Celtics or Lakers? It's all virtual
Video game firm, PC maker differ on which team will win
The basketball world may be focused on the final playoff round between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, but a battle of predictions may be brewing between Electronic Arts Inc. and Lenovo.
To promote an upcoming video game, EA Sports NBA Live 09, Electronic Arts said that it ran game simulations that concluded the Lakers will win the championship series.
Meanwhile, Lenovo, a provider of personal computers and laptops and the "official PC partner" of the National Basketball Association, crunched basketball data on team chemistry and came up with the forecast that the Celtics will triumph.
In EA's simulation scenario, the series is a "seven-game thriller" decided in the final game when Kobe Bryant of the Lakers emerges as the hero.
"After a quiet first half, Kobe scored 29 of his 38 points in the second half in an astounding triple-double performance cementing himself as this year's NBA Finals MVP," according to an EA press release.
In coming to a different conclusion, Lenovo said it relied on the Lenovo Stat, a plus/minus statistic featured on NBA .com that analyzes the power of teamwork. Lenovo's assessment: "During an exciting 2007-08 NBA postseason, the Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics featured the most dominant five-man player combination on the court and have the edge to win the Finals."
CHRIS REIDY 