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Recent Basketball ArticlesNBA Eastern Conference Playoffs
http://www.atsbets.com/easterconference.php#1 Boston Celtics vs. #8 Atlanta Hawks
Kevin Garnett has re-energized the Celtics and brought life back to the sport in one of the league's proudest cities. He plays every game, including pre-season games, as if it is Game 7 of the NBA Finals. That can't make the Atlanta Hawks feel very good. Garnett could be playing on one leg this weekend, and the Hawks would still be headed for a swift exit from the 2008 NBA Playoffs.
The Hawks have been as up and down as any team in the league, and despite the fact that they have gotten great production from rookie Al Horford and mid-season acquisition Mike Bibby, the Hakws do not have the fire power or defense to shut down Boston's big three. Unfortunately for Hawks coach Mike Woodson, the Hawks inevitable defeat likely means the end of his stay in Atlanta, and possibly his career as a head coach.
Expect Garnett's infectious enthusiasm to drive the Celtics to an easy series victory.
Prediction: Boston in four
#2 Detroit Pistons vs. #7 Philadelphia 76ers
Some people may be sick and tired of the Detroit Pistons yearly sojourn to the Eastern Conference Finals, but nobody seems able to stop the fellas from the Motor City. This year, despite playing in the shadow of the Celtics, the Pistons finished the regular season with the league's second-best record and once again the familiar faces of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess will be around to haunt Eastern Conference foes.
The Pistons core group resembles the same one that fell apart in the Eastern Finals last year, but this time around they are supported by the emergence of Jason Maxiell and rookie Rodney Stuckey. The Pistons were just a few calls (and a Rasheed Wallace meltdown) away from going back to the finals last year, and all signs point to them being prepared to make another deep run.
Who would have thought that the Sixers would actually be a better team a year after they said goodbye to Allen Iverson? But with Andre Miller surprisingly having his best year in the league and Andre Iguodola officially coming of age as a star, the Sixers made some serious noise in the East this year. The Sixers play a high energy brand of ball that will keep the older Pistons on their toes, and they have proven they can go toe-to-toe with any team in the league, having beaten the Celtics, Spurs, Suns and Mavericks in the second half of the season. Oh yea, they also beat the Pistons. Twice.
Expect the Sixers to defend the Pistons mercilessly and attack the boards, two facets of their game that should open up the floor for their running game. The Sixers are weak down low, which will hurt them more on offense than on defense, as the Pistons scored the second fewest points in the pain in the league. But the Pistons size and experience should be enough to keep the plucky Sixers at bay.
Prediction: Pistons in 6
#3 Orlando Magic vs. #6 Toronto Raptors
The Raptors and Magic may present the most boring of the match-ups in the first round, not just because they lack the big names of the other teams, but because their styles of play are so similar.
With both teams coming off of first-round losses last year, they will be looking to redeem themselves here. The Magic are led by first year coach Stan Van Gundy, who is probably the first man in history to ever be happy about getting stabbed in the back. His departure from the abomination that is the Miami Heat eventually led to his opportunity in Orlando and the chance to coach All-Star center Dwight Howard. The Magic also received help this season with the very expensive addition of Rashard Lewis and the likely comeback player of the year, Hedo Turkoglu. But this team's chances will start and stop with the play of Howard, a dominating presence at both ends of the court who still seems to kind of resemble David Robinson…the David Robinson who could not win without Tim Duncan.
Howard will have his hands full with another big man who has gotten less hype than the cape-wearing slam-dunking Howard, Chris Bosh, who scored 40 points against the Magic and Howard the last time he played them in February. Bosh will likely draw more double team help this time around, leaving the lane open to penetrating guards T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon. That guard pair is significantly more sound at controlling the tempo and ball than the Magic's Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo, and that could end up being a huge factor in this series. With bodies collapsing down low on Howard and Bosh, expect a lot of action beyond the arc, where both teams finished the season ranked in the top five in the league.
Prediction: Magic in 6
#4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #5 Washington Wizards
Gilbert Arenas kicked off the Wizards season with a bang in the media, declaring that his team would beat the Celtics. They lost their first match-up but went on to beat the Celtics three times this season. If they want to face the #1 seed in the East, they are going to have to try and go through LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third straight season. They hope this year that the third time is a charm, having lost the last two seasons to the phenom in the first round.
As usual, the Cavaliers will ride James's shoulders, but the one-man show can only take the Cavs so far. He will need more input from his supporting cast, which again includes Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the flopping Anderson Varejao, but his buttressed this year with the mid-season acquisitions of Joe Smith and Ben Wallace. The Cavs interior defense should be much stronger than last season's playoffs, but they are facing a Wizards team that will be determined to punish the Cavs from outside.
With Gilbert Arenas going down mid-season, Caron Butler stepped into the spotlight and became the team's true leader. In fact, Arenas will come off the bench to start the series, giving the Wizards a stronger sixth man than the Cavs third-best player. Washington has won 18 of its last 28 games since late February and is brimming with confidence. The Cavs meanwhile have battled injuries and inconsistency all season, in a year that the James Gang was supposed to take a significant step forward.
James will undoubtedly get his points, but with the combination of All-Star Butler and DeShawn Stevenson helping to put pressure on James, it will be hard for James to average the 30 or so a game he may need to advance the Cavs. Of course, James will be on a mission to prove that last year's trip to the Finals was not a fluke, and he will definitely have Stephenson's proclamation that he is overrated (made after the Wizards victory over Cleveland this spring) on his mind, fueling him even more.
But James can not do it alone, especially against a fast and aggressive Wizards team that has proven it can beat anyone in the league. James will need scoring support, and that is where the picture gets a little fuzzy. With Sasha Pavlovic out, the Cavs will need big playoff performances from Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak. Doesn't sound like a very solid recipe for success.
Prediction: Wizards in 6
Author:
Red HansenAbout the Author:The legendary Red Hansen has been professionally handicapping for a living for over three decades. Red has forgotten more about sports handicapping than most people will learn in a life time. With an extensive syndicate network, Red uses his insiders to keep him in the know on line moves, injuries, and public betting action.
Red is a regular top finisher in the Hilton SuperContest and his experience in Vegas helps him identify situations where the match up and accompanying line are most uneven, and then he hits that game hard. Using his vast knowledge of the specific sport, Red will help you spot that line and help you turn that profit.
April 22, 2008 09:46:45 AM
