I think it's safe to say that nothing we thought we learned from the regular season from these two teams matters right now (season series 3-1 Magic)... Among those 4 games, Magic won in November in a defensive stallwart, Celtics won on Christmas back when the whole team was healthy, Magic won again a month later on an easy layup with a second left as Rashard Lewis exploited KG's injury to the max, and the last game was 'close' if you subtract a 3rd quarter abortion that Celtics had leaving placenta all over midcourt.
Since that time, The Magic have lost exactly thrice (sounds so much smarter than saying three times!!!) since February 26th and the Celtics have risen from the dead and showcased their early season form by knocking the Queen off her throne in 6 games (and it's going totally under the radar how well the Celts actually played because everyone just wants to know if LeBron is gonna leave, perfect).
Like I said, the knowledge we thought we had, has been flushed down the crapper.
Here's what I do know.
I am scared.
I am somehow confident.
And I like to make fun of SVG.
The Magic play a style of ball unlike any other team.. Summed up as: "Shoot 3's well.. Let the most freakish rebounder in the league gobble up the misses.. and play reasonably good defense with athleticism and grit". I don't think anything will be handed to us, but I DO think this style is beatable if we exploit matchups and play some clever mind games.
1) Dwight Howard has the tendency to be a drunk bull on crutches in a China shop made of of paper towels when in the paint. He fouls anything and everything when he thinks he can block their shot into the luxury boxes. I would advise the ball to go to Perk/Baby/Sheed EARLY in every game and get that man in foul trouble. (Not to say Gortat isn't a formidable backup.. but come on, D12 is a FAHH-REAK.)
2) Vince Carter is talented but breakable. Simmons will beat this into the ground because he hates the man, but seriously, the Celtics need to rattle him somehow. I'm not condoning blatently trying to hurt him or whatever, but hard fouls and in-your-jersey defense will get right in his head.. badly. Hopefully he keeps up his "T-Mac" disappearing act in big moments.
3) Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus are really, really good. However, Pietrus mostly just scores in multiples of 3 when he's left wide open, and Nelson has some awesome napolean complex moments where he totally forgets he has 4 awesome players around him and tries to do everything himself, especially when the shot clock winds down.
4) Rashard Lewis... We all remember how badly he torched us last year. It sucked. However, we had Glen 6'8" Davis trying to guard his 6'11" jumper.. There is a person on this roster who can guard him reasonably well. His name is Kevin Garnett, you may have heard of him. He was the one in the $20K suits on the sidelines last postseason.
Final Thoughts:
The Celtics can win if they play (everyone rustle their voice like Doc and say it with me): TOGETHER!
If the Magic shoot threes well (>45% or something), I don't know that anyone stands in their way to the franchise's first NBA title.
Lord help me, my heart may stop working during the series. If you need me for Game 4, I'll be at the Garden.
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