The Lakers took long enough, but they finally dispatched of the pesky Houston Rockets, and were able to advance to the Western Conference Finals. And now that they've gotten there, they'll face a team that has been patiently waiting for them over the last six days: the two-seeded Denver Nuggets.
Denver has arguably been every bit as hot in the post-season as the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers. But their style of play is simply a bad matchup for this Lakers team.
For all of the Cavaliers' success this year -- both posting the league's best record and winning their first eight games of the playoffs -- the Magic have actually held their own in head-to-head matchups, winning two of three games in the regular season and seven of 10 the last three years.
Much like your 401k, though, past results do not guarantee future performance, but at least the Magic won't come into this series questioning whether they have what it takes to win a single game against the vaunted Cavs, which was exactly the situation the dysfunctional Pistons and the injury-depleted Hawks faced in the first and second rounds, respectively.
After the Hawks forced the eventual champion Celtics to seven games in the first round of the playoffs a season ago, they had matured enough this year to win a Game 7 and advance to the second round for the first time in 10 years. We'll find out in a hurry if they'll be simply happy to get there, or if they can actually provide a challenge to Mr. MVP and the only unbeaten team left in the post-season: the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It took longer than we thought it would, but here we are. The upstart, high powered, trigger-happy Magic versus the battle-tested, battle-weary, battle-loving Celtics. And the winner takes on the King for a chance at the crown (assuming Atlanta aren't actually members of C.O.B.R.A.). The Celtics just got through a brutal seven-game series with Chicago (you may have heard about it on the news programs), and the Magic just shook off the cobwebs and downed Philly without Dwight Howard. All signs point to a changing of the guard. But as we've come to expect with this Celtics team, it doesn't take lightly to plans being made without their say so. Comes with that whole "defending champs" things.
Every team of the West has looked invisible next to the Lakers. But Denver and Dallas -- both of which dominated first-round opponents who ranked far more highly in preseason polls -- believe they can beat the Lakers. First, they have to get through each other. The series begins Sunday.
The Houston Rockets finally got that monkey off their backs, and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997 -- that's the good news. The bad news is who's there waiting for them: the top-seeded L.A. Lakers, who won all four of the regular season meetings between the two teams.
Believe it or not, Boston's 62-win season this year might be even more impressive than their 66-win campaign a year ago, especially when you consider the world champs had a target on their back the entire season and Kevin Garnett played a mere 57 games. The Bulls, meanwhile, made the jump from winning the lottery to getting back into the playoffs despite losing Luol Deng for the last two months of the season. The Celtics are favored, and for good reason, but Chicago's athletic young core will make the champs work for every inch.
If Cleveland-Detroit is the Rolling Stones, and Utah-LA is the Beatles, then Atlanta-Miami is the Velvet Underground. You're not going to catch it on the radio, but if you dig music, it's essential that you take a listen.
This is the matchup that will get the least publicity but features what may be the closest matchup. The Hawks shocked everyone by actually, (gasp) improving on last year's success. What's more, they finished with homecourt advantage in the first round. And next to the Heat, they're the playoff experienced club. It's a crazy world we live in. Meanwhile, the Heat are a reclamation project. Dwyane Wade 2.0 is a one-man army and the world is his enemy. Something's gotta give.
Is there a series in the 2009 Playoffs -- outside of Lakers v. FearMongers Jazz, that seems less likely to end in an upset? Because I'm pretty sure the answer is "no." (See our predictions, if you don't believe me.) I'll justify the other sweeps like this: Detroit is still Detroit, Boston doesn't have Kevin Garnett and we're all to scared to pick against Dwyane Wade. Of course, a certain post-powered, caped-crusader is the same reason that I'm not even contemplating a Philadelphia win, so maybe it evens out.
Expectations were sky high for the Hornets the season after crashing the conference gates, but injuries and a still-weak bench sunk N.O.'s hopes for true Best of the West contention. Denver meanwhile, picked by many to watch the postseason from the couch, pulled off a coup by landing Chauncey Billups and the No. 2 seed ... a spot where New Orleans expected to land. Can Denver confirm its regular season, or will the Hornets renew their status as elite?
FanHouse previews every round of the NBA Playoffs.
FanHouse previews 
FanHouse previews 
FanHouse previews the 
FanHouse previews the 
FanHouse previews the 
FanHouse previews the 
