WASHINGTON (AP) -- OK, Mr. President, let's see how you do picking the pro game.

Barack Obama was on his way to the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn on Tuesday when a reporter shouted a question. The topic: Who is going to win the NBA championship, the Los Angeles Lakers or the Orlando Magic?

Said the smiling president: "Lakers in six, I think." In sports terms, that means the Lakers will win the best-of-seven series in six games. The series begins Thursday.

So far so good this year for Obama. A huge basketball fan, he correctly predicted that that the University of North Carolina men's basketball team would win the NCAA championship.

Obama was leaving Tuesday for an overnight trip to the Middle East.