PORT ARTHUR — According to Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Los Angles Lakers are 5:2 favorites to win the NBA championship, and 6-point favorites in Game 1 Thursday night at the Staples Center. The odds are even more overwhelming in the Lakers favor on the Port Arthur News panel of area basketball “experts.”

A sampling of Lincoln legend James Gamble, PAISD Executive Athletic Director Andre Boutte, Lamar University Athletic Director Billy Tubbs and Cardinals basketball coach Steve Roccaforte produced an across-the-board choice of the Lakers.

All but Boutte, who took LA in six, saw a hard-fought, seven-game series.

We’ll get into their reasoning momentarily but first a few random thoughts on the past six weeks of playoffs.

Watching the NBA at this point in the season is both fascinating and infuriating. The skill level and the physicality of the game as it unfolds in the playoffs makes it a compelling view. But the inconsistency of the officiating, and how close games drag on and on and on in the final minutes, makes me want to wait for the highlights.

The way certain star players are protected is a turnoff, something I’ve been saying since Michael Jordan won a championship for the Bulls with a basket scored after an obvious offensive foul went uncalled. LeBron James is now the chosen one, although Kobe Bryant is not far behind.

One of the keys in the Finals will be how Dwight Howard is officiated. Howard is not yet in the protected species category. If he can’t stay on the floor, the Magic have no chance. If he can, it says here the Lakers are going to be stretched to the limit.

Orlando, as it proved against Cleveland, is clearly the best team in the East, although that might not have been the case if Boston’s Kevin Garnett had not been sidelined with a knee injury. The Magic have been undervalued from the start, but their inside-outside combination can be lethal.

If Magic point guard Jameer Nelson were healthy, I’m not so sure the Lakers would even be favored.

Among the intagibles to watch, LA does have a clear edge in quantity of celebrities. The Magic, however, can counter with the world’s most recognizable fan on the nights Tiger Woods shows up. Tiger, who was on hand for the Game 6 clincher over Cleveland, trumps Jack Nicholson.

Orlando also has an edge in TV analyst prejudice. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy’s brother Jeff, the former Houston Rockets coach, told his ESPN/ABC bosses he had no problem if they removed him from the announcing team. When they said no, he made it clear he’s pulling for his brother’s team to win.

OK, enough of that. Here’s what our experts had to say.

JAMES GAMBLE: “I like the Lakers because of their focus, their experience from playing in the Finals last year and the drive that Kobe Bryant has to win another championship. Orlando is better than people think, they look better than Denver to me. But one area where I think they will come up short is rebounding other than Dwight Howard.

The matchup problems people have with Rashard Lewis are going to reverse in this series because Lewis will wind up having to guard one of the Lakers bigs — Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum. Howard, because the Lakers’ inside people are so much better than Cleveland’s, is going to be subject to foul trouble. They will go at him to try and create fouls.

“One edge I give to Orlando is the Lakers don’t show me anybody coming off the bench like Mickael Pietrus. He makes things happen. A guy I think you’ll see Phil Jackson use more off the bench is Josh Powell. It’s a break for the Lakers that Jameer Nelson is hurt. He’d have been a problem for their guards.”

BILLY TUBBS: “I could make a case for Orlando. They are the hot team and they have proven they can overcome homecourt advantage. But I have to go with the experience of LA and the Kobe Bryant factor. Dwight Howard is an awesome player, but Kobe is clearly on a mission.

“Kobe’s awesome from the standpoint that he can go one and one and get a clean shot anytime he wants it. He’s amazing at getting the critical basket. I would like Orlando’s chances more if they would commit all out to going inside to Howard and force the Lakers to double down on him.

“I don’t think LA will double down to start because they want to put more pressure on the 3-point shot. Orlando sometimes gets a little carried away with the threes. If the threes are falling, though, it could get really interesting. But to me it still comes down to Lakers experience and to Kobe.”

STEVE ROCCAFORTE: “I want to see Orlando win because I really like Stan Van Gundy as a coach. He coaches like a college coach in the pros. I just really like the Magic’s mix of young and old players, and how they can put five guys out there who can score in a hurry. It wouldn’t be a surprise to me if they won.

“That said, the Lakers have more experience and Kobe is the best player left in the playoffs. I may see this different than everybody else, but I think the Lakers are going to win because of the way the Rockets took it to them in the second round.

“That was a super physical series and, like last year when the Lakers lost to Boston, people were saying they were talented but soft. The Rockets made them step up and play physical and that helped get them ready for the Nuggets. If they play like they did in Game 6 against Denver, Orlando is in big trouble.”

ANDRE BOUTTE: “I have to go with Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. They have been there before and that’s a significant edge. When it comes down to crunch time, Kobe can get the key basket or get to the foul line. And I just don’t think you can under-estimate what Jackson’s overall coaching experience means.

“A lot of teams seem to try to go smaller to matchup with Rashard Lewis. I think Jackson will go the other way, emphasize his post game and force Lewis to guard a big. Even though Dwight Howard is going to block some shots, they will keep going at him to try and get him in foul trouble.

“The only way I see Orlando having a chance is if it shoots well and can jump on the Lakers early. When the Lakers get behind, they tend to stand around and wait on Kobe. It’s going to be a great series. I just think Kobe and Phil Jackson will be too much to overcome.”

OK, there you have it. Four guys who really know their basketball taking the Lakers. That’s why I’m picking Orlando in seven.

Sports editor Bob West can be e-mailed at rdwest@usa.net.