Lakers are a sure bet for title

Referring to Los Angeles' current quest for the NBA championship, late great Laker announcer Chick Hearn would be saying, "The eggs are coolin', the jello's jigglin', the butter's gettin' hard. This one's in the refrigerator." In other words, the Lakers have just about wrapped up another world title.

Sure, there are some more games to be played, but realistically it is all already over in the predictable NBA. San Antonio was the only real opponent standing in the way of LA's fourth championship in five years, and thanks mainly to solid defense and Derek Fisher's miraculous game-winning basket in Game 5, the Spurs are done. Still it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.

Minnesota vs LA - With home court advantage, a recent 12-1 home record and winning three of four games from the Lakers during the regular season, one might think that Minnesota would have a good chance of advancing to the Finals. But the Timberwolves had never even won a single playoff series before this year, and a jump straight to the Finals would be unprecedented.

Los Angeles center Shaquille O'Neal will have things his way while being guarded by Ervin "not Magic" Johnson and Michael Olowikandi. The Lakers will continue to go undefeated at home in the postseason, so only one road win is necessary. Los Angeles in 6.

Indiana vs. Detroit/New Jersey - As of Wednesday evening, Indiana's opponent had yet to be determined in the fight for who will be runner-up to the Lakers. If Detroit is in the Conference Final, Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle will have incredible motivation, having been fired by the Pistons last year in favor of Larry Brown. If New Jersey won yesterday's game, I will still be bound to my preseason pick of LA over the Nets. The pick is Indiana over Detroit in 6, or New Jersey over Indiana in 7.

• In the unpredictable NHL, a No. 6 seed, Calgary, has reached the Finals. The Flames have done it by winning on the road, where they already have eight playoff victories. This is an excellent story for the great sport of hockey and the entire nation of Canada who have been waiting since 1994 for a Canadian Finals representative.

As of Wednesday, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia were still battling in the East for the chance to beat Calgary and hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. If Tampa Bay advances, I will stick with my adjusted Finals prediction and take the Lightning over Calgary in 7. If Philly moves on, the pick is Calgary in 6.

• Tennis' second major, the French Open, begins Monday at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. Patience and stamina are the keys to winning the French where players must survive long baseline rallies on the slow, red clay. The strongest contenders have prepared mentally and physically for the grueling tournament by achieving success during the current European clay court season.

The men's competition has been dominated in recent years by Europeans and South Americans who grew up playing on clay and dreaming of becoming the champion of the French Open, not the U.S. Open or Wimbledon.

Until last week Argentine Guillermo Coria (5/2) was looking like the strong favorite while riding his 31-match winning streak on clay. But in Hamburg, No. 1 in the world Roger Federer (7/2) defeated Coria in the final. One of these two should be crowned champion.

On the women's side, as of Wednesday evening, odds were not available in any of the sports books in the Carson area. The guess here is that oddsmakers are having a difficult time setting a line on what appears to be a wide open tournament.

The Williams sisters would normally be favored, but it is unlikely that either Venus or Serena will win. The sisters' power game is nullified by the slow court surface, and they lack the patience to wait for the best opportunities to win points. The fickle French crowd rarely roots for past champions, and it hasn't forgotten about the whining done in past years by the emotional Williams sisters.

With defending champion and best player in the world Justine Henin-Hardenne not playing recently, and No. 2 Kim Clijsters out with an injury, the door could be open for American Jennifer Capriati, who spanked Serena 6-4, 6-4 last week in Rome.

The only woman playing better than Capriati, and the one who should be favored, is Amelie Mauresmo. The openly-gay Frenchwoman has just scored victories in Germany and Italy. The last two players to accomplish that feat in the same season, Steffi Graf in 1987 and Monica Seles in 1990, went on to win the French. However, Mauresmo will be under an enormous amount of pressure trying to become the first from France to win since Cameroon native Yannick Noah 20 years ago, and Francoise Durr in 1977. Still, the picks are Mauresmo then Capriati.

Joe Ellison is the Nevada Appeal Betting Columnist. Contact him at editor@nevadaappeal.com.