Can Miami Beat L.A.?
When LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh formally introduced themselves to Miami Heat fans as the Three Kings, the crowd began chanting, “Beat L.A.!” And make no mistake, all eyes will be on Miami when the Heat visits the Los Angeles Lakers Dec. 25, but can this team defeat the Lakers in a seven-game series? 
Miami's two biggest challengers to the throne, the Boston Celtics and the Lakers, pose different challenges to the Heat. Boston has one of the best point guards in the League in Rajon Rondo, and he can easily break down a team's defense; the Lakers do not. Los Angeles' lack of a very good point guard should work in Miami's favor. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra won't have to ask Wade or James to chase around a speedy point guard, and Miami can survive if it has any of its point guards on the court. Derek Fisher can hit timely shots, but he is not a star.
Kobe Bryant is the Lakers' focal point offensively, and neutralizing him should be a priority for the Heat coaching staff. He is 32 years old, but his jump-shot is still deadly. Spoelstra should use a combination of Wade and James to defend Bryant, with the player not defending the five-time champion instead guarding Ron Artest. Miami's two All-Defensive Team players need to stay disciplined and contest all of Bryant's jump-shots.
The Lakers' all-time leading scorer shot just 6-for-24 from the field in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals, but Los Angeles still won the game. The Lakers won the battle of the boards 53-40, though, and Pau Gasol added 19 points. Chris Bosh is one of the best power forwards in the League, and he and Gasol cancel out. Before Gasol was traded to the Lakers, he played on the Memphis Grizzlies and never even won a playoff game. Bosh has not made it past the first round, and he even averaged better statistics with the Toronto Raptors than Gasol did with Memphis. Bosh has career averages of 20.2 points and 9.4 rebounds while Gasol's career numbers with the Grizzlies were 18.9 points and 8.6 boards per game.
When discussing a potential Heat vs. Lakers Finals, some sportswriters have labeled Andrew Bynum as the X-factor of the series. Bynum is still largely an enigmatic player; he has shown promise, but has suffered injuries in each of the past three seasons. All the injuries he suffered damaged his knees, which is not a good sign for a young player. He still has not healthily played through the grind of the season and playoffs, so he still has a lot to prove. Bynum has put up 42 points and 15 rebounds in a regular season game, but the same Laker fans who use that performance to extol Bynum as the second-best center in the League dismiss LeBron James' accomplishments during the regular season. The 285-pound center out of Saint Joseph's High School in New Jersey is an imposing physical force, and Joel Anthony may not be able to guard him effectively. Spoelstra may call on Jamaal Magloire to use his body against Bynum.
More broadly, Miami will try to push the tempo against the Lakers. Los Angeles isn't a particularly old team, but all of its rotation players aside from Bynum, Shannon Brown and Sasha Vujacic are on the wrong side of 30. The Heat's possible starting lineup of Chalmers, Wade, James, Bosh and Anthony features Wade as the oldest player, who is 28. Miami can rack up blocks and steals to wear down the Lakers; moreover, the Heat's use of a fast-break style offense will mitigate its weakness in the middle.
Spoelstra can exploit his team's quickness advantage with LeBron James. He will be the de facto point guard of the team and brings a lot of unique qualities to the table: he is one of the strongest players in the League, but also one of the fastest. Artest cannot keep up with James' speed, and Los Angeles' help defense will open up shots for players like Mike Miller and Eddie House. Matt Barnes is a little quicker than Artest, and he may receive a lot of minutes off the bench. However, James is still a running locomotive in the open court and that would be the best way to use him.
Assuming that neither team makes any more moves, these two teams should have a highly competitive series if they meet in the Finals. Wade and Bosh largely cancel out Bryant and Gasol, and I know some people will disagree with me about Wade canceling out Bryant. Bryant is great, but so is Wade, and they have been on an even keel for the past two seasons. It appears as though James and Bynum are the two players the Lakers and Heat don't really have an answer for, though. If the series comes down to those two players performances, James is the clear choice. I know Artest and Bryant are two of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, but James' athleticism and court vision are superb. The best hope for other teams is to contain him; during the Cleveland Cavaliers' playoff series with the Boston Celtics, James averaged 26.8 points on 45 percent shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
The Heat is fully capable of beating the Lakers in a seven-game series, which is why the goal is not to just make it to the Finals. The goal is to win a championship, and anything less would be a disappointment.
