No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers:

I know the Celtics won 66 games this season, and the Cavaliers only won 45, but that means absolutely nothing in this series. The Celtics were pushed to seven games by the sub .500 Atlanta Hawks for three reasons: they could not guard Joe Johnson, Kevin Garnett played passively in the fourth quarter and Doc Rivers panicked when his team faced adversity. The Hawks could not capitalize and advance, but these Cavaliers will. They were dominant in defeating the Washington Wizards in round one, and their new pieces began to come together. LeBron James will put his stamp on this series and make big plays down the stretch because nobody on the Celtics can guard him. The thought of James going up against Garnett in the final period has to have Celtics fans shaking right now. The Celtics are good, and will put up a fight. But in the end, James has too much muscle, and Rivers will make panic lineup changes that will mark the Celtics’ undoing.

Prediction: Cavaliers in 6

No. 2 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 3 Orlando Magic:

Every year the Pistons have plenty of doubters; 2008 is no different. The Magics have a lot going for them. Dwight Howard is playing exceptional basketball, and Hedo Turkoglu just won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award for 2008. The Pistons, however, are the better team. Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince form a very talented quartet; Prince would be one of the top three players on many teams but is fourth with this group. Prince will hold Turkoglu below his season averages, and with Howard patrolling the paint, Wallace will have many looks from the outside, where he will make the Magic pay. And Orlando just does not have an answer for Billups, who will have his way with Jameer Nelson. The last three teams to beat the Pistons won because of three transcendent superstars who elevated their teams above the Pistons to a level they could not reach (Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James). While Howard has had a great season, he is not on that level, and that will be exposed when the Pistons advance to their sixth straight Eastern Conference Finals.

Prediction: Pistons in 6