Walton said, "Lakers in seven. They win two on the road, then take Game 7 in Los Angeles."
Harlan concluded, "Knicks in seven. Because of Li Fei. Not because of the tactics, not because of the matchups, not because of the depth. Because of Li Fei. He's the best player in this league, bar none. Six straight MVPs, six straight Defensive Player of the Year awards. He's not just playing basketball—he's proving that this era belongs to him."
Albert added, "Everyone agrees that Li Fei is the best player on the court. But basketball isn't a one-man game. The Knicks' supporting cast—Sprewell, Houston, Sabonis, Marshall, and Jackson—can't compare to the Lakers' OK Duo. O'Neal is one of the top five players in the league, and Kobe is, too. Having two top-five players on the same team is rare even in NBA history. And the Lakers aren't just the OK Duo. They've got Glen Rice, too. Don't forget about Glen Rice."
"He scored 15 points in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, going four-for-five from three. When O'Neal and Kobe draw all the defensive attention, Rice is the one who takes the Lakers' offense from 'very good' to 'unstoppable.' Rice is an All-Star-caliber player. He won the Three-Point Contest in 1997 and made the All-NBA Second Team in 1998. He's the Lakers' third star—a third star who's nearly an All-Star. Who do the Knicks have? Sprewell? He's a good player, but he's no All-Star. Houston? He's a good player, but he's no All-Star either. Sabonis? He used to be an All-Star, but that was a long time ago."
Walton picked up where he left off. "And the Lakers have Phil Jackson, too. Don't forget Phil Jackson. He's got six championship rings. He coached Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman.