And trust me, none of those things will have an impact on this series (though it would be cool to see players bust out those spandex, polyester underwear at least once).

Who or what will have an impact? Here are the keys for Boston vs. L.A. in the 2008 NBA finals.

Key Celtic: Paul Pierce

Lamar Odom will probably defend Kevin Garnett. Kobe Bryant will take Ray Allen. Who's got Paul Pierce? Looking at the Lakers' starting five, it's hard to find anyone who can.

It'll probably be forward Vladimir Radmanovic. Unfortunately, he hasn't displayed the quickness to handle Spurs guards Brent Barry or Ime Udoka, much less a versatile scorer like Pierce, so "The Truth" can get his if he wants it.

But does he want it? The Celtics are 5-0 straight up in the playoffs when he puts up 20 or more points, but he's done that just five times in 20 playoff games. That isn't nearly enough for a man of his skill set.

With the ability to overpower weaker guards on the block but the quickness and range to handle bigger small forwards on the perimeter, Pierce's flexibility makes him the designated bail-out scorer when Boston is desperate for points. If he puts up 25 or more per game, the Celtics could take this series.

Key Laker: Lamar Odom

Why does Odom always seem to be the Lakers' key player in every playoff series? Because he's 6 feet 10 inches, can rebound like Tim Duncan and run point like Scottie Pippen in his prime.

His problem is that unlike the superstars named above, he can sometimes disappear in games. He can't do that versus Boston.

Although he'll have his hands full with Garnett on defense, Odom has to return the favor by keeping the Celtics’ MVP from camping in the lane when the Lakers are on offense. That means more long-range shots and more drives than he had against the Spurs.

If Odom can keep a shot blocker like Garnett on the perimeter, it'll open the lane for Bryant, Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar and Derek Fisher to attack the rim.

Key Matchup: Kobe Bryant vs. Ray Allen

This matchup is key not just for Ws and Ls but also for entertainment value. The two guards have beef going back to Allen's Seattle SuperSonics days.

In 2004, Allen chimed in after news came out that Bryant was the one who pushed for Shaquille O'Neal to be traded. "If Kobe doesn't see he needs two and a half good players to be a legitimate playoff contender or win a championship in about a year or two, he'll be calling out to Jerry Buss, 'We need some help in here,' or 'Trade me,'" Allen said. "And we'll all be saying, 'I told you so,' when he says that."

At the time, Bryant didn't take kindly to the comments, although Allen turned out to be more accurate than Nostradamus. "Don't put me and him in the same sentence," Bryant said when asked to respond later that month.

Will the beef carry over into Lakers vs. Celtics? They've both downplayed it already, but expect the two guards to be at their best in this series.

Allen's offense, not defense, will be key to helping the Celtics win this matchup. The "Black Mamba" is impossible to defend, therefore it'll be up to Allen to tire the MVP by knocking down 3-pointers off screens and taking him to the hole when he sees a crease in the lane. A tired Bryant is a tired Lakers offense.

As for Bryant, he simply needs to stay fresh and keep Allen from heating up like he did late in the Eastern finals. Allen had 29 and 17 points off 55 percent shooting in the Celtics' Game 5 and Game 6 wins. If Allen is cold, so is the Celtics' offense.

Key Celtic Strategy: Keep Kobe off the Line

The San Antonio Spurs had a great strategy to slow the Lakers offense down: Keep Kobe off the line. Bryant made 80 of 96 foul shots against Utah but just 10 of 11 shots against San Antonio.

If the Celtics can keep him on the perimeter and off the foul line like the Spurs, their young legs are better equipped to handle the quick Lakers role players than San Antonio's senior citizens.

Key Laker Strategy: Hit Triple Digits

The Lakers hit triple digits when everyone’s involved, and the Lakers win when their box score hits triple digits.

L.A. is 10-1 (9-2 against the spread) SU in the playoffs when they reach the 100-point plateau, making it imperative that they beat the Celtics' league leading defense (they hold opponents to just 90.3 points per game). It will be up to Bryant and Pau Gasol to get the Lakers' offense rolling early.

Key Philosophy: Win on the Road

If the playoffs thus far have told us anything, it's this: The team that wins on the road wins the series. The finals will be the same.

The Lakers only get three games at home in the finals, therefore, a win on the road is imperative if they want that ring. They are a respectable 4-3 SU on the road in the playoffs.

The Celtics have the luxury of home-court advantage in the finals. However, trying to win four straight at home against the best team in the best division seems impossible at this point. Despite only having one win on the road in the playoffs, they'll need to win at L.A. to grab that ring.

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