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Ten Reasons The Lakers Most Definitely WILL NOT Take The 2009 NBA Title:

10: Karma: It isn't fair! It is not fair! No team should be able to pick up Pau Gasol for the dung basket that was the Lakers exchange. I don't know what type of backroom deals led to this trade but I still feel a little suspicious about whether or not this deal was legit. Whether or not there was something we the fans were kept in the dark about.

9: Home court advantage: I seriously doubt the Lakers will have home-court advantage in the finals (see reason number 1). Home-court is always a huge help in securing a series. And when you are talking about two amazingly talented teams clashing the difference is often the magical sixth man.

8: Kobe is beginning to age: I know he is still amazing. I know he is still among the top three talents in the league but he is starting to lose his ability to impose his will night in and night out. Mind you I am saying beginning. It is just starting and he has years of being amazing left in him but he isn't as quick as he was two years ago. He's not as fierce.

7: A first round matchup with a talented team with nothing to lose will be draining: The Lakers will either have the Utah Jazz, the New Orleans Hornets, or the Dallas Mavericks. There is no way any of these teams beat the Lakers but these teams will leave the Lakers with some bruises and some tired legs. In contrast the Celtics and the Cavs will be playing teams that would be in the low lottery had they been in the deeper western conference. The Lakers will be in the finals but they will be more tired than their opponent.

6: Phil Jackson is overrated: Wait... Wait... Wait... I know... I know... the guy has accomplished more in an hour than most people do during their entire lives. But there is one problem. Jackson requires the very very best to win. Yes Jackson won a thousand titles but remember he has also lost many titles with teams that should have won (to the dismay of Karl "piggyback" Malone). Jackson has the second-best player in the league, but I don't think he can do it without the best.

5: Sheer boredom playing western teams: As the Lakers navigate their way through the mediocre west they will become complacent and will not be prepared for their east coast rivals. The east is an easier conference than the west but if the Cavs get through than they will have beaten the Celts and if the Celts get in they will have beaten the Cavs. The eastern NBA finals team will be rested from their first two rounds but still sharp from their third round.

4: Bynum is made of glass: I do not think Bynum will be healthy come finals. The Lakers are clearly good enough to get through the west without him but as we saw last year they can't complete with east elite without him.

3: Luke Walton bugs me: I know this one isn't based on any statistical measure but the guy just rubs me wrong. I mean he is that guy you knew in high school who acted tough because his big brother was a football star. I do not want to see this guy piggyback his way into getting a ring.

2: Kobe Bryant is not Jordan: Jordan never failed to close out a finals series. Kobe has already failed to close out twice. One of those times he had a team much more talented than the 2009 L.A. Lakers.

1: Lebron James: I don't know how else to put it. He has been amazing this year. Last year there was a debate over who was better between James and Bryant. That debate is over. James absolutely eclipses Bryant in nearly every conceivable statistical measure.

-by Ben Evans