jericho

This is a great matchup, with two teams that are among the best-composed in this league. New Orleans definitely should've finished higher than 6th, given that Lebron has a better supporting cast than he does on the real-life Cleveland team whom some wonks are calling a near-contender.

I just love Sacramento's squad--a starting five of (mostly) high-level role players who are all happy to play their roles. That's worth a lot. I don't love Hinrich at SG, but having Peterson coming off the bench helps a lot.

But it's tough to go against Lebron, especially when he's got a first-rate shooter to spread the floor for him and a pass-first point guard who won't get in his way and who can generally hold his own on defense. Brad Miller's high post game means Lebron can basically operate wherever and however he wants, and Kirilenko in my opinion has earned his reputation as a defensive terror more for his help work than for directly shutting down the Lebrons of the world.

And just when I'm about to give the series to New Orleans, I look at their bench and gag. None of them are proven contributors, and it's anybody's guess how much Gerald Green and Tyrus Thomas are really ready to do this year.

Still, this is the playoffs, and it's reasonable to discount a bad bench in light of the presence of a big superstar who can carry his team under most any circumstance.

This is a tough, tough call, but I'll go with New Orleans with the upset in 7.

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Favorite players: Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone, Bill Russell, Alex English, Kiki Vandeweghe, Sidney Moncrief, Lafayette Lever, Dan Issel, Bobby Jones, Julius Erving, Rick Barry, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West...and Brooks Thompson