Eye-opener: Celtics in 6? Lakers or Celtics in 7?


CAPTION
By Michael Dwyer, AP
Time to give credit where it is due and our readers seem to have a great read of the NBA playoff tea leaves. When we asked last week who would win the title, 60% picked the Boston Celtics. Forty-one percent thought the Celtics "were a tougher team" and would win in seven. An additional 19% picked Boston in six. Twenty-five percent have the Lakers in seven.
Now the action returns to Los Angeles for two games. With the Lakers down 3-2, the question becomes whether home cooking is going to serve them or whether Boston is just the better team.
The Lakers are a 6 1/2 point favorite tonight.
The two most important Lakers -- Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson -- almost seemed bemused by the situation.
"Just man up and play. What the hell's the big deal?" Bryant said. "If I have to say something to them, then we don't deserve to be champions. We're down 3-2, go home, win one game, go on to the next one. Simple as that."
Right now it appears to be Doc Rivers' Celtics deserve to be the champions. But if history proves anything, it is that this title matchup has been a tale of five games with the drama and script changing with each outcome.
So we ask the question again, Celtics or Lakers?
While we wait the opening tip, here is some good work by some good people that we might have missed while sleeping or let a friend talk us into a 3 a.m. appearance at a strip club.
Join USA TODAY's Kelly Whiteside on Twitter for the World Cup and Steve DiMeglio for the U.S. Open.
Michael McCarthy talks hoops with Jeanie Buss.
Build a quieter vuvuzela and the world will beat a path to your door.
Darrelle Revis is on a sit-down strike.
Cliff Lee in pinstripes?
To locate Reid Cherner on Twitter, click here. To tap into Tom Weir's tweets, knock here. And to keep posted on the Game On! tweeter posts, tap here.