I will match up all of the starters to their defenders:
Kendrick Perkins {BOS} vs. Pau Gasol {LAL}
Ok, if Andrew Bynum doesn't show up for the Lakers in the Finals, Pau Gasol will move up there. Gasol is obviously the better player here, as Bynum would be. Gasol can score when he is inside very easil! y, and he can rebound and block. Kendrick Perkins can rebound, but he doesn't do much scoring or blocking. Boston probably needs to improve at Center, but that's something to worry about in the offseason.
Pau Gasol wins matchup.
Kevin Garnett {BOS} vs. Lamar Odom {LAL}
Both are very good players, and neither of them have ever made it to the Finals before. But this time I am going to have to say that Garnett is better than Odom. Odom probably has had more successful teams than KG in the past, but Kevin was the only good player on the Timberwolves.
Garnett wins matchup.
Paul Pierce {BOS} vs. Vladimir Radmanovic {LAL}
Many people say Garnett is better than Paul Pierce, but I don't believe it. I say Pierce is better. Pierce has been the captain of Boston for a long time now, and he is the one that has been carrying the Celtics the whole playoffs. That's how they made it here. If there was no Pierce, they would be devoured in the first round. Vladimir Radmanovic is more of a bench player. I would stick Trevor Ariza or Sasha Vujacic there instead. Radmanovic would provide a good spark off the bench.
Pierce wins matchup.
Prediction: Lakers win series in 6 games.
