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Here's what we thought...
After the break, individual commentary from some of the bloggers...
WESTERN CONFERENCE
LALakers vs Houston Rockets
Lakers in 6.
As much as I'd like to give a breakdown here, feel free to check out the round 2 Lakers-Rockets preview that I already did for with malice... (WM edit! - Piece to come very soon!)
Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
Nuggets in 7.
I don't particularly care for either team, however the Nuggets have been surprisingly fun to watch so far this post-season. On the other hand, I do like and respect Mark Cuban.
The Mavericks have been revitalized of late, but the Nuggets are firing on all cylinders ... as well as have a deeper bench and home court advantage. I look forward to yet another great PG battle, this time between Billups and Kidd. While Kidd has lost a step or two, he's still a solid player and leader. This series might come down to a few borderline calls in either direction, so I'll give it to the Nuggets since they have home court advantage.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta
Cleveland in 4.
Are you kidding me? The Cavs are playing out of their minds. They might lose their first game of the post-season in the Eastern Conference Finals. Maybe.
Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic
Orlando in 7.
As much as I want to pick the Celtics to win this, I just can't.
The Magic have some glaring flaws of their own, but the Celtics are just too injured and too tired. They were able to will themselves over the Baby Bulls in Game 7, but if that situation presents itself again, I'm not sure they will have as good a luck with the Magic as they did the Bulls. The amount of extra minutes the Celtics played in the first round looked like it was taking its toll. On top of that, presuming KG is still out, they are just thin. Their bench players that have been healthy have been mostly awful (I'm looking at you Tony Allen, Marbury, Moore, and Scalabrine at times.) Granted, we should not overlook the experience, leadership, and homecourt advantage that the Celtics possess... but without a healthy KG, I think their title defense ends here.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets
Prediction: Lakers in 6
There will be at least one or two games where the Lakers simply can not handle Yao Ming in this series - Pau Gasol is not the world's greatest defensive centre and Andrew Bynum is still at half-speed.
Ron Artest and Shane Battier will do an admirable job of trying to slow Kobe Bryant (there is no such thing as "stopping" Kobe) and if those games where they are successful coincide with Yao's big performances, the Rockets will see a couple of wins in this series. Offensively the Lakers' three-pronged Kobe-Odom-Gasol attack will be the decider in this series, whereas the Rockets can only occasionally rely on Artest to perform at a huge level.
Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
Prediction: Nuggets in 7
This will be an interesting battle. Both teams are a model of inconsistency. The Mavs have faced criticism in the form of Dirk Nowitzki's inability to win games, Josh Howard's craziness and Jason Kidd's agedness.
The Nuggets' season has been no better, with plenty of ups and downs, however they have an advantage over the Mavs - his name is Mr Big Shot, Chauncey Billups, a proven team leader and battle-tested campaigner. Billups' arrival in Colorado has changed the basketball landscape dramatically and he provides the confidence for Carmelo Anthony to be the player he should be. Billups' presence will be the difference between winning and losing for the Nuggs.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks
Prediction: Cavs in 5
LeBron James has been a one-man-wrecking-crew for about two years now and the addition of a solid supporing cast, starring Mo Williams, has meant that the Cavs have been nothing short of brilliant this season. If anything, the only drawback for this squad may be that they managed to sweep the Detroit Pistons so convincingly in round one - their undoing may be caused by their relative lack of battle mentality, whilst the Hawks have just come off a huge seven game series with the Miami Heat.
The Hawks do not have the firepower to contain the Cavs for an entire series and will no doubt be exhausted after their Wade experience, but should steal one game based purely on the Cavs partial complacency in their recent winning form.
Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic
Prediction: Magic in 7
Stopping Dwight Howard will be the key for the Celts - a problem exacerbated by the fact that Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe will not compete in this series. Kendrick Perkins and Big Baby Davis will have to stay out of foul trouble and contribute defensively for the C's to stay in this series. Meanwhile the real outcome may be determined by Paul Pierce and Ray Allen's perimeter contributions. They have both disappeared at times and if they do that for more than one game, the boys in green can wave goodbye to this series.
The Magic would have loved to have Jameer Nelson around for this matchup -- particularly against a rampaging Rajon Rondo who has been in epic form. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu can not afford to take any nights off -- but if they do what they're supposed to, the Magic should just sneak this series.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets
Lakers in 7
The Rockets really are so much better without Tracy McGrady, but where Artest/Battier might once have been enough to slow previous Lakers teams' Kobe-centric attack, the presence of Pau and Odom will just prove too much. It helps that this is maybe the only team in the West
against whom LA doesn't give up very much in the point guard matchups.
Bynum will continue to be a relative nonfactor, but it would take a Herculean effort from the Yao/Scola frontline for Houston to pull this one out.
Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
Nuggets in 7
This should be a really entertaining series. The Mavs are commanding respect for maybe the first time all season, but the Nuggs have something better: An identity. His name is Chauncey, and he has a team that's following his lead and that truly believes they were the #2 seed for a reason.
Josh Howard was probably Dallas' best player in stretched against the Spurs, but I think Melo-liberated by finally winning a series- is only getting warmed up.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks
Cavs in 4
Even if the Hawks are firing at 100%, this will just be a slaughter.
The Cavs are looking so well-seasoned by a year of dominant play against their own conference, while Atlanta seemingly still struggles at times to have five guys all playing the same game at once. They're not a terrible team by any means, but this series is going to show us pretty definitively the difference between the top tier of the East (Cleveland) and everybody else (um... everybody else.)
Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics
Magic in 7
I'll absolutely hate to see Boston go out.
And I can't believe I just typed that sentence.
If the previously vaunted depth was still there, if I believed Kendrick Perkins was any less likely to collect early fouls than Dwight, if I saw anything more than the last glimmers of life behind the beaten and battered Celtics- then I could call it the other way. Since I can't, let us instead remember that every Rajon Rondo triple-double is a gift.
And me (Don - With Malice)...
WESTERN CONFERENCE
LA Lakers vs Houston Rockets
LA in 5.
Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
Denver in 7
This could well be the series of the Conference semi-finals.
They're well-matched and there are lots of interesting match-ups, none more so than the J-Kidd vs Mr Bigshot battle. Two of the Association's best point men over the last decade matching up, and whilst Kidd's career might be slightly more storied, I give the edge to Billups as of now.
As Billups goes, so do Denver - and they'll win this match up... but it will take every ounce of fight they have in them.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland in 5.
Cleveland will lose their first game this playoffs - I'll go with game 4 in Atlanta - but generally speaking this juggernaut's still flying towards the Finals.
Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics
Orlando in 7
By the end of the Bulls/Celtics series, the MMA antics of Rajon Rondo had me hoping the Bulls would eliminate Boston... alas, 'twas not to be. Still, this should be another crackerjack series, but I don't see the injury-ridden Celtics getting beyond the at times seemingly inept Orlando Magic.
Feel free to add your own opinions!
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