Sport and Cinema.com

In a renewal of one of sports history’s greatest rivalries, Boston and Los Angeles meet yet again for the NBA crown. Beginning this week at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, a new chapter begins as the Lakers and Celtics meet for the second time in three years, and the 12th time overall.

PG Steve Nash, Mavericks-Suns
SG Kobe Bryant, Lakers
PF Tim Duncan, Spurs
SF LeBron James, Cavaliers
C Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers-Heat-Suns-Cavaliers

It is a tough criteria, some play longer seasons, others go solo, a few operate complex machinery while others merely navigate their bodies through wind or water.

Capped by a historic (Phil Jackson earns his 10th championship as a head coach, breaking the record he had shared with Red Auerbach) and gratifying (soothe an embarrassing loss to the Celtics in the previous year’s finals) win against the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals to earn their 15^th league crown in franchise history, this package contains all the highlights of the Lakers season.

The Lakers earned their 15th title on Sunday night in Florida as Kobe Bryant scored 30 points and Pau Gasol added 14 and 15 rebounds in a 99-86 Game 5 win over the Orlando Magic.

For Gasol it is his first NBA ring, for Bryant, the series MVP, it was his fourth and first in seven years and first without Shaq.

This is the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Orlando Magic, two worthy groups of talented players to determine the best TEAM in professional basketball. The hype of “Kobe vs. LeBron” doesn’t work just like “Kobe vs Dwight” doesn’t work. While they are their team’s respective leaders, Bryant and Howard don’t face each other in direct mano-a-mano competition for 48 minutes like a hardwood version of Ali vs. Frazier. They play different positions in a team game. Having said that it may still come down to how the respective opposing defenses handle these two stars. But there are a lot more contributing factors involved.

The Lakers, after a surprisingly testy series that went the distance against Houston, now have a short turnaround, unlike their Jazz series, and face a hot and well-rested Denver Nugget team starting tonight in Los Angeles.

The late Chick Hearn, longtime voice of the Lakers, must be going crazy in hoop heaven.

Of his many phrases that describe any element of play for a given moment, the most apt for the Lakers as they head into today’s showdown with the Rockets would be- ‘defense on vacation’, ‘my grandmother could guard him, and she can’t go to her left’, or ‘they couldn’t beat the Sisters of Mercy’

It has been over a dozen years since Houston has advanced past the first round of the playoffs and it won’t get any easier tonight as they begin their Western Conference semifinal series in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

The Rockets defeated Portland at home on Thursday taking the series in six games to advance, whereas the Lakers beat Utah in five games clinching it last Monday. No game action for Los Angeles in a week may play to Houston’s favor who will take any advantage they can after being swept 4-0 in their season series against the Lakers.