ESPN "expert" predictions for the last game(s) of the NBA finals

[hpantazo]

Well, one thing I have learned throughout this playoff run is that the ESPN experts are always wrong. In the latest predictions (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2010/news/story?page=CelticsLakers-100615), they all predict an epic game 7, with the majority (3-2) picking the celtics to win it. Two of them made no prediction. It worries me that the majority are picking the celtics, since they are often wrong. There is a logical explanation however. All 7 experts predict a game 7. The logical conclusion, since they are often wrong, is that this series ends tonight! Go Celtics!!

[celticinorlando]

that is because ESPN/ABC is praying for a 7th game...ratings for a big thursday night would be huge

[Drucci]

These experts have been wrong all along, you can only trust Tim Legler on ESPN... and he predicted Boston in 6 at the start of the series (he was the only one to predict Boston winning - in 6 too - in 2008).

Let's close them out tonight and celebrate in L.A!

[Mike-Dub]

(he was the only one to predict Boston winning - in 6 too - in 2008).

He predicted us in 7 in '08 but none the less he is one of the good analyst on ESPN.

[ejk3489]

If Boston wins: Greater achievement for Celtics or failure for Lakers?

Hollinger: Has to be the achievement for the Celtics. We dumped on the Cavs and Magic already for losing to Boston, but maybe the Celtics were just a whole lot better than anyone thought. If they beat the three best regular-season teams in succession, it seems hard to single out L.A. for criticism.

Is he actually giving credit to us? I'm shocked!

[Drucci]

Mike-Dub > ah, thought he predicted 6 games! Thanks for the correction.

If Boston wins: Greater achievement for Celtics or failure for Lakers?

Hollinger: Has to be the achievement for the Celtics. We dumped on the Cavs and Magic already for losing to Boston, but maybe the Celtics were just a whole lot better than anyone thought. If they beat the three best regular-season teams in succession, it seems hard to single out L.A. for criticism.

Is he actually giving credit to us? I'm shocked!

Don't worry, he stills predicts L.A winning it in 7 games on the same "expert predictions" page.

[Jon]

I also love Hollinger's quote about the Celtics' age:

"I definitely expect a seventh game because the cross-country trip is likely to rattle the Celtics' old bones more than L.A.'s (Andrew Bynum's knee being the exception) heading into Game 6."

In case he forgot, the oldest player in this series is Derek Fisher (beats out Sheed by a month).  Kobe's also a whopping 10 months younger than Pierce, and Artest and Odom are soon to be 31.  Are the C's older?  Sure.  However, the Lakers aren't young either. 

I'm also sick of this Bynum injury B.S.  It'd be one thing if it as a freak accident to Gasol, or even Lamar Odom.  However, like Greg Oden, Bynum has proven that he can't stay healthy.  At this point, his health (or lack there of) is part of who he is and can't be used as an excuse.  He may never be healthy. 

[Yakmanev]

Does Hollinger think we flew to LA in a crop duster?

I mean jets are pretty comfortable these days. It's not like flying cross country is going to rattle and destroy a bunch of well conditioned professional athletes.

[Birdbrain]

The Celtics don't fit into today's NBA. Especially to math geeks like Hollinger that wouldn't know basketball without a stat to lead them. The only stat the C's care about are wins and since he lacks the requisite BBIQ to form an opinion without a stat to tell him, he'll continue to root against them instead of admitting the truth. And that is his stats are meaningless and aren't a predictor of anything.  Each game is its own game and unless you add them to at least a minuet amount BBIQ you will be big FAILURE.  Like Hollinger.  

Bill Simmons is as well but, that's another story for another day.

[ballin]

Gotta love Tim Legler actually making sense.

Plus, he's hitting this:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/313/leglerve1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nba.fanhouse.com/2007/01/30/one-nba-guy-who-knows-his-nfl-cheerleaders/&usg=__z46OXbeI46H4oyg3ZFdcua7SJ3Y=&h=300&w=300&sz=20&hl=en&start=3&itbs=1&tbnid=Zz****yYUr3a6CM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtim%2Blegler%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1

[ManUp]

Was just watching 1st and 10.

Legler jumped ship. According if we don't have Perk and the Lakers play the same type of Defense they played yesterday we can't win. Skip Bayless on the other hand picked us because we have proven to be a resilient team.

[Roy Hobbs]

Here was my prediction at the beginning of the series:

Celtics in seven.  My eyes tell me we can win this series in five or six, due to our defense and because LA doesn't have an answer for Rondo.  However, the way this season has gone, I don't think anything is going to come easy for either the team or the fans.  Plus, if we're going to follow the path of the 1969 Celts, we need to beat the Lakers at the Forum in a Game 7, with the confetti and the balloons left in the rafters.

I'm still holding to that.

[Mr October]

Everyone's gonna pick the Lakers now? Cool. The table is set. Time for the ticket stub and the rest of the crew to have dinner.

[Hoops]

Everyone's gonna pick the Lakers now? Cool. The table is set. Time for the ticket stub and the rest of the crew to have dinner.

Mmmm....salmon and mashed potatoes!