to shake hands afterwards.)

My heart is saying Lakers in six, but my brain is saying the Magic might pull it out in seven. Ah the hell with it...

Lakers in six.

It’s not like this is being posted for everyone in the world to read, right?