Hey, do you know what tonight is? Of course it’s NBC’s wonderful Thursday night of comedy, but it’s also the first game of the NBA Finals! Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are set to take on Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics in Boston and we’re pumped. We’ll be cooped up somewhere in New York City, sipping Guinness and wiping the spit off our brow from Boston fans who never know when to shut up.

Here are you gambling tips for the entire series. Sports Illustrated thinks the Lakers will take it in six. 35% of ESPN readers believe the Lakers will take the series in six. We think they’re all wrong because the Lakers will take it in seven and it’ll be one of the greatest series of all time.

Some footage from the last time the Lakers and the Celtics met in the finals is below.

It would have been nice to have Chickie baby rockin’ the mic for this one. So, who ya got?

Scout’s take: Finals breakdown [SI]
Image [ESPN]
Video [YouTube]