Obama tips Lakers for second straight title

President Barack Obama is tipping the Los Angeles Lakers to win a second straight NBA title this season.

"I've got to go with the Lakers again," Obama said in an interview with US cable television channel TNT, a regular NBA broadcaster.

Obama cited Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant as well as Pau Gasol, comparing Spain's Gasol favorably to Orlando's Dwight Howard.

"I think Gasol may be the best big man in the league right now," Obama said. "He's different from Dwight Howard, but he's (got) unbelievable footwork, speed, savvy, he's playing magnificently.

"Kobe is the fiercest competitor in the league and they've got what I continue to believe is the best coach in the NBA right now in Phil Jackson, so they're going to be formidable."

The interview was conducted by broadcaster Marv Albert at the White House basketball court and was shown on Tuesday during and after TNT's coverage of the Western Conference finals.

Phoenix defeated the Lakers in game four on Tuesday to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

Obama said that if he was NBA commissioner for a day his biggest concern would be ticket prices.

"You know, you hate to think that the only person that can go to a game is somebody who's got a corporate account," Obama said. "And that's something that I'd love all professional sports, that's not just NBA, but all professional sports to be thinking about that a little more."

Obama said he still managed to watch a few NBA games on television, just as he manages to make use of the court at the White House.

"Well, these days I probably play once every two to three weeks, not as often as I?d like," he said.

"But during, say, the health care debate, when things are just going crazy over on Capitol Hill, a lot of times I?ll just come out here and shoot or I?ll play a game of HORSE and it takes an edge off things."

Obama said he welcomed the idea of sports figures - and organizations - being involved in political issues, and he praised the Suns for their public protest of Arizona's controversial new immigration law.

"I think that just because somebody's a sports figure or you've got a sports team doesn't mean that you're not part of the community and you're not part of our democracy.

"I think it's terrific that the Suns, who obviously feel very strongly about their community, recognize that a big part of their community felt threatened by this new law," said Obama, who has criticized the measure which allows the detention of people suspected of being in the country illegally.