Los Suns Find a Cause, Orlando Looks Magical and the Lakers Sail Serenely On

Frank Doyle looks at the stories behind the NBA playoff teams, and that one team that’s avoiding drama to serenely continue its way to another NBA title.

Do you believe in Magic? Orlando had something of a post NBA Finals hangover at the start of the season but the Magic have found their game now, and then some.

The Atlanta Hawks have been plucked and cooked in the first two games and they didn’t deserve this sort of punishment. Atlanta took the stark lessons of a 114-71 defeat on board to come out fighting in Game 2 last night but the birds still went down without covering, 112-98, because Orlando is just the better team.

The Magic isn’t all about Dwight Howard, but they’d miss him if anybody discovers NBA kryptonite. The Cavaliers will not take renewing acquaintances with Orlando lightly, but Cleveland’s problems are more immediate right now.

Boston recovered from a Game 1 loss to win at Cleveland in Game 2, and now has two games on home court. Kevin Garrett and Rasheed Wallace might not be everybody’s favorite guys, but they’ve won it all and know what it’s like. LeBron, for all his amazing talent and fully deserved acclaim, hasn’t. And as they seasons go by, that begins to add up. Ask Peyton Manning or Alex Ovechkin.

For Cleveland, only the NBA title will do, but the Celtics, Magic and the Western winners stand in its way. That is not an easy path to negotiate. The Cavs remain NBA betting favorites but they are by no means a locked-in dead cert. There’s a lot of pressure on LeBron right now. A lot of pressure.

Over in the West, Los Suns have found a cause. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson expressed reservations about sports getting mixed up in politics but the move by Suns owner Robert Sarver might have given the Suns their win one for the Gipper moment, and that extra heft they need to get past the Spurs. The Spurs aren’t gone yet, but there is stronger reason to believe in the Suns now than there was in other years.

Which isn’t to say that it will have a happy ending for Phoenix. The Lakers are handling the Jazz with ease in their series and the Lakers are favorites to retain their Western Crown. With all the plotlines and drama surrounding the other seven playoff teams, the Lakers remain the team to beat in the NBA.