by Brandon "BKP" Plowden
I for one am looking forward to the NBA eastern conference finals match-up between the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic, defending conference champs of 2008-09. The Celtics are fresh off an upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that bolstered the best regular season record preceded by a sketchy playoff history while being led by arguably the best player in the league in LeBron James. The Celtics now face a new challenge against a team filled with former perennial all-stars which ironically resembles their supporting cast as well. Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter and the Orlando Magic, a perfect 8-0 in the post season thus far, will finally face their toughest test of the road to returning to the finals.
Boston returns this year with a centerpiece that wasn't available to them last year in Kevin Garnett. He missed the entire playoffs last year due to s surgically repaired knee that sidelined him right before the playoffs began. Judging from their inconsistent performance and the myriad of injuries during the regular season many experts, if not all, predicted the Celtics to be eliminated in the first or second round and remembered in history as team that once had the juice to win it all but could not overcome old age. Instead it appears that Doc Rivers has a plan for his team and it clearly shows with the late playoff adjustments primarily due to the play of their "Big 3 plus 1"- Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo (the plus one). Rondo, to me, has always been ignored and never really given credit as a legit difference maker, although, his play can be inconsistent at times. This Celtic team is essentially the same cast of starters that won the trophy 2 years ago when they annihilated the Los Angeles Lakers in supreme fashion with a piercing 39 point win in game 6 (no pun intended with the "pierce", LOL). Since then, the team that dawns the four leaf clover has never really looked the same barring injury, chemistry issues via new trades, and aging. Beantown has sent a clear message and mild warning to never ignore them.
Orlando has had its own series of questions to deal with this year after reaching the NBA finals in 2008-09. They began their offseason by allowing one of their key centerpieces, Hedo Turkoglu, to sign with another team during his free agency period. Current GM Otis Smith then made a move to acquire former all-star and nearby Daytona Beach hometown swingman Vince Carter, while also receiving versatile PF Ryan Anderson in the package as well. He then added more muscle by re-signing back-up center Marcin Gortat, beefy PF Brandon Bass, SF Matt Barnes aka "Mr. Hustle Man", and shifty PG Jayson Williams. Smith received a boatload of criticism from the offseason moves, both positive and negative, but the majority were received with much optimism. The season started out great with a bright pre-season but shortly afterwards they struggled with chemistry issues. Vince Carter was forced to make the adjustment to try to transform himself into the #2 scoring option, Jameer Nelson hadn't returned to complete form after last seasons knee injury, and Rashard Lewis was suspended for violating the league substance abuse policy. Lewis and Howard then called a team meeting, had a heart to heart with every player, and set the standard for what it will take for them to return to the finals again as a "complete unit". Obviously the meeting worked like magic and they have been clicking on all cylinders while also finishing up the regular season with the same identical record from last year. The team has gelled quite well, posting an 8-0 record in the postseason, and are on the verge of making a return to the finals, pending the test from one last east coast opponent in the Celtics.
Let me attempt to briefly identify the deciding factors between this series and who will have to stay consistent in order for their team to prevail. (in BKP's opinion):
Paul Pierce vs. Vince Carter and Kevin Garnett vs. Rashard Lewis. These two match-up, in my opinion, will bee the deciding factors within the entire series. I can also make a case for Ray Allen vs Matt Barnes because Allen is lethal on the perimeter and Barnes, who is currently nursing a lower back injury, is extremely scrappy with his defensive tactics but his effort will be assisted by the likes of Mike Pietrus. Carter must continue to be aggressive and return to the "Vinsanity" mold of 2001 when he was in this situation before during his stint as a Toronto Raptor. If he can keep a consistent flow by not settling for jumpers, and continuing his acrobatic moves to the basket along with the supreme free throw shooting for the rest of the playoffs then the Magic have a great chance of finishing the Celtics off within 5 to 6 games. It also helps to have homecourt advantage which the Magic were awarded after finishing with the 2nd best record in the league, next to the Cavaliers.
Pierce must remain active and continue to knock down that 15 foot jumper and/or transition 3 pointer in order for his Celtics to advance. He was hounded last series by James but if he opens up his complete arsenal of penetrating to the basket off the pick and roll, finding the open man, and consistently knocking down the plethora assists that he receives from Rondo then the Magic will be in trouble by game 6.
Garnett has to deal with guarding the perimeter as he will be faced with 3 point shooting specialist Rashard Lewis. If Garnett can muster up enough energy to operate from the post to the perimeter to guard Lewis then he will have the advantage in the series. With Lewis' skill set it allows the post to be open for Dwight Howard to do his dirty work down low. Overall, whichever of the two is able to draw his defender away from their game plan will ultimately make the series more advantageous for his squad.
So again the following match-ups will be the deciding factors in this series for the road to the finals to play the winner of Phoenix/Los Angeles. Let the games begin and may the best team win. If you know me then you already know who I'm pulling for! ;)
~Signature BKP signing off
No comments:
Post a Comment