First of all we would like to wish all of our readers and subscribers a Merry Christmas. To show our appreciation we are giving out our Christmas Day NBA pick for free. There is an excellent slate of games today, and the most anticipated game is between Kobe and LeBron (and Shaq).

The Lakers are playing the best ball in the association hands down. The Lakers have won 16 out of their last 17, have a 16-2 record at home, and Kobe of course loves the challenge of playing against King James. All the experts picking the Cavs are all clinging to the trend that the Lakers are 5-6 since Kobe has been in the NBA, big deal. Well how about the fact that Cleveland has lost 8 of their last 10 games in L.A. In big-stage games no one is better than Mr. Bryant, and his supporting cast is by far the best it’s been since the Big Aristotle left. On stages like this you can throw out trends and when all else is equal, take the home team. However all else isn’t quite equal, here is a breakdown:

Kobe and LeBron essentially cancel each other out (with Kobe being a better closer), advantage Lakers. Mo Williams can be a match-up problem, but with speed like Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar coming off the bench the Lakers should be able to at least keep him in check. Ron Artest adds a toughness edge that was arguably the reason the Celtics edged out the Lakers two years back, not to mention he is one of the league’s best defenders. Ilgauskas’ outside shooting reeks havoc for some teams, but once again this is where the Lakers’ combination of size and versatility gives them the edge. Down low Andrew Bynum is having his best year averaging 16 and 8, which is certainly more impressive than Shaq’s humble average of 10 and 7. The trends and match-ups point to the Lakers and they are at home. The Lakers will win this game and should do so by at least 6.

Take the Lakers -5.5

Tags: Lakers, Merry Christmas, Mo Williams, NBA