No baloney allowed

Kobe vs. LeBron. That is what the world wants to see. And the world will probably get its way.

The potential for one player to impose his will is greater in basketball than any other team sport. Two reasons: 1) fewer players in the game 2) smaller playing dimensions.

Look at the past NBA champions and they were all led by indomitable stars.

Michael Jordan is exhibit 1A. Bird and Magic 1B. Dwayne Wade, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett. These guys are all larger than life. They are living the dream.

Does anyone believe that Ben Roethlisberger is the main reason Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl? Or that Chase Utley was the difference-maker for Philadelphia to win the World Series? Who on those teams is bigger than Kobe or LeBron? No one.

When the Cavs win, it’s almost always because of LeBron. When the Lakers win, it’s almost always because of Kobe.

The Lakers are much stronger than last season and getting stronger with the addition of Andrew Bynum for the playoffs. He will be slow coming off injury but should be in fine form by the Western Conference Finals.

The insertion of Trevor Ariza as a starter adds energy to the floor. Why the Knicks let him go, I will never understand. Oh wait, that’s the same team that gave Stephon Marbury $21 million and not only did not play him, they asked him not to show up for the games.

Some games this season Pau Gasol was the best player on the court, not Kobe.

Derek Fisher is the solid old pro, a clutch shooter, a role player that all teams desperately need.

Lamar Odom is one of the most versatile players in the game.

Phil Jackson knows NBA championships. Once again, he’s got all the pieces to the puzzle. If he puts them together correctly, he will get an unprecedented tenth ring. Imagine having an NBA championship ring on all of your fingers. No other man in our solar system can do that.

To all Nugget fans, I’m sorry that I don’t have confidence in your team even if I did have Chauncey Billups on my fantasy team. The truth is, I don’t see how any team in the West can stop the Laker juggernaut.

The Cavaliers are in a fateful cosmic collision with the Lakers. LeBron has taken a bunch of nobodies and elevated them into somebodies. Did Mike Williams really scare anybody before?

Without Garnett and now Leon Powe, the Celtics luck of the Irish has run out. The champs were primed to give the Cavs a fight. Now I don’t see them getting past the Bulls, who will then exit in the second round.

Dwayne Wade in the second half of the season was spectacularly great, but the Heat aren’t hot now.

My sleeper team is New Orleans. Why? Because they have the best player in the league, Chris Paul. Say wha? Yes, he was actually the No. 1 fantasy player this season. LeBron was two. Wade three. Dirk Nowitzki four. Kobe five.

Since the best players often propel their team to the championship, I’m taking New Orleans. Now that’s pure fantasy. It’s a baloney sandwich.