McGrady Picks Lakers Over Cavs, Kobe Over LeBron

Tracy McGrady has certainly had his share of stellar performances throughout his NBA career, but injuries have kept him from elevating to the level of a Kobe Bryant or a LeBron James. T-Mac is out again for the remainder of the Rockets' playoff run, but that didn't stop him from weighing in on who he thinks will win it all this year. His pick? Your Los Angeles Lakers.

"It’s no knock on Cleveland, I think Cleveland’s gonna get there… Cleveland to me is really not that good," McGrady told 790 The Zone, via Sports radio Interviews.

"Although, they had the best record in the league this year, a lot of people like, ‘Okay, they havin’ a great year, but we don’t know if they can win the championship.’ They really didn’t do anything on the road with the elite teams in the league, they lost, they had a bad record when they went to face the elite teams in the league. I think they’re a good team, but I don’t they’re ready to take the next step.”

McGrady does have a slight point, at least as far as Cleveland's record against the elite teams. The Cavs won 66 games, but were just 2-6 against the Lakers, Celtics, and Orlando Magic -- the other top three teams in the league. Saying that Cleveland "is really not that good" though? That seems like a stretch.

And he didn't stop there. McGrady continued his anti-Cavalier rhetoric when he was asked who the toughest player in the league is to stop. McGrady went with Kobe Bryant over LeBron James, although he did get in a nice swipe at Kobe at the same time.

"Kobe. No doubt," McGrady said. "The man is just a fierce competitor, he tries to rip your heart out no matter who he plays night in and night out. ‘Bron is one of them guys, he gets buckets, but he also is an unselfish player. Kobe? Nah. He trying to take your heart. He gonna get it. And, he’s gonna shoot 30 or 35 times to get it.”

So, to recap: Cleveland is really not that good, and Kobe is no doubt tougher to stop than LeBron, but it's because he's selfish. Got it.

If McGrady's Rockets win their first round series over the Blazers, they'd face the Lakers in the second round -- and Kobe and company will get a chance to prove him right by bouncing Houston from the playoffs.