Lakers vs. Magic, who ya got?

THE NBA: "Where our dream match-up failed happens". Okay, so there is no Kobe vs. LeBron in this years NBA final like 95% of the watching public and David Stern wanted to happen. But, we still have a couple of intriguing things between the Los Angeles Lakers and the surprising Orlando Magic. Okay, maybe the Magic are just "happy to be here", but maybe not. If they play like they have since game 5 of the Boston series, Orlando will wrap up this series easily.

Here are the biggest storylines heading into the series.

1. Can Kobe Bryant win a title without Shaq? Kobe is 3-2 in the NBA Finals. The three wins came when Shaq was the best player on the team and that is indisputable. The two losses, Kobe was the best player and what did he do in those two series? In 2004 vs. Detroit, he averaged some great numbers (24-4-3, along with a 38% FG and 17% 3Pt) and last year against Boston he came away with (26-5-5, 40.5%, 32% and 4.7 TO's per game). Kobe needs a title without Shaq to defend his legacy and he is running out of time.
2. Can Dwight Howard become the next great big man? Look, Dwight Howard is Superman, but is he more than that? All season, critics asked if he could be more mean and not have so much fun. If he plays like he did against the Cavs, he could be on his way to getting more than his share of NBA titles.
3. Can Orlando continue to shoot the way they have the last 10 games and can L.A. defend them? Orlando has been shooting at a 45% clip from beyond the arc. Absolutely ridiculous and if it continues they will win this series. The Lakers have the players to match up with Orlando. Odom can check Lewis, Ariza checks Turkoglu, and Kobe can defend Alston. The Magic will no longer have 6'3 and 6'1 guards on them like they did in the Cleveland series.
4. Can Jameer Nelson be effective? If Nelson plays and plays well, he will be the X-factor. Nobody on the Lakers can defend Nelson's quickness and getting him back is going to be a HUGE difference for Orlando.
5. Can somebody else step up for Los Angeles? Andrew Bynum, this is for you! Derek Fisher? How about anybody coming off the bench? The Lakers would like you to play now.
6. Will the referees continue to make dumb calls? Does this question really need to be asked?
7. Last and most important...it is the individual match-up that we have been waiting for since 2006. We FINALLY get to see....J.J. REDICK vs. ADAM MORRISON with a championship on the line!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, who you got?

I have Lakers in six.