Eastern Conference
Kyle Hightower breaks down the first round
Cavaliers (1) vs. Pistons (8)
Season series: Cavaliers won 3-1.
Records: Cavaliers 66-16, Pistons 39-43.
Records vs. East playoff teams: Cavaliers18-9, Pistons 8-17.
Key matchups: The long arms of Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince’s weren’t much help this season guarding LeBron James. The likely league MVP has scored 20 or more points in each of the four meetings. Can Pistons point guard Rodney Stuckey slow down the Cavaliers’ Mo Williams?
Buzz: The Pistons are reeling after losing three straight and six of their last nine to end the season. The Allen Iverson experiment also wasn’t a huge success and they won’t even have him for the playoffs (back injury).
Hawks (4) vs. Heat (5)
Season series: Hawks won 3-1.
Records: Hawks 47-35; Heat 43-39.
Records vs. East playoff teams: Hawks 11-13; Heat 12-16.
Key matchups: The Heat’s Dwyane Wade will try to take over the series, but even if Joe Johnson can’t slow him down, he should be able to do his share of scoring as well. If Heat center Jermaine O’Neal is back in the lineup at full strength, his matchup with big man Al Horford also will be one to watch.
Buzz: Wade has done a lot to help erase the memories of last season’s dismal 15-victory finish, but a lot of his supporting cast is young. The Hawks come in winners of four of five to end the season.
Celtics (2) vs. Bulls (7)
Season series: Celtics won 2-1.
Records: Celtics 62-20; Bulls 41-41.
Records vs. East playoff teams: Celtics 19-7; Bulls 9-15.
Key matchups: This series promises to feature a lot of scoring, particularly with two of the conference’s better shooting guards in the Celtics’ Ray Allen and the Bulls’ Ben Gordon squaring off. The battle between the Celtics’ defense-first point guard Rajon Rondo and offensively active rookie Derrick Rose should also be interesting to watch.
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Buzz: The Celtics’ entire playoff outlook has changed since word came out that forward Kevin Garnett is likely out for the postseason. The Bulls’ lone victory in the regular season series was in March against a Garnett-less team.
Magic (3) vs. 76ers (6)
Season series: Magic won 3-0.
Records: Magic 59-23; 76ers 41-41.
Records vs. East playoff teams: Magic 16-8; 76ers 8-17.
Key matchups: The 76ers get most of their scoring from shooting guard Andre Iguodala (18.8 points) and point guard Andre Miller (16.3), who both played all 82 games this season. They will match up with a Magic backcourt of point guard Rafer Alston (12 points, 5.1 assists) and rookie Courtney Lee. Magic wunderkind center Dwight Howard will be opposite Samuel Dalembert.
Buzz: The Sixers lost six of seven games to end the season but have flourished since the firing of Maurice Cheeks in December following a 9-14 start.
— Tribune newspapers
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Western Conference
Mark Heisler breaks down the first round
Lakers (1) vs. Jazz (8)
Season series: Lakers won 3-1.
Records: Lakers 65-17; Jazz 48-34.
Records vs. West playoff teams: Lakers 10-6; Jazz 6-10.
Key matchups: The Jazz made the 2007 West Finals, and last spring handed the Lakers two of their three losses in the West draw, but this isn’t that team, having just finished in a 2-7 nose dive. Worse, these aren’t the same Lakers, who played even further over the heads of the Jazz onTuesday with Andrew Bynum back and healthy.
Buzz: Jazz coach Jerry Sloan wasn’t setting the Lakers up when he said their outlook is “bleak.” It is, but they’ll fight to the end.
Trail Blazers (4) vs. Rockets (5)
Season series: Rockets won 2-1.
Records: Trail Blazers 54-28; Rockets 53-29.
Records vs. West playoff teams: Trail Blazers 8-8; Rockets 10-6.
Key matchups: The heavyweight matchup of the first round, matching the young Trail Blazers and the veteran Rockets. The Trail Blazers kept improving despite center Greg Oden’s comings and goings, finishing on a 19-6 tear. The Rockets survived a near civil war, as teammates fumed at Tracy McGrady’s coming and goings, finishing 22-8 after he left for good.
Buzz: As deep and physical as the Rockets are, the closest thing they have to a closer now is Ron Artest. The Trail Blazers have Brandon Roy.
Nuggets (2) vs. Hornets (7)
Season series: Tied 2-2.
Records: Nuggets 54-28; Hornets 49-33.
Records vs. West playoff teams: Nuggets 8-8; Hornets 11-5.
Key matchups: The Nuggets turned their wacky ship around with Chauncey Billups, breaking the franchise record for victories, with major moves by previously crazed J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen. Nevertheless, the Hornets’ Chris Paul (right) may be the game’s most dominating player, but, aside from David West and Peja Stojakovic, he plays with nine guys who could be in the D-League.
Buzz: If Tyson Chandler averages 30 minutes and 10 rebounds, the Hornets win.
Spurs (3) vs. Mavericks (6)
Season series: Tied 2-2.
Records: Spurs 54-28; Mavericks 50-32.
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Records vs. West playoff teams: Spurs 8-8; Mavericks 9-7.
Key matchups: After all the Spurs survived, this looks like business as usual, even with Manu Ginobili gone and a gimpy Tim Duncan (right), who coach Gregg Popovich pulled late in a recent game, telling him, “I don’t need a hero, I need a healthy player.” As faded as the Mavericks are, they flew under the radar, finishing 48-25 after starting 2-7 under Rick Carlisle, with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd.
Buzz: Nothing is forever.
— Tribune newspapers