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When LeBron faces Kobe, Cavs victorious

Sam Hitchcock

The Cavaliers and Lakers are absolutely rolling. Both teams are on winning streaks and between them have the two best players in the game bar none. So assuming these two titans meet in the finals, which comes out the victor?

LeBron James is playing at a higher caliber than few players of all time have reached in an NBA season. Each night, the Cavaliers have been crushing their opponents into submission with LeBron leading the charge. The pick up of Antawn Jamison at the trade deadline was crucial — since returning from injury, he has been a worthy complement to LeBron, putting up nearly a double-double each night. Mo Williams and Delonte West are contributing in big ways as well, having big point tallies when necessary, but also playing aggressively on defense.

With Ilgauskas no longer on the team and Shaq out for the rest of the regular season due to injury, the obvious fear of how to deal with big men like Dwight Howard arose. But Anderson Varejao has stepped up in a big way, chasing after loose balls, irritating opponents and getting rebounds — doing his usual antics, but on a much more impressive and effective scale. Credit also should be given to J.J. Hickson, who has excelled as a sub when Jamison needs a breath.

With the Cavaliers firing on all cylinders, the compelling question is how will they respond in the postseason when they face the most clutch player in the game (Kobe Bryant) as well as one of the best big men in the league (Pau Gasol). Both regular season meetings between the Lakers and Cavs were physical, high-intensity affairs that will only gain in intensity should they meet in the finals.

One of the most intriguing things about this matchup is how much depth each squad possesses. The Lakers boast an extremely well rounded, well-coached team with loads of experience and explosive offensive capabilities. Nevertheless, the big difference between their two meetings thus far, from which the Cavaliers emerged victorious, and the potential matchup looming in the future is the absence of Ilgauskas and the possibly compromised Shaq should he return in the postseason.

The size and tenacity of the three-headed monster (Ilgauskas, Shaq and Varejao) was a key factor in stopping Andrew Bynum and Gasol, but with Z no longer on the team, will Shaq be healthy enough in the playoffs to support Varejao when Coach Phil Jackson puts out a bigger Laker lineup? Can Jamison contribute to this mix effectively, and if so, what factors will that have on his offensive production?

What about the Lakers' Ron Artest and Lamar Odom? Artest still holds the versatility and offensive prowess to capitalize on defensive lapses and Odom can be absolutely scintillating at times. Both teams have a very structured hierarchy, with each player fully understanding his role, which would make their contest even more captivating to watch.

As much as this kills me to say, the Cavaliers have the best player on the planet, as well as a spirited team dynamic that LeBron fuels through his playful attitude and joking demeanor. Although they are building new chemistry since the trade deadline's major shakeup, the Cavs only seem to be gaining steam as they roll through the Eastern Conference.

Hypothetically, if things go south for the Lakers from the start — the Cavaliers winning Game 1 in Los Angeles or both Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland — Los Angeles could self destruct due to the fact that everyone on the Lakers is terrified of Kobe and jitters could arise.

Kobe is also a different player than he was three years ago, with those acrobatic layups and mesmerizing dunks becoming more and more of a rarity due to so much mileage on his legs. Although Kobe is a deadly sharpshooter who can always create his own shot due to an extraordinary skill set, LeBron is at a level I have not witnessed anyone reach in my lifetime since I missed Jordan in his prime.

Ultimately, he will refuse to let the Cavaliers lose, as it is hard to imagine his talented supporting cast choking two years in a row, especially with the 2010 free agency coming up. Kobe hates losing just as much as LeBron, but when repeating it is hard to retain the same hunger as when you have never won before. This is why the Cavaliers will emerge as champions.

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