NBA Playoffs recap -- Eastern Conference

I could've taken the Pistons in 5 but I think Andre Miller is one of the great underrated players I've ever seen and the Sixers will steal an early one from the Pistons and make it look interesting, maybe even go up 2-1. Then the Pistons put the clamp down and take them out. The Pistons are the better team and they know how to win but sometimes they lose themselves. They haven't won as much as they should have over the years. That said, they will not lose to Philly. Pistons in 6

Pistons in 6. I was more prescient than I had remembered about the Pistons-Sixers series. Like a heavyweight fighter, the Pistons liked to get smacked around a little before they get going. They're better and they always were but Miller and Iguodala are good players and when they get some help in there, they might be all right. The Pistons are too good for their own good: they seem to think the eastern conference championship is their birthright when they've actually been grand underachievers! I did not expect them to lose to the Sixers and they didn't, but they didn't impress, did they?

I believe all I've ever seen of Chris Bosh came while he was wearing a USA jersey 2 summers back. I'm not even sure what colors the Toronto Raptors wear. So for that reason alone I'm taking Orlando. I like what I see of Bargnani and with Bosh and TJ Ford, the Raptors got a nice nucleus going and in the east that alone gets you to the playoffs. Orlando is a little green but they've got explosive talent and I think they're ready to get better and I just don't think Toronto will stand in their way for long. Magic in 6

Magic in 5. Easy call. The Magic are ready to move on and grow while Toronto overachieved last year and made full advantage of the medocrity of the east this year. They've got some pieces in place but they need one big scorer (is there still life in Allen Iverson?) to make room for Bosh and Bargnani. Dwight Howard is an example of how basketball can be dominated by a single player. I'm not sure he's a great player but I'm convinced he's big and strong and against weaker competition in the east, he alone can push his team forward. Playing the Pistons will be a whole different struggle and we'll get a better gauge of Howard's dominance.

The Celtics were the best team in the league this year from beginning to end. That's pretty impressive and they should rightly see these playoffs as their time. The Hawks don't even posses a positive scoring differential and are coming in with a 3 game losing streak. The Celtics will lovingly carve up the Hawks in each of the first 4 games. Celtics in 4

Celtics in 7? Oh man, what is up with the Celtics? When the playoffs began one could make the argument that the Celtics were the best team; but no one could argue that the Hawks were anything other than the worst team in the playoffs. So how the hell did this happen? How did the Celtics get taken to 7 games? The Cavs are waiting you know! Credit the Hawks for letting it all hang out and give it up for the underappreciated Joe Johnson and maybe-should've-been-Rookie-of-the-Year Al Horford, they've got a coupla pieces there. But they're not as good as the Celtics, certainly not in Boston and the run ends tomorrow afternoon. But the Celtics have been scarred. Its not like the Pistons dropping 2 out of 3 to Philly, that was because the Pistons are occasionally lazy and unfocused. This is the Celtics losing to a team that is doing everything right at just the right time. This could makes the Celtics better or it could spell their doom. (Now is the time to remind that my pre-season pick was Cavs over Celtics in the east finals, Lebron over the Boston 3 Party is in the cards, no?)

2 years ago Lebron swept Arenas aside in ignominious fashion when really we should've seen a closer series. Last year the Wizards were decimated by injuries and couldn't hardly hope against Lebron on a mission. But this year finds the Cavs stagnating and the Wizards healthy and ready to rise. Probably shouldn't even go 7 but Lebron is a great player and he will fight hard to the end only to come up short. Wizards in 7

Cavs in 6. The Wizards have more talent but they don't have Lebron and they didn't play as a unified force in this series. They should've won this year, the Cavs were vulnerable and the Wizards pissed it away with tough talk and bullying play when what they needed to do was score more points! Will the Wizards keep the Arenas-Jamison-Butler nucleus and move forward next year or will they be dealing with the Mavs and Nuggets in the off-season? Last year the Cavs were Lebron and 4 other dudes; this year, they're Lebron and 4 even crappier other dudes. The only progression the Cavs can boast of is Lebron alone. Damn, he's a great player. Can he beat the Celtics by himself?