Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 11:00 am  |  71 responses

Magic Johnson’s Title Pick: Lakers 3-Peat, Heat Next

The minority owner of the Lakeshow not-so-surprisingly picks his own squad for the upcoming campaign, but tells the LA Times that Miami will be hoisting up gold trophies very soon: “The Lakers great, who owns about 5% of the team, says the two-time defending champions are the team to beat next season, particularly after bolstering their bench in free agency. But he can see LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh winning ‘two or three’ titles in Miami down the road. Magic Johnson still thinks the Lakers are the NBA team to beat next season, but he likes the new-look Miami Heat’s chances of winning a title or two down the road with LeBron James. Johnson had plenty of help from teammates like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy during his playing career, and commended James’ decision to join the Heat with the goal of winning a championship alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. ‘You got to give him credit,’ Johnson said Monday. ‘He wants to win a championship. When you put LeBron James with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, you put yourself in a position to do that.’ However, Johnson isn’t crowning the Heat the 2010-11 NBA champion, as many others did after James said he would play for Miami. Johnson believes the defending champions will win a third straight title, especially after they strengthened their bench by signing guard Steve Blake, forward Matt Barnes and center Theo Ratliff this month. ‘The Lakers still have the most talent,’ he said. ‘They’re the best team in the NBA.”’

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  • Cool Dude

    I am surprised. The discussion here is surprisingly civilized and informative (though that is mainly because Philosopher or Jtaylor ain’t here yet).

    I disagree with the assertion that Wade + Bosh would be able to take the Heat out of the East if Lebron went down though, simply because there are 3 other really strong teams in the East in the Bulls (yeeee Rose), Magic, and C’s. The Heat would likely have to go through 2 of the 3 without LBJ, and that seems too much for just Wade and Bosh since they would have to carry their other players.

  • Shem

    Bosh, Wade, LeBron, Ilguaskas all have a history of injury. That being said, if they stay healthy the lakers HAVE THE PIECES to contain the 3 without playing zone. Artest can guard LeBron on D. He won’t shut him down but won’t get killed. Then if he gets in foul trouble Matt Barnes can come and help out. Then Kobe can guard Wade. Once again won’t get shut down but body on body, Kobe will make it difficult for Wade. Bosh as a Raps fan, has a lot of trouble against lengthy big men. Dalembert, Bynum, Biedrins all bother him on D. Ive watched him for 7 yrs and am confident Bynum can hold him to 15. I’m not a Heat hater, but they won’t win next year, then I’ll judge on the year after. People that are predicting 2-3 years down the line don’t know anything. You can’t predict that. The league will change, players will move and it’s already hard judging the Heat before they’ve even played a game. Rondo said it best. I’m not even giving them East Finals until I see it on the court. LeBron and Wade and Arroyo aren’t the best shooters. That’s what I project to be their 1,2,3 positions come season. (Arroyo started last year). Playing a 2-3 zone would be a good idea. Don’t count out the Celtics, to beat the heat. They’re proven. Miami isn’t.

  • Shem

    Like to add, people we’re hyping how good a LeBron and Kobe Finals would be for like 2 years and LeBron never made it.

  • http://juanm.garcia@comcast.net Flashback

    Miami ain’t winning squat! After the Lakers reign the Thunder will be taking the league by storm. Teams (need a superstar or two aswell) win chips. The Thunder are on their way. The Heat have to gell and then prove they have a winning formula. Until then, Heat fans, eat a fat one.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    Stupidty…..since 5:00p.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    The Lakers will four peat, then Dwade will get hurt, Lebron will realize he hurt Jay Z feelings and go to the Nets and Bosh will grow his braids back and help Rupaul with her show as a celebrity judge. The B Team will then be on VH1 show, about topics of the 2010 years and how everyone thought they would win multiple titles.

  • http://comcast tony

    HOUSTON is looking very good with a healthy Yao Ming!!! They have a solid starting line-up and a really good bench that allows them to match the Lakers length. Yao, Luis Scola, Ariza, Kevin Martin, Aaron Brooks as starters—-Lowry, Shane Battier, Brad Miller and Jared Jeffries equals Lakers length! That’s nine solid players to contend with, even though Lakers would win, it won’t be a cake-walk. P.S. Unless Yao is not healthy, then they fall way off.

    I am a die hard Laker fan and don’t believe Miami can beat Boston, Orlando or Chicago with their current line-up.

    Miami vs Lakers

    Fish over Miami PG, Fish too clutch
    Kobe over Wade
    Bynum over Big Z
    Gasol over Bosh
    LeBron over Artest, not so much though—

    LA Bench is Monsterous this coming year! I’m making an early shout out to Caracter and EBanks if they let them play!!!!

    KOBE number 6 and possibly 7-8 before retiring!

  • M5

    @jumpman. I would also like to add the differences in defense between the Mavs and the Celtics. I think Kobe would have torched the Mavs if he would have played them in the finals. After all, it was in 2006, that Kobe torched the Mavs for 62 pts in only three quarters of work, including 30 in the 3rd quarter.

  • T-Money

    LeBron has a history of injuries? LeBron over Artest but by not so much? Oh my, I’ll sit out this one.

  • boggs

    the lakers will win, although i wouldn’t be surprised if Miami beats them.

  • black pinoy

    What kind of @$$ would think wade and bosh or can carry the heat (with its current roster) out of the east without lebron. Even if youd replace bosh with lebron I doubt that theyd still be able to defeat a healthy magic team. The HEAT needs all three SUPERSTARS to even get a fighting chance..
    LAKERS in 6..!!!

  • black pinoy

    healthy celt team

  • http://slamonline.com Krishan

    We have finally seen the limit to what end T-money will defend lebron’s honor. Just tell him james is only marginally better than artest, he’ll stfu.

  • Cool Dude

    Naw. It’s the elbow. Lebron is such a soldier playing through that sore elbow that mysteriously healed up right about the end of the series.

  • phil

    eboy is in about 30% of comments on articles that have the word “miami” in it

  • johnpebenito

    i dont see and imagine spoelstra beating phil jackson in a 7 game series, i dont see also spoelstra beating doc rivers in a 7 game series as well, but TOM is already in chicago, but the ball is round after all.

  • JTaylor21

    @Tony, i did not know u liked to get wet, fuc*ing junkie. Bron is better than artest but not by much, come on son. even the most asinine laker fruitylooped fans wouldn’t say that sh*t. On second thought, they probably would. Do you laker/kobe lovers even understand and watch the game or what, seems like you guys have been locked in kobe’s dungeon for too long. Stupid fools.

  • http://music.entelleckt.com entelleckt

    @Shem: what are you talking about with those defensive suggestions?

    how is Kobe remotely quick enough on defense to contain Wade?

    how is Bynum close to being mobile enough to guard Bosh? (seems like Gasol would be guarding him anyway)

    how is Artest quick enough to guard LeBron? he won’t be able to strong arm LeBron the same way he could Durant.

    aside: LeBron’s averaged 4 missed regular season games per season. is that your barometer for a history of injury?

  • Th3_R3al_Chris

    I’m taking the Celtics over everybody next season.

  • http://celticknightk3@aol.com Celtic Knight

    @ Enigmatic acutally Red won 8 championship in a row so he did it as being the coach/general manager/presidnt. Red is the real master and he stayed with the team and put them together from the start to the last breathe he took and he didn’t bail out and jump from Chicago to LA and winning championships thats never been involved in putting the team together from scratch. RED is the real master. Oh by the way it’s going to be Celtics vs. Lakers again in the 2011 Finals PERIOD!

  • Pingback: Magic Johnson’s Title Pick: Lakers 3-Peat, Heat Next | LA Lakers Top Fan Store

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