How does the east matchup to the Lakers?
The Eastern Conference Finals has come down to a Game Seven between the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. Which team would fare better against the Lakers in the Finals, if either one at all?
By John Nothdurft Sports Central Columnist
Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals is Sunday night, pitting the #1-seeded Philadelphia 76ers against the #2-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. The series has been a hard fought battle, and Game Seven looks to be no different.
There's good news and bad news that goes along with winning this game. The good news is that the winner of this game gets to move on to the NBA Finals. The bad news is that they'll have to play the Los Angeles Lakers, who have not lost since April 1. Realistically, they're playing for second place.
Who would fare better against the Lakers, if anybody at all?
The gritty, defense-minded 76ers have the league MVP and top scorer in Allen Iverson, the Defensive Player of the Year and top rebounder in Dikembe Mutumbo, the Sixth Man of the Year in Aaron McKie, and the Coach of the Year in Larry Brown.
The offense-first Bucks, on the other hand, sport one of the highest scoring trios in the league in Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, and Glenn Robinson. Whoever wins will be going against the Lakers one-two punch of Shaq O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, two of the biggest superstars in the NBA.
Coach
1. Los Angeles - Phil Jackson coached the Lakers to the title last year, after leading the Chicago Bulls to six titles. He's gotten Kobe and Shaq to co-exist, too - now that's coaching!
2. Philadelphia - Larry Brown was named Coach of the Year this year in the NBA, and has turned this team around from an embarrassing club to a 50-60 win team, and has learned to get along with Iverson - now that's also coaching!
3. Milwaukee - George Karl is the highest-paid coach in the NBA. He has the mouth, but not the accomplishments to back him up. He was the coach of the infamous #1-seeded Sonics team that lost to the #8-seeded Nuggets years ago in 1994. He has yet to win an NBA title.
Center
1. Los Angeles - Shaq O'Neal is the most dominating player in the game since Michael Jordan. He's a powerful, yet super-agile inside force that can dominate anybody he goes up against, on both sides of the floor. Teams revert to the hack-a-Shaq in hopes that his less than average free-throw shooting can keep them in a game against the Lakers. So far this postseason, he is averaging 29 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks.
2. Philadelphia - Dikembe Mutumbo was the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, leading the league and rebounds and close to the league lead in blocks. He has been a force in the middle this year for the Sixers since the midseason trade. So far this postseason, he is averaging 13 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks.
3. Milwaukee - Ervin Johnson has been a surprise for the Bucks so far this postseason, registering numerous blocks, rebounds, and even a few points. So far this postseason, he is averaging six points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks.
Forward
1. Milwaukee - Glenn Robinson and Scott Williams have done a good job so far this postseason. Robinson has been shooting and rebounding well, and Williams have stepped up and contributed to the Bucks' success. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 27 points and 13 rebounds.
2. Philadelphia - Tyrone Hill and Jumaine Jones have done the dirty work so far this postseason -- defending, rebounding, and a little scoring. Jones has electrified the team with his athleticism after starting for George Lynch, who is out with a broken foot. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 14 points and 11 rebounds.
3. Los Angeles - Horace Grant and Rick Fox have added the extra effort that the Lakers needed to propel them to a championship. Playing with Shaq and Kobe has let them show off their skills without the pressure. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Guards
1. Philadelphia - Allen Iverson and Aaron McKie. Iverson has carried the team so far this postseason until being injured recently, seriously affecting his play in the Bucks series. Still, he led a 76ers comeback in Game Six's fourth quarter, scoring 26 of his 46 points there. Aaron McKie has been a really bright spot for the Sixers this year, hitting big shot after big shot and playing great defense. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 48 points, nine rebounds, and 12 assists.
2. Los Angeles - Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher. Kobe has been a big-time player on the Lakers that they needed. With Shaq, he has become one of the best players in the league. Fisher has surprised many with his good play so far, becoming a third option after Shaq and Kobe on offense. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 47 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
3. Milwaukee - Sam Cassell and Ray Allen. In the past series, Allen has connected for two career highs in scoring. Cassell has been an integral part to the teams' success as their top ball handler. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 42 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists.
Bench
1. Milwaukee - Darvin Ham, Tim Thomas, Lyndsey Hunter, Jason Caffey, Mark Pope. Thomas is the Bucks' energy off the bench. He's a very agile scorer/slasher/rebounder that makes the Bucks such a dangerous team. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 23 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists.
2. Philadelphia - Eric Snow, Todd MacCulloch, Rodney Buford, Matt Geiger, Kevin Ollie. Snow started for the Sixers for half of the season before being injured. Currently, he has a fractured foot, but still has hit many important shots down the stretch for his team. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 18 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
3. Los Angeles - Brian Shaw, Robert Horry, Mark Madsen, Tyrone Lue, Devean George. The Lakers' bench have done all that is needed of them so far this postseason, helping out the team to an undefeated streak. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.
X-Factor
1. Los Angeles - They haven't lost since the beginning of April. They swept the Blazers, the Kings, and the Spurs - three 50+ win powerhouses. Kobe Bryant and Shaq can co-exist and they're proving it right now. By far, Phil Jackson has won more titles than anybody else in the last decade, including one with the Lakers last year.
2. Philadelphia - The 76ers have had to deal with major injuries to basically everybody on the team throughout the year, and still have prospered. They have had a great year, both individually (collecting numerous awards) and as a team (best record in recent history). They won a close Game Seven vs. Toronto last series.
3. Milwaukee - The Bucks are a streaky jump-shooting team. They have survived two close series so far, with Orlando and Charlotte. Sadly, they prefer to blame their losses not on themselves, but on an NBA conspiracy theory.
Prediction
Who has the best shot at winning the NBA championship? The Lakers. Who has the best shot against the Lakers? The 76ers. No matter who ends up in the championship game, it should be an exciting series. Something inside tells me that there will not be a sweep though for the Lakers. Both the 76ers and Bucks will do what is necessary to make the series competitive.
Article courtesy of Sports Central
Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals is Sunday night, pitting the #1-seeded Philadelphia 76ers against the #2-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. The series has been a hard fought battle, and Game Seven looks to be no different.
There's good news and bad news that goes along with winning this game. The good news is that the winner of this game gets to move on to the NBA Finals. The bad news is that they'll have to play the Los Angeles Lakers, who have not lost since April 1. Realistically, they're playing for second place.
Who would fare better against the Lakers, if anybody at all?
The gritty, defense-minded 76ers have the league MVP and top scorer in Allen Iverson, the Defensive Player of the Year and top rebounder in Dikembe Mutumbo, the Sixth Man of the Year in Aaron McKie, and the Coach of the Year in Larry Brown.
The offense-first Bucks, on the other hand, sport one of the highest scoring trios in the league in Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, and Glenn Robinson. Whoever wins will be going against the Lakers one-two punch of Shaq O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, two of the biggest superstars in the NBA.
Coach
1. Los Angeles - Phil Jackson coached the Lakers to the title last year, after leading the Chicago Bulls to six titles. He's gotten Kobe and Shaq to co-exist, too - now that's coaching!
2. Philadelphia - Larry Brown was named Coach of the Year this year in the NBA, and has turned this team around from an embarrassing club to a 50-60 win team, and has learned to get along with Iverson - now that's also coaching!
3. Milwaukee - George Karl is the highest-paid coach in the NBA. He has the mouth, but not the accomplishments to back him up. He was the coach of the infamous #1-seeded Sonics team that lost to the #8-seeded Nuggets years ago in 1994. He has yet to win an NBA title.
Center
1. Los Angeles - Shaq O'Neal is the most dominating player in the game since Michael Jordan. He's a powerful, yet super-agile inside force that can dominate anybody he goes up against, on both sides of the floor. Teams revert to the hack-a-Shaq in hopes that his less than average free-throw shooting can keep them in a game against the Lakers. So far this postseason, he is averaging 29 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks.
2. Philadelphia - Dikembe Mutumbo was the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, leading the league and rebounds and close to the league lead in blocks. He has been a force in the middle this year for the Sixers since the midseason trade. So far this postseason, he is averaging 13 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks.
3. Milwaukee - Ervin Johnson has been a surprise for the Bucks so far this postseason, registering numerous blocks, rebounds, and even a few points. So far this postseason, he is averaging six points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks.
Forward
1. Milwaukee - Glenn Robinson and Scott Williams have done a good job so far this postseason. Robinson has been shooting and rebounding well, and Williams have stepped up and contributed to the Bucks' success. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 27 points and 13 rebounds.
2. Philadelphia - Tyrone Hill and Jumaine Jones have done the dirty work so far this postseason -- defending, rebounding, and a little scoring. Jones has electrified the team with his athleticism after starting for George Lynch, who is out with a broken foot. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 14 points and 11 rebounds.
3. Los Angeles - Horace Grant and Rick Fox have added the extra effort that the Lakers needed to propel them to a championship. Playing with Shaq and Kobe has let them show off their skills without the pressure. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Guards
1. Philadelphia - Allen Iverson and Aaron McKie. Iverson has carried the team so far this postseason until being injured recently, seriously affecting his play in the Bucks series. Still, he led a 76ers comeback in Game Six's fourth quarter, scoring 26 of his 46 points there. Aaron McKie has been a really bright spot for the Sixers this year, hitting big shot after big shot and playing great defense. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 48 points, nine rebounds, and 12 assists.
2. Los Angeles - Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher. Kobe has been a big-time player on the Lakers that they needed. With Shaq, he has become one of the best players in the league. Fisher has surprised many with his good play so far, becoming a third option after Shaq and Kobe on offense. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 47 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
3. Milwaukee - Sam Cassell and Ray Allen. In the past series, Allen has connected for two career highs in scoring. Cassell has been an integral part to the teams' success as their top ball handler. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 42 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists.
Bench
1. Milwaukee - Darvin Ham, Tim Thomas, Lyndsey Hunter, Jason Caffey, Mark Pope. Thomas is the Bucks' energy off the bench. He's a very agile scorer/slasher/rebounder that makes the Bucks such a dangerous team. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 23 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists.
2. Philadelphia - Eric Snow, Todd MacCulloch, Rodney Buford, Matt Geiger, Kevin Ollie. Snow started for the Sixers for half of the season before being injured. Currently, he has a fractured foot, but still has hit many important shots down the stretch for his team. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 18 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
3. Los Angeles - Brian Shaw, Robert Horry, Mark Madsen, Tyrone Lue, Devean George. The Lakers' bench have done all that is needed of them so far this postseason, helping out the team to an undefeated streak. So far this postseason, they have combined to average 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.
X-Factor
1. Los Angeles - They haven't lost since the beginning of April. They swept the Blazers, the Kings, and the Spurs - three 50+ win powerhouses. Kobe Bryant and Shaq can co-exist and they're proving it right now. By far, Phil Jackson has won more titles than anybody else in the last decade, including one with the Lakers last year.
2. Philadelphia - The 76ers have had to deal with major injuries to basically everybody on the team throughout the year, and still have prospered. They have had a great year, both individually (collecting numerous awards) and as a team (best record in recent history). They won a close Game Seven vs. Toronto last series.
3. Milwaukee - The Bucks are a streaky jump-shooting team. They have survived two close series so far, with Orlando and Charlotte. Sadly, they prefer to blame their losses not on themselves, but on an NBA conspiracy theory.
Prediction
Who has the best shot at winning the NBA championship? The Lakers. Who has the best shot against the Lakers? The 76ers. No matter who ends up in the championship game, it should be an exciting series. Something inside tells me that there will not be a sweep though for the Lakers. Both the 76ers and Bucks will do what is necessary to make the series competitive.
Article courtesy of Sports Central
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