I listened to the podcast a few days ago and I think Simmons is just saying who he honestly believes will win. There's no reverse jinx, that's just how he feels. While I disagree, I don't see why it needs to go to personal attacks on him. Yeah, we want him to be a fan first and foremost, and he is a Boston sports fan. But he's also a "journalist" and is supposed to be honest.
1. The dude watches basketball, I think that's clear. I think the comment someone made about hating every other team in the NBA except the Celtics is fine, if that's how you feel, but appreciating other teams doesn't make somebody less of a Celtics fan. For example, I like watching Golden State, Phoenix, San Antonio and Denver. I like those teams in general. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want the Celtics to win when and if they play those teams. It just means I like basketball, it's my favorite sport, and that's why the Celtics are my favorite Boston team. I don't pick my favorite team based on who's winning, I pick it based on which sport I enjoy watching the most. That's why it's Celtics-Pats-Red Sox for me and always has been.
2. There's nothing wrong with somebody who loves the NBA and can afford it buying season tickets to another team. If I lived in Houston and had the cash, I'd buy Rockets season tickets. Not because I love or even like the Rockets, but because I love basketball and would love the opportunity to watch 41 games every season.
3. Simmons mentioned in the podcast and MVP article that he has watched all or almost all of the Celtics games this year. I see no reason not to believe that.
4. Believing the Celtics won't win it all is not the same as not wanting them to win it all. Just because he thinks the Lakers and Kobe are really good doesn't mean he wants them to win. He just thinks they will.
5. Kobe is really good. He might be a jerk, a rapist, a questionable teammate, an egomaniac, but he's really really good. I picked KG as MVP, but that doesn't mean Kobe hasn't had an amazing season this year and an amazing career overall. Face it, Kobe can take over a game offensively like nobody other than Lebron can in the NBA. It's not a knock on KG or Pierce to say they can't control a game offensively. Kobe is just better offensively.
6. Simmons has written this year about the Celtics, or at least talked about them, and he hasn't been flowery in his praise. He has questions, which are honestly quite understandable. The Celtics have the best record and best MOV by far, but in games against playoff teams, the Celtics are 27-14, the same as Detroit, a half game behind Utah (28-14) and only 1 1/2 games ahead of the Lakers (26-16). So they haven't completely dominated all the best teams. Until they prove it, it's reasonable to believe a team that has done that (Lakers with big wins in the second half of the season over Phoenix, San Antonio, New Orleans, Dallas and Utah) has a better chance of winning it all.
(FYI, I disagree with him there. I'm closer to Hollinger's thinking. I believe the Celtics can and probably will crush their way through the playoffs. I expect them to win in 4, 4, 4-5 and 5-6 respectively.)
7. He doesn't trust Doc. He's not alone in that department. If we have a bunch of close games, I would not be very excited about our strategist. (Still, I don't think we'll be in enough close games that it will threaten our season.)
8. The Lakers should make it to the Finals based on scheduling. Denver gives up too many easy plays to beat the Lakers in a 7 game series. I thought Kenny Smith's analysis on this point was dead on. The Lakers will probably play Utah in the second round. While I like Utah a lot, I don't think they have the personnel to play LA. I don't think they have the defensive mindset to beat the Lakers. I think they'd beat almost any other team, but I can't see them shutting down even 2 of the Lakers' 3 top guns (Kobe, Pau, Odom). In the WCF, it's all up in the air. I think any of the 4 remaining teams (Phx-SA-NO-Dal) could make it. It's 50-50 at that point, meaning the Lakers have a good chance.
It's not like the Lakers are some crappy team that Simmons is picking out of nowhere. They had the best record in one of the best conferences EVER. I think the Celtics will beat whoever makes it out of the West. But this is not such an outlandish pick that it's worth everybody or anybody getting upset about and throwing out allegations like "Simmons is biased toward LA." LA is really really good. They were good in the beginning of the year and got a 27-year old All Star caliber power forward for zero rotation players, when they already had a quality starting lineup and bench. They are very very dangerous and anybody who thinks they're a pushover is blinded by homerism. While I would pick the Celtics to take the Lakers in 6, I don't think it's crazy to pick the Lakers in 6 and don't see why everybody else does.
Yes, Simmons is a Boston sports fan and no Boston sports fan wants the Lakers to beat the Celtics, but he can't just pick Boston every time. He is trying to make a living out of this (and LA is an expensive place to live and raise kids.)