The road to the NBA finals by both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic have not been easy. Both teams had to go through tough competition to claim a spot in the Finals. But while the Lakers were touted to be championship contenders even before the season started, the Magic have been under the radar for much of the season, and their ascent this year has surprised many. But will Orlando go all the way? Or will the Lakers put a stop to Magic’s dream season? Let us break down the match-up and see who has the edge:

Center:

Magic’s Dwight Howard has been phenomenal in this year’s playoffs. He has been posting huge numbers in the offensive and the defensive end. It is expected that he will continue his string of great games in the finals. However, he has his work cut out for him. The Lakers have young center Andrew Bynum in the starting spot, with Pau Gasol alternating with him for long stretches. The Laker centers will not stop Howard from scoring, but they can limit his effectiveness by making him work double time on the defensive end, and by keeping him away from the paint on the offensive end as much as possible. Edge: Orlando

Forwards:

Orlando has the duo of Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, and they have shown in the Cleveland series that they are very hard to defend with their inside-outside game. The Lakers have Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza in the starting forward spots. Pau Gasol can dominate by posting up Lewis, but he will have trouble guarding the Magic Forward once Lewis steps outside or runs through the vaunted Orlando screens. Ariza is a capable defender who can score in spurts. He can contain Turkoglu, but Turkoglu is much taller and can shoot over Ariza when the opportunity calls for it. Edge: Orlando

Guards:

Kobe Bryant is the most dangerous offensive threat of the Lakers, and he is hard to guard because he can score at will when defended man-to-man, and he can easily spot an open teammate when double-teamed. Lakers point guard Derek Fisher has been on a slump this playoffs season, but cannot be counted out, especially with his veteran savvy. Magic guards Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee are good players, but the Laker guards are overwhelmingly more talented. Edge: L.A.

Bench:

The Magic reserves have stepped up this year, especially Michael Pietrus, a gutsy defender who can shoot the three. Marcin Gortat is a solid backup center who can hold his own inside. Anthony Johnson is the veteran point guard who provides a calming presence when things get unwieldy for Orlando. The Lakers have a much deeper bench. Lamar Odom is a tall forward who can match up against Lewis and Turkoglu offensively and defensively. Luke Walton is a hardworking player who can defend  tall forwards or small guards. Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown are spark plugs who can provide instant offense of the bench. While the Laker reserves had sub par performances in the playoffs, any one from the Lakers’ deep bench can contribute on any given night. Edge: L.A.

Coaching:

L.A.’s Phil Jackson has been on the finals and won numerous championships over the years. He knows his team and what it takes to win the crown.  Orlando’s Stan Van Gundy is an offensive genius, setting up plays which somehow finds an open man or two for clear shots. But he has not yet proven himself at this stage. Edge: L.A.

Intangibles:

There are many things going for the Lakers in this series. They have the championship experience and the home court advantage working for them. However, Orlando has the edge in their regular season match-up against L.A., winning two games in their two meetings. However the wins cannot be an accurate gauge for the series, as both games were close. Moreover, Orlando was led by Jameer Nelson in the two games, Magic’s star point guard who is currently injured and is not playing in the series. Edge: L.A.

In sum, we can expect very close games between these two teams. But the Lakers have the talent and the experience to win this year’s finals. The Lakers can win the series in six games.

Photo: Fernando Medina/NBAE/Getty Images