Celtics losing their Magic dust?

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

OK, so we're in for a rough series here, fellas.

Yes, the Celtics climbed back late to make a game of it, but that 93-90 final score will veil the ugly stuff to the unassuming. Don't be fooled, this was a tough one to watch.

Maybe I'm just cranky. I hope it's just me. But I don't see the Celtics pulling it out this round.

Don't get it twisted. That fourth quarter was encouraging, despite Paul Pierce's lack of urgency in the final 30 seconds. Ray Allen cannot have these kind of nights anymore in the playoffs (nine points), or this is what happens (a 20-point halftime deficit).

It's not just that they had a great game plan for neutralizing Allen. Orlando is too overwhelming to deal with if you don't have a long stopper like Kevin Garnett, and the Magic frontcourt has proven as much tonight. Dwight Howard (6 for 12) and Rashard Lewis (8 for 13) had their way with the C's from two-point range, while the likes of Hedo Turkoglu, JJ Redick and Mickael Pietrus (17 points) had a little downtown party (seven combined 3-pointers).

Don't expect the Magic to stay this cold from long-range. The Magic jack it up more than anyone else in the league, and have been hitting them at a very respectable rate. We all know Hedo Turkoglu is a Celtics killer, and we all know what a freak of nature Dwight Howard is; but the two biggest keys in this series are the most unheralded.

In what has turned out to be a great move in the wake of Jameer Nelson's season-ending injury, the Magic traded away Brian Cook to the Rockets and a first-round pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston. Set aside his legal troubles and his streetball antics, and he's a pretty steady player. Since his first full 82-game season in 2003-04, he's averaged roughly 13.5 points, 6.7 assists and shot at around a 40 percent clip. In these playoffs alone, he's got a 4 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and is averaging 15.2 points.

He's no Rondo in regulated games, despite what those And1 highlights may convince, but he's not turnover-prone.

As for Lewis, Orlando management took alot of criticism for giving an $82 million contract to a guy that, for all intents and purposes, didn't deserve it. But now we see why. The guy is averaging 19 points per game for the playoffs, can step out and shoot (37 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs), and he can slash. Not to mention, he's 6-foot-10.

Combine that with Howard and Turkoglu, and that's a tall task to topple without KG, no matter how many overachievers you've got on the floor.