Detroit vs Orlando - Eastern Conference SemiFinals

[Redz]

OK, I need to take my brain off the Celts and there are some pretty intriguing matchups for the rest of the contenders that have managed to get by the first round already.

I'm really torn on this one.  Detroit showed, some "bend but don't break" mentality against Philly and smoked them once they got it together.  Orlando beat up a soft Toronto team.

You've got your savvy vets vs. your athletic upstarts.

Without digging too deep into matchups, I'm just thinking Howard could be unstoppable.  I like the upstarts.  Orlando in 6.

[wdleehi]

I am taking Detroit in 6. 

The past two season, it was the teams that could attack that beat them.  They had problems with the one superstar (Lebron, Wade)

Orlando is to much of jumpshooting team and not enough of a defensive team. 

[Donoghus]

Detroit in 6.

I like the veterans.  They seemed to have "got it" late in the Philly series and I think they just have too many weapons for Orlando to counter.

[Who]

This is the single most interesting machup in the second round. This is going to be a battle of will and execution. Who exploits their strengths and oppositions weaknesses best?

The backcourt - The worst starting backcourt out of any playoff team versus one of the league's finest backcourts. A pint sized point against one of the best post up points in the game today.

Sheed vs Dwight - The best big man in the East versus his most capable adversary. Detroit, Sheed in particular, defends Dwight better than anyone in the East. Sheed can also score on him inside, and drag him out to the three point line to open up the rim for his teammates. Can Dwight control the paint against Sheed?

The forwards - Who does McDyess/Maxiell defend? Open season for Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkoglu. Detroit can't defend two 6-10 SFs.

What great matchups. Great second round battle. I'm really looking forward to this one. Very very close.

[Roy Hobbs]

Hedo Turkoglu is clutch.  Wow.   

[Roy Hobbs]

Keyon Dooling, on the other hand, sucks.

[Roy Hobbs]

Looks like I jinxed the poor guy.  I'm still incredibly scared of Hedo in the fourth quarter.

[P2]

Looks like Detroit in the East Finals. But that might even be good, because Howard and Hedo can just flat out kill you, and Billups might feel the consequences of his injury.

[Scott]

It is a shame Orlando didn't pull it off.  What was Dooling thinking though?  With the game that close late in the fourth, you have to keep your head.

[Who]

Orlando threw this game away and the series along with it

Terrible performance, especially in the third. Orlando completely collapsed tonight. They only have themselves to blame. They were up 15 in the third quarter. They caved mentally, they didn’t execute, they missed shots, they couldn’t get their best scorers good looks, their defense wasn’t good enough, they gave up offensive rebounds. Just poor play. They deserved everything they got tonight and that’s an early summer..

[nickagneta]

Further proof that poor officiating is runnung rampant everywhere in the playoffs is that last play non call against Detroit. I didn't see who it was but it looked like Rip Hamilton jumped in front of Hedo with a foot in the charging/blocking semi-circle.

How the Magic don't get that call in their own building befuddles me. The refs this offseason have been so incredibly bad that Michael Holly dedicated some time on his WEEI show about it on Friday mentioning that it wasn't just in the Celtics games. He went on to blast the NBA for allowing this to happen.

[Redz]

Awesome swat by Prince on Hedo at the end of the game.  Too many unforced turnovers by the Magic.  It was amazing they still had a shot. 

Impressive series for Detroit and a 6th straight Conference Final.

[Who]

Awesome swat by Prince on Hedo at the end of the game.  Too many unforced turnovers by the Magic.  It was amazing they still had a shot. 

Impressive series for Detroit and a 6th straight Conference Final.

That game was ugly in the extreme

How many points did Orlando give up off turnovers? 35 or so. Jeez. Detroit would have in trouble without all those turnovers. Several of them were unforced also. Just terrible. Detroit didn't do much better.

Ugly game

[BigAlTheFuture]

Wow, 6 straight ECF appearances. 

[NoraG1]

Wow, 6 straight ECF appearances. 

I would be alot more impressed with that if they did that in the West.