Van Gundy still sees Lakers-Cavaliers final

Jeff Van Gundy had just broadcast Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference finals, had just watched Kobe Bryant score 40 points to outscore Carmelo Anthony by one, had just watched the Lakers finagle a great escape at home after trailing the Denver Nuggets for more than 90% of the game.

Despite all that, he wasn’t budging from his pre-series prediction: Lakers in five.

“That’s what I said before the series, so I’m going to stick with that,” Van Gundy said in a phone interview this week. “But I think it’s going to be a hard-played five.

“I just think L.A. has the ultimate closer in Kobe. Denver doesn’t really have any good matchup for him. So I think they’re just vulnerable late to Bryant being great and beating them in close, hard-fought games. I think that’s what’s going to happen.”

As an analyst for ABC and ESPN, Van Gundy will be with the Lakers for as long as they go, Van Gundy expecting that ride to continue to the NBA Finals next month. He says the Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers are “heavy favorites” in their respective conferences, giving the head-to-head edge to Cleveland because of the Cavaliers’ consistency and home-court advantage.

The Cavaliers stumbled in the Eastern Conference finals opener, losing by a point at home to Orlando, a result that interests Van Gundy. His brother, Stan, coaches the Magic.

Jeff has such a difficult time with nerves when his brother coaches, he often takes walks when the Magic is televised, avoiding all but the final score. The thought of having to comment on-air about his brother’s team during the NBA Finals is a prospect that floors Van Gundy.

“I’ll be in the fetal position underneath the desk,” he said with a laugh. “If that’s what you would call broadcasting. I hope it comes to that, but you probably won’t see me. I will be cowering, courtside.”

Van Gundy was asked if he read Jerry West’s comments about LeBron James having surpassed Bryant as a player. Some fans note the timing of West’s pronouncement -- the eve of the conference finals -- and wonder if West wasn’t sending Bryant a motivational jab.

“I just think Jerry West was giving his honest opinion,” Van Gundy said. “You can either agree with it or disagree but I don’t think there were any ulterior motives behind it. I think LeBron James has had a heck of a year and certainly deserved to win the MVP award. And yet there’s nobody better down the stretch of a close game than Kobe Bryant now.”

Radio marathon

For once, a Memorial Day radio marathon will be just that -- Monday’s L.A. Marathon will be broadcast live, on 790-AM KABC, beginning at 7 a.m., and will complement Channel 4’s telecast of the race.

Randy Rosenbloom will call the race, with analysis by Tom Feuer. Geoff Nathanson of Monarch Sports, which is producing the radio broadcast, said coverage includes “reporters on the street, in the air, in the race and at the finish.”

Back on the pole

A month after being found not guilty for tax evasion, Helio Castroneves will begin Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 from the pole position. In a conference call this week, ABC commentator Eddie Cheever underscored how impressive Castroneves’ qualification feat was.

“When the Indianapolis 500 would come up on my schedule, I would clear everything two months before the race even began to make sure I had no pending issues that would take away any of my attention,” Cheever said. “Then I put myself in his shoes thinking a few weeks before practice starts, I’m sitting in a courtroom with a bunch of jurors that are going to decide my fate. . . .

“To be able to come out of all of that, put that behind himself and put himself in a race car and conform to the level that he did, I think, is incredible.”

Good today

The first round of the Freeway Series begins tonight with the Dodgers playing host to the Angels at 7 on Channel 9 and FS West. Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals, Orlando at Cleveland, airs on TNT at 5:30 p.m.

Good on Saturday

Nothing could be bigger than the Lakers at Denver at 5:30 p.m. on Channel 7 in Game 3. Not the Angels-Dodgers game, on Prime and Channel 13 at 7 p.m. And certainly not Pittsburgh-Carolina, Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals, on Versus at 4:30 p.m.

Good on Sunday

You have the opening rallies from the French Open (9 a.m., ESPN2) and the exhaust fumes from the Indianapolis 500 (10 a.m. Channel 7). At noon, there’s Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference finals between Detroit and Chicago on Channel 4. And at 5:30 p.m. on TNT, Orlando plays host to Cleveland in Game 3.

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mike.penner@latimes.com