Playoff Excitement Part 2: Beasts of the East

In continuation of my post on 04.30.2009 it’s time to take a look at the East and everything it has brought us so far.  And to think, it’s only the first round!

Detroit Pistons versus Cleveland Cavaliers.  There’s quite a few of us who are still scratching our heads and trying to figure out where the positive for Detroit was in the Billups/Iverson trade.  Winning their games by an average of 15.5 points, Cleveland sent the Pistons home for the season with just one question: “How quick can we get Allen Iverson out of a Pistons jersey?”  A quick side note: Cleveland is averaging a higher winning margin on the road than they are at home this post-season.  That’s not good news for Miami or Atlanta.

Boston Celtics versus Chicago Bulls.  I can be the first one to admit that I did not think this was going to be one of the greatest first round matchups of all time.  You’ve got the defending champion Boston Celtics, with a record of 62 and 20, going up against the 41 and 41 young, high paced, Chicago Bulls.  We all saw this last year, with Atlanta and Boston going at it in seven games, but that was nothing like this series.  There have been six full games played as of this writing.  In those six games alone we’ve had 7 overtime periods, 5 games decided by 3 points or less, Chicago win in Boston, Boston win in Chicago, and 29 potential game tying/winning shot attempts in the final 24 seconds of regulation/overtime.  A good series?  Let’s just say, I’ll be watching Game 7.

Orlando Magic versus Philadelphia 76ers.  If it wasn’t for the Celtics/Bulls series, this matchup would be much more noticed.  In the first four games of this series, three games were decided by 3 points or less.  Philly overcame an 18-point deficit to steal the home court advantage from Orlando by 2 points in Game 1.  This was the biggest lead Orlando has blown all season.  They almost did it again in Game 2.  After having an 18-point lead reduced to 5, Orlando tied the series up heading into Philadelphia.  After splitting two more games by a total of 5 points, Orlando took the series by winning the final two games by a total of 38 points.  They now await either Boston or Chicago, both of which I’m convinced can make another instant classic with the Orlando Magic.

Atlanta Hawks versus Miami Heat.  I thought I knew how this match-up was going to go after Game 1.  I was sadly mistaken.  Atlanta took Game 1 by 26 points.  Miami followed up this awful performance, a game in which the Heat only scored 7 points in the final quarter, with a 15-point victory to steal home court advantage.  Three days and 663 miles later, Atlanta took Home Court back by defeating Miami by 29 points.  Miami scored back to back wins by 10 points and 15 points.  Finally Atlanta forced a Game 7 by defeating Miami on the road by 26.  The bookkeepers in Vegas have got to be going mad trying to decide the line for Game 7 since a game is yet to be decided by less than double digits, and both teams have dominated on the road and at home.

While only one matchup made it past Game 5 in the West, and no one went past Game 6, the Eastern Conference has sent half its teams to Game 7.  I’m not used to saying this, but the East has been far more exciting to follow this post-season than the West.