As usual, here comes the fearless forecasts (or jinx) that the experts have made. Not surprisingly, the Lakers are on top. Last season, Bill Simmons jinxed the Lakers (or reverse-jinxed the Celtics). This season, almost 50% of the experts are trying to jinx the Lakers.

My gut feeling is the Celtics will repeat.

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If I were Phil Jackson…

I will definitely let Andrew Bynum start at center. Bynum could be a beast but for now he’s just good because of Kobe’s passes. Putting Bynum in the second team is not as efficient as there’s nobody there that draws attention like Kobe does. Put Drew and Kobe together, and you have an inside outside tandem that pales in comparison to the Shaq peak years but is effective enough.

That means…

Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol can lead the second team.

Having Gasol and Bynum in the same team, in stretches, may not be good but Gasol has an outside touch that Odom doesn’t have. Unless, Odom significantly improves his outside or mid-range shooting.

Odom can make plays so he’s a good fit for the second team. Odom can post up and drive.  You can isolate him and make him make a bucket.  Can he truly be an effective sixth man like Manu Ginobili is for the Spurs?  My guess is yes.

And here goes the Lamar Odom as sixth man bandwagon…