ESPN's sports guru, Howie Schwab, gives us his opinions on the NBA Finals, America 's Pastime, football and a couple more in this latest edition.

This year's NBA Finals put the Los Angeles Lakers against the Boston Celtics.  Will the matchup of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett rival the one of Magic Johnson and Larry   Bird ?  Who will wins this year's Final and in how many games?  

I think it is great for the sport of professional basketball to have this match-up. Think about all the stars, the glamour, with Kobe Bryant, Paul Gasol , Odom, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen. There should be so much excitement surrounding this series. I think LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson, with his nine championship rings, has a slight edge over Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Knowing how to prepare your team for this type of situation-the pressure, the atmosphere-is important. This is Kobe 's year, from MVP to a championship now. I expect a great series and I am going Lakers in 6.

Baseball's All-Star break is right around the corner. Who are some of your top picks to make it?

I think there are several players who have stood out and should be there, whether the fans vote them in or not. Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton is posting Triple Crown-type numbers. Lance Berkman of the Houston Astros is another who has the stats worthy of All-Star consideration. I am sure the fans will vote for a number of their favorites too, and at Yankee Stadium it will be interesting to see how many Boston Red Sox are there! 

What baseball player(s) have been a surprise or a disappointment thus far in the season?

When I look at some of the disappointments, I look at pitching. Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers and CC Sabathia of the Cleveland Indians have not posted the win-loss records expected. San Francisco Giants' pitcher Barry Zito has had a rough season but I did not expect that much. Philadelphia Phillies ' Ryan Howard's batting average continues to disappoint though he has started to put up the power numbers expected. 

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens signed a contract keeping him a Cowboy until 2011. Will he and quarterback Tony Romo become one of the top quarterback-receiver combinations ever?

Yes, I think the Cowboys have done a lot of smart things this off-season. Also look at the signings of Marion Barber III and Terrence Newman to long-term deals. The Romo to TO combo should be very successful for years to come and people should reflect on that more than off-field dating or other things.

Swimmer Dara Torres is going to be in her fifth Olympic games this summer. Will we ever see this again from any Olympic athlete? How will she do?

I think Dara is an amazing story. I have met her several times over the years and she is a terrific person. I am thrilled for her and it is a great story. She has the potential to medal even in her 40s...incredible.

Indy car driver Danica Patrick won her first race in Japan . Will she win another one this year?

I think she can. That was a breakthrough in Japan and she has been very competitive in a number of starts.