Spring Break
Aggies speak on NBA Finals
By: Brett Sebastian
Issue date: 6/3/09 Section: Sports
With the NBA finals coming up Thursday night it seems that everyone at Texas A&M has an opinion on the unexpected matchup of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic.
Before the playoffs began it was expected by many NBA experts that the inevitable matchup in the finals would easily be Los Angeles and Cleveland. The Lakers went 65-17 under Kobe Bryant while the Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to 66-16 on the back of MVP LeBron James. The Cavaliers even posted an NBA best 39-2 home record.
"It was hard not to get caught up in the hype and think the playoffs were just a formality for a Kobe-LeBron match up," said senior biomedical science major Andrew Thompson. "Their on-the-court accomplishments were more than any other team's and the media really hyped up the possible match."
The playoffs, however, became a case of judging a book by its cover. Cleveland went undefeated in the first two rounds but ran into a wall in the Orlando Magic who eliminated them three games to two.
"Cleveland's issue is that they are a one-man team," Thompson said. "If they didn't have LeBron that team probably wouldn't have made the playoffs, even in the eastern conference."
Los Angeles struggled against the Houston Rockets in a seven-game series and then had the Denver Nuggets take them six games before advancing.
"The Lakers have a good enough starting five," said senior business major Daniel Granger. "It just doesn't seem like they match up well with the Magic and they tend to be inconsistent."
Now the Orlando Magic, led by defensive player of the year Dwight Howard, will take on Kobe and the Lakers in the NBA finals.
"If you told me a month ago that Orlando would make the finals and Los Angeles would struggle throughout the playoffs I wouldn't have believed you," Thompson said.
The Lakers have home court advantage and are the league's No. 3 scoring team with the league's third best scorer and MVP runner up. Orlando, however, is not dependent on one player and many consider them the more complete team. Howard is the league's leading rebounder and shot blocker.
Before the playoffs began it was expected by many NBA experts that the inevitable matchup in the finals would easily be Los Angeles and Cleveland. The Lakers went 65-17 under Kobe Bryant while the Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to 66-16 on the back of MVP LeBron James. The Cavaliers even posted an NBA best 39-2 home record.
"It was hard not to get caught up in the hype and think the playoffs were just a formality for a Kobe-LeBron match up," said senior biomedical science major Andrew Thompson. "Their on-the-court accomplishments were more than any other team's and the media really hyped up the possible match."
The playoffs, however, became a case of judging a book by its cover. Cleveland went undefeated in the first two rounds but ran into a wall in the Orlando Magic who eliminated them three games to two.
"Cleveland's issue is that they are a one-man team," Thompson said. "If they didn't have LeBron that team probably wouldn't have made the playoffs, even in the eastern conference."
Los Angeles struggled against the Houston Rockets in a seven-game series and then had the Denver Nuggets take them six games before advancing.
"The Lakers have a good enough starting five," said senior business major Daniel Granger. "It just doesn't seem like they match up well with the Magic and they tend to be inconsistent."
Now the Orlando Magic, led by defensive player of the year Dwight Howard, will take on Kobe and the Lakers in the NBA finals.
"If you told me a month ago that Orlando would make the finals and Los Angeles would struggle throughout the playoffs I wouldn't have believed you," Thompson said.
The Lakers have home court advantage and are the league's No. 3 scoring team with the league's third best scorer and MVP runner up. Orlando, however, is not dependent on one player and many consider them the more complete team. Howard is the league's leading rebounder and shot blocker.
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