* I’ve told my brother, I’ve told my Dad, I’ve told the guy down at Pete’s, I said “IT” to anyone who will listen (Koski is sick of hearing about "IT"…) … you cannot win the NBA championship with at least one “IT” player and most champs have two. Dwight Howard is the best the Magic have to offer when it comes to an “IT” player, but his offensive game is far from polished. The Lakers have the greatest scorer of all-time and if Howard is an “IT” player then Pau Gasol is because what Gasol lacks in athleticism he easily makes up for in scoring ability. Like it or not, the NBA is a star driven league, all the way from its marketing strategy to its champions.

* All this talk about Kobe being the best player of all time is ridiculous. He is the best scorer this game has ever seen, but he should never be in the same conversation as Magic or MJ (to name two better all around players). To be considered the best, you have to do more than score and play good defense. Kobe has questionable leadership ability and has given up on his teammates numerous times throughout the year/playoffs. Anyone with half a brain knows that Magic and MJ were the complete package. Kobe is not.

* No matter who wins this series, the 2008-09 NBA Champions will go down as one of the worst champions in recent memory. (I would even take the ’04 Pistons over either of these teams)

* Prediction: Lakers in 6

* In the spirit of accountability, I chose the Lakers at the start of the season to win the NBA championship … against the Sixers. You can’t get them all right.