Eastern Conference shakes up playoffs

Thank the 76ers, Magic and Pistons for twisting up Eastern Conference playoffs. Philadelphia, the “city of brotherly love,” just brought a new love for the Eastern Conference bracket of the NBA playoffs. Orlando is truly magical. The Southeast Division champions put on a show with a 43-point first quarter on the struggling Toronto Raptors in a 14-point rout Saturday night.

It’s just the first game, but the Detroit Pistons’ all-too-familiar lack of playoff intensity resulted in a young, inexperienced 76er team rallying back from being counted out by its opponent and the critics to score what I believe to be a not-so-stunning upset victory.

Detroit is known for playing itself out of a game, but the Sixers weren’t just another team taking advantage. Philly mounted a great comeback from a 15-point deficit in a hostile environment to win the unexpected. For any road team to turn back a large deficit to win a game they had no business winning shows just how good that road team is, and just how suspect the “better team” can be.

Detroit is in enough trouble now that it has realized that Philadelphia has become the only team this year to win at the Palace twice. Meanwhile, the Magic could make quick work of their series with Toronto if Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis continue to have their way. Orlando has the lineup to oust Detroit; it has beaten the Pistons twice this season, including a 103-85 blowout in Detroit during February.

Everyone, including myself, is content on dismissing seeds 3-8 from the conference finals. These first-round series (with the exception of Washington vs. Cleveland, which could go seven games) don’t look too appealing, but congratulate Philadelphia for challenging that assumption. The 37-45 Atlanta Hawks need a whole season to win one game against Boston and the Raptors came in losers of six of their last nine games.

Philadelphia, behind the efficient passing and scoring of Andre Miller, rebounding of Samuel Dalembert and Reggie Evans and playoff savvy of head coach Maurice Cheeks helps to revive an Eastern Conference that has centered only on two teams and I don’t need to tell you who. The Pistons can’t fall asleep during this series like they did with Chicago and Milwaukee in previous years. While Cleveland and Miami stood as legitimate threats, Philly is an unknown that also plays 48 minutes of basketball. The Sixers may not be as talented as the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, but they certainly can play with them for four quarters. Detroit will need to bring it to win it, but that may not be enough against Orlando if they meet in the conference semifinals.

Meanwhile, it’s good to see Boston (especially Kevin Garnett) back in the playoffs. I couldn’t blame them for having to dismantle the Hawks because that was the best the Eastern Conference cellar could send to the playoffs. I would surely not want to watch Indiana, New Jersey or Chicago try to take a quarter from the Celtics. The Hawks may not be a competitive match to Boston, but the Hawks certainly look better in a losing effort than the other teams.

Cleveland and Washington (Part III) could be the series that the Wizards finally exorcise the demons. The last two years didn’t go in the favor (4-2 loss in 2006, 4-0 sweep by Cleveland in 2007), especially when Gilbert Arenas (knee injury) having to sit on the sidelines and watch LeBron James and company dismantle a vulnerable Washington team within a week last year. Despite struggling with the Cavs in the first two games, don’t count out the Wizards and Mr. Money Shot (Arenas) for one second. Washington is a different team at home and it may be time for head coach Eddie Jordan to start his star
point guard in what has to be desperation time for this team.