Teaming up with Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the pesky Anderson Varejao, Wallace and Cleveland have the potential to slow down the Celts interior offense. On the outside LeBron will have to prove he can defend against one of the game's best Small Forwards in Paul Pierce, the loss of Larry Hughes definately hurts the Cavs perimeter defense but with players such as Sasha Pavlovic, Delonte West and Devin Brown, Cleveland could have just enough roleplayers to slow Pierce and Allen.
Neutralizing the Big Three puts plenty of pressure on the supporting cast, and while each has shown flashes throughout the season, the inconsistencies could be too much for the Celtics to overcome.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs would most likely find themselves in a rematch with the division rival, Detroit Pistons. Last season, the Cavs shocked Motown, after two straight losses, winning the next four the send the Pistons home early.
Underneath the final outcome, you see that the Pistons stole the first two games of the series after being outplayed before LeBrons controversial dishoff in Game One, and missed game winner in the second contest. With a few different bounces, many could think the Cavs dominated the series in 2007.
This year has the potential to bear the same result. Between the coaching of Flip Saunders, and Rasheed's inevitable implosion, Detroit as the potential to take themselves out of the playoff picture once again.
One of the largest enigmas in the NBA Rasheed Wallace has the pure skills and one of the most well rounded games of any Power Forward in the league he can post up and use his deadly turn around jumper or stretch the floor knocking down threes from the top.
Recently Charles Barkley went as far as to say Rasheed could be the best player in the league.
On the flip side we are talking about one of the most problematic players in the league from his well documented troubles in Portland to his coveted records for technical fouls, Wallace has proven he lacks the focus to be a consistent force helping his team. Remember it was Wallace's defensive lapse in Game 6 of the 2005 NBA finals that may have cost them a second straight title, and Wallace's complete meltdown against Cleveland last year which may be the most memorable moment aside from LeBron's dominance.
As most fans know, as Rasheed goes, the Pistons go. And with Rasheed just one call away from single handedly burying his teams chances the Pistons face a very terrifying situation. Turning to the man at the top, over the past month, Saunders has received praise in the Detroit media for his utilization of young guns Jason Maxiell, Aaron Afflalo, Rodney Stuckey and Amir Johnson.
While every team needs depth come playoff time, I would not feel as comfortable as most Pistons fans do with a second unit with an undersized big man in Maxiell, three players in their first full NBA season and former first round disappointment Jarvis Hayes.
Throw in Saunders refusal to double team James despite his dominance in last year's series and it is easy to see that Saunders is the deadliest poison to this Pistons squad.
While it takes just one injury or one out of this world performace to change all of this, remember that if anyone in the East is capable of taking over a game, it is King James. In his fifth NBA season, James has put up career highs in points, rebounds, assists and shooting percentages further proving his ability to take over basketball games.
As James proved last year he can turn up the intensity come playoff time and while proving his skill as the best in the league driving to the basket, it could be a short spring for the Eastern Conference favorites as LeBron leads his team to their second chance at their first title.
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