Okay, so everybody who is ANYBODY....the basketball KNOW IT ALLS....the SMART GUYS in Vegas....say the Lakers are a virtual lock for this year’s NBA title. But being the kinda guy who sez to himself.....hey....there’s two sides to every basketball game....and this being my very first column on this website...I am gonna boldly predict that this Pacer team will give the city of Indianapolis it’s first NBA title! (I mean it’s not like this state doesn't know all about basketball Cinderellas---- all us basketball junkies are certainly familiar with the movie HOOSIERS, the all-time great hoops flick that was based on the true story of a small town high school basketball team in Indiana by the name of Milan, whose star player, Bobby Plump (is that a great name or what?) leads his teeny tiny team to a state title, beating a team that was a much bigger favorite than the Lakers are over the Pacers. Things like this happen....whether it be high school, college, the Olympics (Remember a young Sabonis leading his Russian team over the David Robinson-led USA basketball team?) or even three on three affairs in your driveway. And just in case my prediction comes true, I am having my agent put in a call to Reggie....so I can have first crack at the screenplay for THE REGGIE MILLER STORY. Okay, okay....I digress. I’m sure you all wonder ( Just out of curiosity, how many "you alls" are out there?) exactly why I am picking the Pacers, a TREEEEEmendous underdog to upend the mighty mighty Lakers. So let me go point by point:

1. THE SMART MONEY SEZ SHAQ WILL DOMINATE THE PACER FRONT LINE. Ain’t necessarily so. Yes, it is true that Rik Smits’ is a foul magnet, and could pick up two fouls during warmups....but Larry Bird and his able staff, which includes defensive wiz Dick Harter will, like the Blazers did, be using many combinations of creative double teams on Shaq, who is not yet....though he may end up being....in the Wilt-Russell-Kareem category. The Blazers, for the most part, stymied the self-proclaimed Superman. That doesn’t mean Shaq won’t get his share of buckets, but if Dale Davis, who is an excellent defender....and a few of his teammates...are used in clever fashion by the very creative Bird...they can force Shaq to receive the ball a few feet out of his "comfort" zone....making him shoot jumpers rather than close in hooks or slam dunks...(the guy CAN hit the short range "J", but is obviously less effective with it than he is with one of his monster slams.) Yes, the Blazers had a much deeper frontline, with lots of long armed defenders...but the Pacers defense this year has vastly improved over the previous years...which is why they are in the NBA finals. Bird and the Pacers will certainly be helped by viewing footage of the Blazers-Laker series, especially game seven, where Shaq was pretty much rendered useless for three quarters of the game. The Laker victory was more a case of the Blazers offense collapsing,, then Shaq "rising to the occasion". As for the Pacers offense in the post...Smits is, like Sabonis, an excellent perimeter shooter...though not nearly as good a passer. If he is able to avoid early fouls (not exactly his strong suit...but, hey, this is the Finals....if not now, when?) and makes a few mid-range jumpers, it will force Shaq to move outside to defend him...which could free up the middle for guys like Best, Jackson, and Croshere to penetrate....or "kick out" to Reggie or Rose to bury the jumper...or the back breaking trey. Remember the Pacers were the league’s best shooting three point team....and also the best shooting team from the charity stripe. AND IN CONCLUSION.... Rik is obviously going to need a lot of help guarding Shaq...but it’s not like the Big Aristotle hasn’t been bottled up during the playoffs. The Kings had success against Shaq...as did the Blazers....and even the center-less Suns managed to slow down Shaq for a game or two. So it CAN BE DONE!

2. REGGIE VS. KOBE- The rising superstar versus the wily veteran...who seems to get better with age. The Blazers had an almost unstoppable low post threat in Rasheed Wallace....something the Pacers lack...though they do have a forward in Croshere who certainly is capable of giving the Pacers some terrific offense. But we all know that Reggie...like baseball’s Reggie Jackson...is the "straw that stirs the Pacer’s drink." Reggie has a long history of being able to deliver in the clutch. Kobe is a terrific defender....but .me thinks that Reggie...perhaps knowing this is probably his last chance at a ring....will pull out all stops in his pursuit of a championship....and will show Kobe that there is no substitute for experience....even if you are the so-called "next Jordan.". But what, you non-believers are saying, about Reggie’s defense? I mean, it’s nice to be able to put up points on the board...but if the guy you are guarding is matching you...point for point...what good are you? Well Reggie is certainly no Scottie Pippen....one of the all-time defensive greats. But I look for the Pacers...as did the Blazers....to use a lot of "help defense" on Kobe. Remember that this Pacer team did a nice job on Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell....both certainly good enough to be mentioned in the same sentence as Kobe when listing the NBA’s outstanding offensive talents. And there have been a few games where Kobe stops himself! He does this by taking on too much of the Lakers' offensive burden....often driving into a clogged lane...or taking an ill-advised off balance shot rather than passing to an open teammate. Back to Kobe’s defense. Though he was a first team all NBA defender.....and certainly has the athletic ability to be a defensive stopper on just about every Pacer player.... he is also prone to making silly fouls by being over aggressive defensively. If he picks up a few early fouls, the Lakers would be in B.T. ----BIIIIIG...TROUBLE!

3. THE BENCHES-The Lakers do not have a great bench....but their bench did deliver in the crucial game seven. The Shaw-Shaq Redemption played a big role in game seven against the Blazers...and so did Horry. The Blazers had a much deeper bench to use against the Lakers than the Pacers do......but in the playoffs the bench is usually shortened to seven or eight players...and the Pacers definitely have at least seven players on their roster who can be effective against the Lakers. But what about athleticism? This Pacer team is certainly older...and not nearly as athletic as the Blazers from top to bottom....but this is a very hungry team.... half of their roster filled with guys who are looking at free agency....or retirement! Think guys like Perkins, Smits and Mullins, in the twilight of their respective careers...aren't hungry to the point of being ravenous in their pursuit of a ring? This is also Bird’s "last dance"....the perfect time for one of the NBA’s all-time great competitors to show the world that he is also a great coach. I look for him to really heat his team up....I mean, after all, he IS going up against the LAKERS, right?

BOTTOM LINE: The Lakers will probably win the first game....as they did against the Blazers. But I look for the Pacers to take game two....just as the Blazers did....and then the series moves back to Indy...where the Pacers own the NBA’s best home record. If they can take two at home....as sure as God made little green apples and it don’t rain in Indianapolis...in the summertime....this Pacer team can win a title. We’ll talk about this series again...in a week or so...it’s definitely worth a second look, right?