Just for the record...

Cavs take care of the Pistons in 5.

Celtics show up the Bulls in 5.

Magic pull out the brooms, sweep the Sixers in 4.

Heat edge out the Hawks in 6.

Lakers fall early, rebound, win in 6 over the Jazz.

Nuggets handle the Hornets in 6.

Spurs win in 7 over the Mavericks.

Trailblazers run through the Rockets in 6.

Happy Playoffs!

The Miami Heat, fresh off a victory against the 76ers of Philadelphia, face a tough test today at Orlando.

This game will truly show where the Heat stand. Several questions come to mind:

1. Will the new tandem of Jermaine O'Neal and Udonis Haslem be able to shut down Dwight Howard?

2. Will the Heat be able to shut down all of the 3 point shooting threats of the Magic?

3. Can the Heat spread out the scoring or will Dwyane Wade have to do all of the work?

This game makes me a bit nervous. If this game were in Miami, it may have been different. But in Orlando, this game will be tough to win.

For the Heat to have a chance, Dwight Howard must be shut down. Jermaine O'Neal will face his toughest test to date. I think with Udonis Haslem helping, Dwight Howard can be somewhat contained. Still, Howard is a monster who can overpower anyone in the NBA. Very tough matchup here.

The Magic have a whole bunch of 3 point shooters on their team. Rashard Lewis, Courtney Lee, Hedo Turkoglu, J.J. Reddick, etc. Miami must play some great perimeter defense today. Guys like Michael Beasley and newly acquired Jamario Moon must step it up on defense.

Lastly, the Miami Heat must be able to score the ball with other guys not named Dwyane Wade. 3 point shootout champion Daequan Cook and rookie Mario Chalmers must score and help out D-Wade. 

In a close game, I have the Orlando Magic winning at home, 110-101.

1. Boston Celtics (23-2)

Boston is looking like a championship team again this year, due to great play on both sides of the ball. Still one of the deadliest shooters in the NBA, Ray Allen is having a great year with 18.6 points per game. Point guard Rajon Rondo has shown he has an offensive game as well as a defensive game. Watch out for the Celtics, they're hot.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (21-3)

Los Angeles may be sitting pretty at 21-3, but this is a team I have been disappointed with. On defense, the Lakers need to step it up. Andrew Bynum has still not developed that great defensive game that Lakers fans were anticipating. Kobe Bryant is having another great year, but he will need help eventually. Too many wins for the Lakers have been close; they should be dominating.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-4)

LeBron James is getting some help this year, most of it coming from guard Mo Williams. Williams is looking like the counterpart LeBron never had and always needed. Now, with the Cavaliers playing so well, do they really need/want Shawn Marion on the team? It doesn't look like that trade will happen, and for Cleveland, I think it's good news.

4. Orlando Magic (19-6)

Dwight Howard is having the MVP year fans expected him to have, but he is also getting lots of help from teammates. Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jameer Nelson are each averaging over 15 points per game. Orlando is having a great year, and if one more player can step up, look for them to make a run, even in a talented Eastern Conference.

5. Denver Nuggets (17-8)

It's scary to see how good the Nuggets are, considering they still haven't completely developed their team chemistry. Still, Chauncey Billups is making Denver into a true championship contender. In a weaker Western Conference, Denver could be one of those teams that surprises people in the playoffs. Looks like Carmelo Anthony doesn't really miss Allen Iverson, eh? The Nuggs are for real.

SEMIFINALS ARE HERE!!!

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Utah Jazz

The Lakers have shown that they can score, but can they stop scoring? The Jazz are one of the most well-balanced teams remaining, and I expect them to put up a fight against the Lakers. However, the Kobe/Pau combination is at an all-time high, and I think that duo will just overpower the Jazz in the end...

Prediction: LAL 4-2

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers

The Celtics' suffocating defense is amazing, but stopping LeBron James will be their toughest challenge yet. After watching the first round, my perspective on both of these teams have changed tremendously, but not the result. LeBron is unfortunate that he has to play the Celtics by himself... Kevin Garnett was on a roll against the Hawks, and it won't end here...

Prediction: BOS 4-2

(2) New Orleans Hornets vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs

I doubted the Hornets earlier, and look what they did. David West is showing how to win and be an under-the-radar guy at the same time. Chris Paul got snubbed in the MVP voting and will show the Spurs and Gregg Poppovich why he should have won it. Tim Duncan vs. West/Tyson Chandler will be very exciting to watch, and it could determine who wins the series. Tony Parker will have a hellish matchup with CP3. Manu off the bench could hurt the Hornets... so many variables, so little time...

Prediction: NO 4-3

(2) Detroit Pistons vs. (3) Orlando Magic

Detroit took too long to dispose of Philly, which could bite them in the back in this series. With this series, once again, you have one variable: Dwight Howard. It's this simple. If the Pistons can shut down Howard, they win. If they can't, the Magic win. I say the Pistons rebound after a not-so-good opening round, shut down Howard somewhat using a combination of Sheed/Maxiell/Amir Johnson, and use some balanced teamwork to pull through...

Prediction: DET 4-2

No matter what happens in Game 7 of the Atlanta/Boston series, the Celtics have shown exactly how to be beaten. Also, if the Hawks can take this series to 7 games, what can the Pistons, Magic, or even the Cavaliers do down the stretch? If the team with the best record in the NBA stuggles against a sub-.500 team, what can they do? Right now, about every team remaining in the West is playing better than the Cetics, which should wrorry Boston fans... tremendously.

This series should've been decided a long time ago. Props goes to the Hawks, who are playing some great basketball even though they were and still are the major underdogs...

Sorry Boston, but the title is going somewhere else this year...

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets are a great offensive team. If basketball was all offense, Denver would probably win it all or come close at least. However, it's not all offense, therefore, Denver won't have much of a chance in the playoffs. In a high scoring series, the defense-less Nuggets won't be able to stop the Lakers...

Prediction: LAL 4-0

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks

The Celtics are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and the Hawks won't be able to score much against them. Joe Johnson may be able to score at will, but the others will struggle...

Prediction: BOS 4-0

(2) New Orleans Hornets vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are known for choking in the playoffs, but this this year they won't have a chance because they are underdogs against the Hornets. I think Jason Kidd may be able to slow down Chris Paul somewhat, but not entirely. I think this one will be close because of the Hornets' lack of experience, which is a big factor...

Prediction: DAL 4-3  

(2) Detroit Pistons vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers 
 
The Pistons are a good defensive team as well, and I believe if they can stop Andre Igoudala, they can win the series. Andre Miller is a darkhorse, filled with talent. However, it will be hard to use his talent against a well-balanced team like the Pistons. I think the 76ers are a strong team, it's unfortunate that they're playing probably the best team in the East. Also the deep bench of the Pistons will be too much...

Prediction: DET 4-2

(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Phoneix Suns

Offense vs. Defense... defense always wins. This series is no exception. San Antonio is so dangerous come playoff time that it's scary. With Shawn Marion, the Suns would have a shot. Without him, San Antonio should cruise through this series, making it easier than expected...

Prediction: SAS 4-1

(3) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Toronto Raptors

The injury-prone Raptors could give the Magic a hard time, but I see Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu as too hard to stop in this series. The only hope for the Raptors is that Chris Bosh goes off, and Dwight Howard goes cold...

Prediction: ORL 4-2

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Utah is too well-balanced to lose to Houston. Shane Battier is a darkhorse, but he can't win this series. Yao would give the Rockets a shot to win, but seeing as though he's not here...

Prediction: UTA 4-2

(4) Cleveland Caveliers vs. (5) Washington Wizards

LeBron James won't have another miracle run this year. Losing Drew Gooden will hurt and it will show. Caron Butler needs to step it up on both sides, and I think he can. It will be another close one, but...

Prediction: WAS 4-3

I don't know what to say about the Heat's season... it hasn't been a good one, let's leave it at that. And the upcoming schedule? San Antonio, Boston, Orlando are up in the next seven games. I think this season is starting to look like a lost cause, especially on this 11 game losing streak. During the losing streak, we lost to the Bucks twice, the Bulls once and the T-Wolves once. I haven't lost faith in the Heat, but I've got to say that it's fading... fast.